citizenship handbook & the u.s. constitution citizenship handbook & the u.s. constitution...

Citizenship Handbook Citizenship Handbook

& & The U.S. ConstitutionThe U.S. Constitution

Section 1:Section 1:

A Lasting Plan of GovernmentA Lasting Plan of Government

Terms to knowTerms to know

11. . PreamblePreamble: the first part or : the first part or introduction of a document.introduction of a document.

2. 2. ArticleArticle: a section of a document.: a section of a document.

3. 3. Checks and balancesChecks and balances: a system set : a system set up in the Constitution where each up in the Constitution where each branch of the government has some branch of the government has some authority over the other.authority over the other.


4. 4. AmendmentAmendment: an alteration or a : an alteration or a written change to a document.written change to a document.

5. 5. FederalismFederalism: a system of government : a system of government in which power is distributed between in which power is distributed between national and state governments.national and state governments.

6 Goals of our government as 6 Goals of our government as stated in the Preamble…stated in the Preamble…

1. “1. “To form a more perfect unionTo form a more perfect union” (to ” (to function as a single nation for the function as a single nation for the benefit of all).benefit of all).

2. “2. “To establish justiceTo establish justice” (to make sure ” (to make sure all are treated fairly).all are treated fairly).

3. “3. “To ensure domestic tranquilityTo ensure domestic tranquility” (to ” (to keep peace among the people).keep peace among the people).

6 Goals of our government as 6 Goals of our government as stated in the Preamble…stated in the Preamble…

4. “4. “To provide for the common defenseTo provide for the common defense” ” (maintain armed forces to protect country and (maintain armed forces to protect country and citizens from attack).citizens from attack).

5. “5. “To promote the general welfareTo promote the general welfare” (to ensure ” (to ensure that citizens will be free from poverty, hunger, that citizens will be free from poverty, hunger, and disease).and disease).

6. “6. “To secure the blessings of liberty to To secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and to our posterityourselves and to our posterity” (to guarantee ” (to guarantee that NO American’s basic rights will be taken that NO American’s basic rights will be taken away now or in the future).away now or in the future).

ArticlesArticles

Following the Preamble, the Following the Preamble, the Constitution is broken into seven parts, Constitution is broken into seven parts, or articles. The founders saw the or articles. The founders saw the Constitution as a contract between Constitution as a contract between people and their government. The first people and their government. The first three articles describe the powers and three articles describe the powers and responsibilities of the three branches responsibilities of the three branches of government.of government.

Article IArticle I

Article I states that a Congress Article I states that a Congress made up of two houses, Senate made up of two houses, Senate

and the House of Representativesand the House of Representatives

Article IArticle I

Powers of Congress:Powers of Congress:

Power to taxPower to taxPower to regulate tradePower to regulate tradePower to coin moneyPower to coin moneyPower to declare warPower to declare war

Article IIArticle II

Article II deals with the Executive Article II deals with the Executive branch and provides for a branch and provides for a

President and Vice President to President and Vice President to carry out the duties of this carry out the duties of this

branch. It explains how these two branch. It explains how these two leaders are to be chosen and it leaders are to be chosen and it

also lists powers of the U.S. also lists powers of the U.S. President. President.

Article IIArticle II

U.S. President’s powers include:U.S. President’s powers include:

Power to command armed forcesPower to command armed forcesPower to make treaties with other Power to make treaties with other nations nations Power to pardon criminalsPower to pardon criminalsPower to appoint certain government Power to appoint certain government officialsofficials

Article IIIArticle III

Article III gives the judicial powers of Article III gives the judicial powers of government to a Supreme Court and government to a Supreme Court and other federal courts. U.S. President other federal courts. U.S. President appoints the judges of these courts. appoints the judges of these courts.

These judges serve for life, or These judges serve for life, or according to the Constitution, “during according to the Constitution, “during

good behavior.”good behavior.”

Article IIIArticle III

Article III states that federal courts will Article III states that federal courts will have the power to judgehave the power to judge

““all cases…arising under the all cases…arising under the ConstitutionConstitution””

This allows the Supreme Court to This allows the Supreme Court to prevent the other two branches from prevent the other two branches from

violating the Constitutionviolating the Constitution

Articles IV - VIIArticles IV - VII

Article IVArticle IV: : explains the relationship between explains the relationship between the states and the national government.the states and the national government.

