Who Were “We the People”? Unit 1 – Part 3B

Today’s Objectives I can identify groups that were or were not considered to be the “we” in “we the people”. I can apply my knowledge to analyze Kentucky voting rights.

The “Fourth Branch” The “Fourth Branch” refers to individuals or groups who can influence the three branches of government in the U.S. legal system by participating in the political process and being active leaders in a democratic society. Includes individuals, civic groups, advocacy organizations, and private interest groups.

The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Voting & the Fourth Branch Voting is one way the fourth branch, including ordinary people, can participate in a system of democracy. By voting, every citizen can have a voice in the way that rules and laws are written, enforced, and interpreted. However, who is allowed to vote (and when) has been an issue people have argued about throughout U.S. history.

Voting in the Early U.S. When the U.S. Constitution was written, voting was largely limited to white male property owners which meant that only 10-16% of the nation’s population had the right to vote.

“Who Were We the People?” Go to the following link: http://www.rightsmatter.org/curriculum/9.html Read Chapter 3, “Who Were We the People?” and answer the questions on the handout.

State Voting Rights The framers of the Constitution left it up to individual states to determine who could vote in their state, even in federal elections. The Constitution has been amended to prevent states from denying the right to vote on the basis of race, gender, and age (for people 18 and older).