Declaration of Independence, U.S Constitution, and Articles of Confederation

Mr. Sox AP Gov. UNIT 1 DOCUMENTS

What are the Declaration of Independence THREE parts?

1. Preamble

2. List of grievances against King George III

3. Resolution for Independance

Who wrote the preamble of the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson

What does the first part of the Preamble Declaration of Independence of the entail?

It is a justification as to why the colonies seek independence from Britain.

Who was the audience of the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence?

Not just King George, but the colonies and the Western World.

What was the LARGER purpose of the preamble in the Declaration of Independence?

1. To rally the troops to fight at home

2. To secure foreign allies to

According to the Declaration of Independence, the Government makes the right of man not the creator True/False

False

Where does the government get it’s power in the Declaration of Independence?

The people

Why is government created?

To protect the rights of it’s people

The idea that the power to govern is in the people’s hands is an idea by____ and is also known as _____.

Rouso; popular sovereignty

What is social contract?

When the people willingly give some of that power to the government in order for protection of their natural rights

According to Jefferson, what happens if the government does not follow the social contract?

It is the people’s right to destroy it and build up a new one.

The U.S Constitution established a republican style government while the articles of confederation established a confederacy: True/ False

True

The U.S constitution begins with a ____ and has ____ articles

preamble, 7

Article I of the U.S Constitution deals with:

the Legislative Branch of government, outlining the powers and structure of Congress.

What is the significance of Article I being the longest in the U.S Constitution?

The Legislative branch represents the people.

Under the U.S Constitution, the congress formed into a ______

Bicameral Legislature (two houses)

What are the two houses of the congress according to the U.S Constitution?

The House of Representatives and the Senate.

According to the U.S Constitution in congress, how is the Senate and House organized?

Senate: each state is represented equally

House: Representation based on population

Explain Article I section 8 in the Constitution? (the most important section)

This section outlines the powers of Congress, including: The authority to levy taxes, regulate commerce, and provide for the common defense. It also grants Congress the necessary and proper clause to make new, essential laws.

Explain Article II in the Constitution

Article II explains the executive branch: Detailing the powers and responsibilities of the President, how the President is elected, and his/ her limits.

The President is elected by the Electoral college. True/ False

True

What are the executive’s powers (President).

The President is the highest in the chain of command in the military. He also signs off, executes and enforces the laws passed by congress.

Explain Article III of the Constitution

Article III explains the judicial branch, outlining the powers of the Supreme Court and other federal courts, as well as the process for federal judges' appointments and their tenure.

What did the Judiciary act of 1789 do?

The constitution provides for one federal supreme court and gives congress the power to establish other courts. (Article III in Constitution)

In article III of the constitution, how many jurisdictions are there? What do they do?

2; the original jurisdiction and the appellate jurisdiction, which handle different types of cases.

What is is original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction?

Original jurisdiction is the authority of a court to hear a case for the first time, while appellate jurisdiction refers to the power of a higher court to review and revise the decision of a lower court.

Describe article IV in the U.S Constitution

Article IV outlines the powers and responsibilities of the states, as well as their relationship to the federal government and to each other.

Describe article V in the U.S Constitution

Article V outlines the process for amending the Constitution, detailing how amendments can be 1. proposed and 2. ratified.

What are the two ways an amendment can be proposed? How is it ratified in to law?

1. two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress

2. A constitutional convention called by two-thirds of the state legislatures.

An amendment is ratified into law by ¾ of the states agreeing with it.

Describe article VI in the U.S Constitution? Especially the Supremacy Clause.

Article VI establishes the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, asserting that federal laws take precedence over state laws. The Supremacy Clause declares that judges in every state are bound by the Constitution, regardless of state law.

What are the Articles of Confederation? What is a confederation?

Being the first constitutions of the U.S, it established the first government. A confederation is a form of government in which several powers unite to form a central power.

What were the problems with the Articles of Confederation?

Placing all the power in the hands of the States led to a weak central government, inability to levy taxes, regulate commerce, and enforce laws, resulting in inefficiencies and instability.

In the Articles of Confederation, what does Article II explain, and what does Article V explain?

Article II explains that each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence while Article V outlines the process for amending the Articles, requiring the consent of all states, establishing the legislative branch.

In the Articles of Confederation, each state has one vote in congress. True/ False

True

In the Articles of Confederation, what was the purpose of the central government?

The central government was intended to manage relations between states, conduct foreign affairs, and oversee common defense, but it lacked authority to enforce laws or collect taxes.

In the Articles of Confederation, it requires the agreement of ¾ the states to pass or alter an amendment. True/ False

False, EVERY state legislator has to agree.

When and where was a new constitution created after the Articles of Confederation?

The new constitution was created in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.