Importance and purpose Checks and Balances What’s a constitution? Importance and purpose Checks and Balances

Why is it important to have a written constitution? What is a constitution? A constitution is simply a rulebook It outlines: limits of government relationships with other levels of government a government’s responsibilities to citizens Think-Pair-Share: Why is it important to have a written constitution?

Why is a written constitution important? Come up and write your responses on the blank space.

US Constitution Factoids The U.S. Constitution was written in the same Pennsylvania State House where the Declaration of Independence was signed. The purpose of the Constitutional Convention was to revise the Articles of Confederation James Madison “The Father of the Constitution” was the first delegate to arrive in May The Constitutional Convention ran from May-September The Constitution was signed on: http://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-constitution-amendments/james-madison/ September 17, 1787

What does our constitution have? The US Constitution has 3 main components: Preamble Articles- 7 Amendments- 27 The US Constitution provides us with a system of checks and balances by creating separation of powers: Article I- Legislative Article II- Executive Article III- Judicial http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/05/james-madison-father-of-partisanship-106348

Checks and Balances A vital mechanism and principle of the US Constitution is checks and balance

Checks and Balances: How does each branch check one another? ________ Branch Over ________ Branch - Override Vetoes Presidential Impeachment Treaty and Executive Appointment Approval Enact Budget and Laws Power to Declare War Selection of President and Vice President if no electoral majority is received at election Confirm presidential appointments 1

Checks and Balances: How does each branch check one another? ________ Branch Over ________ Branch - May declare executive actions to be unlawful because they are not authorized by legislation May declare executive actions to be unconstitutional 2

Checks and Balances: How does each branch check one another? _______ Branch Over _______ Branch - Has the power to veto legislation Can recommend legislation Appoint commissions 3

Checks and Balances: How does each branch check one another? ________ Branch Over ________ Branch - Nominates federal judges Can pardon convicted criminals 4

Checks and Balances: How does each branch check one another? ________ Branch Over ________ Branch - Approval of Federal Judges Judicial Impeachment Power to Initiate Constitutional Amendments Alter the Size of the Supreme Court 5

Checks and Balances: How does each branch check one another? ________ Branch Over ________ Branch - Interprets legal disputes caused by Congressional acts May declare acts of Congress to be unconstitutional 6

Checks and Balances: How does each branch check one another? ________ Branch Over Itself - Bills must pass both the House of Representatives and the Senate The House of Representatives originates all revenue bills If one house is to adjourn for more than 30 days, approval must be sought from the other house Public release of journals 7

Can we change it? The US Constitution has 27 amendments The first ten, ratified in 1791, are known as: The Bill of Rights! The last amendment was in 1992. It was one of 12 originally proposed by Madison in 1789 http://www.geocities.ws/sorellalove/constitution/formal.html