Article VArticle V: : explains how the constitution can explains how the constitution can be changed.be changed.

Article VIArticle VI: : explains general provisions explains general provisions about the government.about the government.

Article VIIArticle VII: : states that Constitution will states that Constitution will go into effect after nine states ratify itgo into effect after nine states ratify it

Bill of RightsBill of Rights

The first 10 Amendments to the U.S. The first 10 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution are called the Constitution are called the Bill of Bill of RightsRights..

11stst Amendment Amendment: Freedom of speech, : Freedom of speech, religion, the press, assembly and to religion, the press, assembly and to petition the government.petition the government.


22ndnd Amendment Amendment: The right to bear : The right to bear arms.arms.

33rdrd Amendment Amendment: No quartering or : No quartering or housing of soldiers during times of housing of soldiers during times of peace or war.peace or war.

44thth Amendment Amendment: No unreasonable : No unreasonable searches and seizures.searches and seizures.


55thth Amendment Amendment: :

No one can be tried for a serious crime unless indicted (accused) by a grand jury. No one can be forced to testify against herself or himself. No one can be punished without due process of law. No one can be tried twice for the same crime (double jeopardy)People must be paid for property taken for public use (eminent domain)


66thth Amendment Amendment: People have a right to a : People have a right to a speedy trial, to legal counsel, and to speedy trial, to legal counsel, and to confront their accusers.confront their accusers.

77thth Amendment Amendment: : People have the right to a jury trial in civil suits exceeding $20.


8th Amendment8th Amendment: :

Protection against excessive bail Protection against excessive bail

(money to release a person from jail), (money to release a person from jail), stiff fines, and cruel and unusual stiff fines, and cruel and unusual

punishment.punishment.


99thth Amendment Amendment: :

Because there are so many basic human rights, not all of them could be listed in

the Constitution. This amendment means that the rights that are

enumerated cannot infringe upon rights that are not listed in the

Constitution.


1010thth Amendment: Amendment: Powers not given to the federal government by the Constitution belong to the states or the people. Example: Common Core (state)

Citizenship Handbook & Citizenship Handbook & The U.S. ConstitutionThe U.S. Constitution

Section 2: Five Principles of the Constitution

Five Principals of the Constitution

Popular Sovereignty Limited Government Federalism Separation of Powers Checks and Balances

1. Popular Sovereignty

Declaration of Independence says Declaration of Independence says government gets its power from government gets its power from the “consent of the governed.”the “consent of the governed.”

Sovereignty = “authority”Sovereignty = “authority”

Popular = “of the people”Popular = “of the people”

2. Limited Government2. Limited Government

Limited government means that…Limited government means that…

… … a government that “does NOT a government that “does NOT

have absolute authority.”have absolute authority.”

3. Federalism

Federalism is the division of powers Federalism is the division of powers between the “national” government between the “national” government and the “state” government.and the “state” government.

NoteNote: in any conflict between the : in any conflict between the national and state laws, the national national and state laws, the national law has the higher authority.law has the higher authority.

4. Separation of Powers4. Separation of Powers

To prevent the national government from abusing its power, framers of the Constitution divided it into 3 branches:

Legislative, Executive, & Judicial branches

Branches of GovernmentBranches of Government

5. Checks and Balances5. Checks and Balances

The main goal of setting up system of The main goal of setting up system of Checks and Balances is to allow each Checks and Balances is to allow each

branch of government (legislative, branch of government (legislative, executive, judicial) to check or limit the executive, judicial) to check or limit the

power of the other branches.power of the other branches.


1. Liberty: freedom of the people to live as they choose.

2. Popular sovereignty: the belief that people should have the right to rule themselves.


3. Representative democracy: government in which people elect leaders or officials to make decisions for them.

4. Electoral college: representatives of voters in each state who select the President and the Vice President.


5. 5. TyrannyTyranny: cruel and unjust rule.: cruel and unjust rule.

6. 6. VetoVeto: action in which an executive : action in which an executive rejects a bill submitted by a legislature.rejects a bill submitted by a legislature.

