the bill of rights and good citizenship
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The Bill of Rights and Good Citizenship. Just because the majority of the members of the Constitutional Convention had signed the document didn’t mean it automatically became the law. At least 9 out of the 13 original states had to RATIFY or approve it. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Bill of Rights and
Good Citizenship
Just because the majority of the members of the
Constitutional Convention had signed the document
didn’t mean it automatically became the law. At least 9 out of the 13 original states had to
RATIFY or approve it.
Many people in the states broke into two groups:
FEDERALISTSANTI-
FEDERALISTS
Federalists• Favored a strong national
government.• Thought the Constitution would
protect the basic rights of people.
• Were led by men such as James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.
Anti-Federalists• Feared the Constitution would make
the national government (Congress and the President) too strong, and would weaken state governments.
• Were concerned that there was not a Bill of Rights.
• Led by men such as George Mason, Edmund Randolph, and Elbridge Gerry.
A tense battle developed in some states between the two sides.
Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and John Jay wrote a
series of 85 essays called “The
Federalist Papers” to support the Constitution.
One by one the states debated the Constitution and began to
ratify it. By June of 1788, 9 out of the 13 states had ratified the
Constitution, so it could now become the law of the land. However, two large states,
Virginia and New York, had not yet approved it. Fortunately, they
eventually did, and the country was more unified.
Ratification of the
Constitution
State For Against DateDelaware 30 0 12/7/1787
Pennsylvania 46 23 12/12/1787New Jersey 38 0 12/18/1787
Georgia 26 0 1/2/1788Connecticut 128 40 1/9/1788
Massachusetts 187 168 2/6/1788Maryland 63 11 4/28/1788
South Carolina 149 73 5/23/1788New Hampshire 57 47 6/21/1788
Virginia 89 79 6/25/1788New York 30 27 7/26/1788
North Carolina 194 77 11/21/1789Rhode Island 34 32 5/29/1790
The Nation Celebrated!• The first election was held, with
George Washington winning all the electoral votes.
• Congress had 59 Representatives and 22 Senators (North Carolina and Rhode Island had yet to ratify.)
• New York City served as the capital under the new Constitution.
The Bill of RightsSome states had been hesitant to accept the Constitution unless a Bill of Rights was included. A BILL OF RIGHTS is a document that lists freedoms the government must protect. The creators of the Constitution created the AMENDMENT process in case changes ever needed to be made.
The Amendment Process• Either 2/3 of both houses of
Congress propose the amendment, or 2/3 of states can have special conventions.
• Then, 3/4 of the states must approve the amendment.
• In over 200 years, there have only been 27 amendments. Of those, the first 10 were passed shortly after the Constitution was ratified.
The second method
has never been used.
The first 10 amendments to the Constitution are called the
Bill of Rights. They were created to ensure basic
freedoms, and to make sure the government treated
citizens fairly.
They were ratified on
December 15, 1791
Click Here to Check out the Bill of Rights from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia…
Amendment #1 The 5
Freedoms
1. Religion2. Speech3. The Press4. To Assemble5. To Petition
Amendment #2
The Right to Keep
and Bear Arms
Amendment #3
Lodging Troops in Private Homes
Amendment #4
Protection Against Unlawful Searches and Seizures
Amendment #5Rights of the Accused
Amendment #6
The Right to a Speedy and
Public Trial for Criminal Offenses
Amendment #7
The Right to a Jury Trial in Civil Cases Involving More Than $20
Amendment #9
Protection of Other
Rights Not Mentioned
in the Constitution
Amendment #10Powers Left to the States or to the People
Other Amendments• #11 – Judicial power of the U. S. is not to
extend to suits against a state. (2/7/1795)• #12 – Current mode of electing the
President/Vice President through the use of “electors”. (7/27/1804)
• #13 – The prohibition of slavery. (12/6/1865)• #14 – Citizenship is defined, and privileges of
being a citizen. (7/9/1868)• #15 – Voting rights of citizens. (2/3/1870)
Other Amendments• #16 – Congress is given permission to tax
personal income. (2/3/1913)• #17 – Election of senators, filling of vacancies,
qualifications of electors. (4/8/1913)• #18 – Manufacture, sale, or transportation of
liquor is prohibited. (1/16/1920)• #19 – The right of citizens to vote shall not be
denied on account of sex. (8/18/1920)
Other Amendments• #20 – Terms of president, vice president,
senators, and representatives. (1/23/1933)• #21 – Repeal or cancellation of the 18th
Amendment. (12/5/1933)• #22 – Limit to the number of terms a
president may serve. (2/27/1951)• #23 – Electoral votes given to the District of
Columbia. (3/29/1961)
Other Amendments• #24 – Payment of poll taxes or any other
taxes in order to vote is abolished. (1/23/1964)
• #25 – Succession of vice president to the presidency in case of death, removal from office, or resignation. (2/10/1967)
• #26 – Voting age changed to 18. (7/1/1971)• #27 – Congressional pay raises shall not take
effect until elections have been held for the next Congress. (5/7/1992)
Never Take Your Citizenship For Granted.Some people wait a lifetime to become an American!
There are 5 steps that can lead you to be more than just a
citizen.Strive to be a
Model Citizen!!!
RegularCitizen
KnowYourRights
BeResponsible
StayInformedMake
GoodDecisions
ParticipateIn Your
Community
Model Citizen
Step #1 – Know Your Rights
• Freedom of Religion• Freedom of Speech• Freedom of the
Press• Freedom of
Assembly• Freedom of Petition
The Right to Vote• 1789-White male property
owners over age 21• By 1850s-All white males
over age 21• 1870-Black males• 1920-Females• 1961-Residents of D. C.• 1971-Citizens over age 18
First Amendment Liberties
Step #2 – Be Responsible
Under 18:
*Get an Education
*Take Responsibility for Your Own Actions
*Help Your Family
All Ages:*Obey rules and
laws*Be tolerant of
others*Pay taxes
*Volunteer for causes
*Stay informed
Over 18:
*Vote*Serve on a jury
*Serve in the military todefend the country
Step #3 – Stay Informed
Know the issues by taking time to study current events.
Learn who candidates are in elections.
Never be afraid to ask questions!!!
Step #4 – Make Good DecisionsIdentify the
Problem
Gather Information
Analyze theInformation
ConsiderOptions
Choose aSolution
Implement theSolution
Evaluate theSolution
Step #5 – Participate in Your Community
If you see a cause you believe in, get out there and support it!
Individuals CAN and DO make a difference!!!