Constitution 101:

An Introduction & Overview to the US Constitution

United States Constitution 101

This PPT can be used alone or in conjunction with the Consortium’s Goal 1 & 2 lessons,
available in the Database of Civic Resources at www.civics.org.
 Warm-Up Questions

1. What is the US Constitution?

2. Why do you feel it is important in your life?

 What is the US Constitution?
• The supreme law of the United States.

• It is the foundation and source of the legal

authority underlying the existence of the
United States of America and the Federal
Government of the United States.

• It provides the framework for the organization

of the United States Government.
 What are the basic principals of the
Constitution?
• Popular Sovereignty
– Government power resides in
the people
• Limited government
– Government is not all powerful,
can only do what the people let
it.
• Separation of Powers
– Helps prevent one branch from
becoming too powerful
– Checks and Balances
• Federalism
– Division of power among
national and state governments
What are the Checks and Balances?
 Who Wrote It?
• James Madison is
considered “the father
of the Constitution.”
• His important
contributions:
– The Virginia Plan
– Separation of Powers
– Bill of Rights
 Why was it written?

• After the Revolutionary War, the Articles of

Confederation set up the structure of the US
Government.
• The federal government was extremely weak
and this created many problems such as:
1. No separation of powers – only unicameral
legislature.
2. Weak central government – states had most power.
3. Congress did not have the power to tax – this means
they could not get their finances in order.
 Why was it written?
• More problems with the Articles of Confederation:
4. In order to change the Articles, all thirteen states had to
approve of the changes. This made it essentially
impossible to make any changes.
5. For any major laws to pass they had to be approved by 9
or the 13 states which was difficult.
6. Congress did not have the power to regulate commerce
which caused competition between states. It also caused
diplomatic issues when states refused to pay for goods
their received from other nations.
 Why was it written?
• Shays’ Rebellion:
– An uprising of farmers in
Massachusetts – led by
Daniel Shays.
– Helped convince leaders
that a strong central
government was
needed.

"A scene at Springfield, during Shay's Rebellion, when the

mob attempted to prevent the holding of the Courts of
Justice."—E. Benjamin Andrews, 1895
 When was it written?

• May 25th to September 17th, 1787

• Philadelphia
• Intention was to revise Articles of Confederation
• Ended up replacing the Articles and creating a new
government
• Called the “Constitutional Convention.”
What were the important outcomes of the
Constitutional Convention
• Virginia Plan: • Great Compromise:
– Separation of powers – Hybrid of VA and NJ
– Bicameral legislature Plans:
based on population • Bicameral legislature:
– House of Reps based on
– Federal government had population
increased powers – Senate based upon
equal representation
• New Jersey Plan:
– Three-Fifth’s Clause:
– Unicameral legislature
• Slaves count as 3/5’s of a
where every state person for representation
received equal purposes & taxes.
representation.
 Ratification Debate
• Needed 9 of 13 states to ratify or official approve of
the Constitution before it went into effect.

• A huge debate emerged between two sides:

– Federalists
– Anti-Federalists
 Federalists v. Anti-Federalists
• Federalists: • Anti-Federalists:
– Supported the – Supported a weaker
Constitution and a central government –
strong central felt too much power was
government taken away from the
– Alexander Hamilton, states
James Madison, John Jay – Opposed the
– Federalist Papers – Constitution
series of articles written – Wanted a Bill of Rights
in defense of the included
Constitution – Samuel Adams, Patrick
Henry
Ratification
• Officially adopted after
ratified by New
Hampshire.
• Once the new
government convened,
they added a Bill of
Rights to the
Constitution.
 Structure of the Constitution
• Preamble:
– Statement of purpose
• Articles:
– I: Legislative Branch
– II: Executive Branch
– III: Judicial Branch
– IV: Relations Among the
States
– V: Amendment Process
– VI: Federal Power
– VII: Ratification
• Amendments:
– 27 Total
– 1st ten are the Bill of Rights
 Article I: Legislative Branch
• Bicameral: • Important Powers:
– Senate – Make laws
• 2 Senators for each state – Set taxes
– House of – Declare war
Representatives – Override Vetoes
• Based on population
– Borrow money
• Reps serve for 2 year – Regulate international
terms and national trade
• Senators serve for 6 – Print money
year terms
 Article II: Executive Branch
• President and Vice • Important powers:
President are elected to – Commander-in-Chief
4 year terms – Grant pardons
• Qualifications: – Make treaties
– At least 35 years old – Appoint federal officers
– 14 year resident of the – Ensure laws are
US executed
– Natural born citizen
• Elected by the Electoral
College
 Article III: Judicial Branch
• Supreme Court judges • Important Powers:
serve for life unless – Decides cases of
impeached. Constitutional law and
federal law
• Judicial power rests
– Cases involving
with US Supreme Court
ambassadors go straight
and other courts to Supreme Court
created by Congress – Judicial Review comes
later (1803 – Marbury v.
Madison)
 Other Important Articles:
• Article V: Amendments: • Article VI: Federal Power
– Amendments are proposed – Supremacy Clause: Federal
when 2/3 of House and law is supreme to state law
Senate deem it necessary – No religious tests for public
– Amendments are proposed office
when 2/3 of states deem it
necessary
– Amendments must be
ratified by ¾ of state
legislatures or by
conventions in ¾ of states
 Important Amendments:
Bill of Rights
1. Freedom of religion, of 6. Right to a fair and speedy
speech, of the press, to public trial, Notice of
assemble, and to petition accusations, Confronting
2. Right to bear arms one's accuser, Subpoenas,
3. No quartering of soldiers Right to counsel
4. No unreasonable search and 7. Right to trial by jury in civil
seizure cases
5. Indictments; Due process; 8. No excessive bail & fines or
Self-incrimination; Double cruel & unusual punishment
jeopardy, and rules for 9. There are other rights not
Eminent Domain. written in the Constitution
10. All rights not given to Federal
Government belong to states
and people.
 Other Important Amendments:
Reconstruction Amendments
• 13th Amendment
– abolished slavery
• 14th Amendment
– Due process and equal protection under the law
– All persons born in US are citizens
• 15th Amendment
– Right to vote regardless of race, color, or previous
servitude
 Other Important Amendments:
• 18th Amendment
– Prohibition of alcohol
• 19th Amendment:
– Women’s suffrage
• 21st Amendment:
– Repeals prohibition
• 22nd Amendment:
– Presidential term limits
• 24th Amendment:
– Prohibits poll taxes for voting
• 26th Amendment:
– lowers voting age to 18