3 Types of Power3 Types of Power

Delegated powersDelegated powers: powers that belong : powers that belong to the federal governmentto the federal government

Reserved powersReserved powers: powers that belong : powers that belong to the states.to the states.

Concurrent powersConcurrent powers: shared powers of : shared powers of both the federal and states both the federal and states

Citizenship Handbook & The U.S. Constitution


Government in ActionGovernment in Action


1.1. PrecedentPrecedent: a model to be used as a : a model to be used as a guide for future actions.guide for future actions.

2.2. BureaucracyBureaucracy: an organization of : an organization of government workers.government workers.


3. 3. DiplomacyDiplomacy: relations with foreign : relations with foreign countries.countries.

4. 4. ImpeachImpeach: to bring formal charges : to bring formal charges against a federal or state public against a federal or state public official with the intent of removing the official with the intent of removing the official from office.official from office.

Elastic Clause

Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 is known as the “elastic clause, or necessary and

proper clause” given to Congress. Basically, it says that Congress has a lot of freedom

to act. As a result, many laws have been passed since 1787.

Commerce Clause

Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 says that Congress has the power to “regulate Commerce with foreign nations, and

among several states.” This clause has been used in different ways including

the banning of discrimination, or unfair treatment, of different races.

Judicial Review

This is the power of the Supreme Court to review government acts and possibly

declare them unconstitutional.

Roles of the PresidentRoles of the President

As defined by the As defined by the Constitution, the Constitution, the president has 4 president has 4 main duties:main duties:

1. Chief Executive: 1. Chief Executive: manages the manages the government by government by carrying out its carrying out its laws.laws.

Roles of the President

2.2.Chief of State: Chief of State:

directs national directs national diplomacy or diplomacy or relations with relations with foreign countries.foreign countries.


3.3. Commander in Commander in Chief:Chief:

serves as the serves as the highest ranking highest ranking officer in the officer in the armed forces.armed forces.


4.4. Chief legislator:Chief legislator:

influences the influences the passage of laws passage of laws in two ways:in two ways:

1)1) Suggests laws to Suggests laws to Congress for Congress for passage or…passage or…

2)2) Can use “veto” Can use “veto” power to prevent a power to prevent a law from passagelaw from passage

Citizenship Handbook & Citizenship Handbook & The U.S. ConstitutionThe U.S. Constitution


Duties & ResponsibilitiesDuties & Responsibilities

of Citizensof Citizens


1.1. DutiesDuties: : tasks that citizens are tasks that citizens are required by law to perform.required by law to perform.

2.2. ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities: tasks that : tasks that citizens are expected to perform.citizens are expected to perform.

3.3. ToleranceTolerance: the acceptance of : the acceptance of different beliefs.different beliefs.

DutiesDuties

Obey lawsObey laws: : (example: obey traffic laws)(example: obey traffic laws)

Pay taxesPay taxes:: (7% state sales tax) (7% state sales tax)

Defend the nationDefend the nation: : (draft for men)(draft for men)

Serve in courtServe in court: : (jury duty)(jury duty)

Attend schoolAttend school: : (drop out age 17)(drop out age 17)

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities(things that we as citizens should do)(things that we as citizens should do)

Be informedBe informed: : (know what the government is (know what the government is

doing, example, effective July 1, 2015, car inspection doing, example, effective July 1, 2015, car inspection

stickers are no longer required for vehicle owners)stickers are no longer required for vehicle owners)

Vote:Vote: (voters choose the officials to run (voters choose the officials to run

the government)the government)

Participate in GovernmentParticipate in Government: : (volunteer (volunteer

to help out your community)to help out your community)

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities(things that we as citizens should do)(things that we as citizens should do)

Respect rights of othersRespect rights of others: : (not being a loud neighbor or writing on desks)(not being a loud neighbor or writing on desks)

Respect diversityRespect diversity: (respecting and : (respecting and accepting others regardless of their background, accepting others regardless of their background, beliefs, and/or practices)beliefs, and/or practices)

citizenship handbook & the u.s. constitution citizenship handbook & the u.s. constitution...

Documents

national government

branches of government

system of government

judicial powers of government

article vi

article iarticle

article iiu

th amendment