POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS THE CONSTITUTION PRESIDENT CONGRESS STATES The United States
The Constitution of the United States On which date was the Constitution ratified and signed? How many states were originally part of the Union? Who were these states? Where is the composition of the House of Representatives explained? Where is the composition of the Senate explained? Where is the process of electing a President explained?
The Constitution of the United States On which date was the Constitution ratified and signed? 17 th September 1787 How many states were originally part of the Union? 13 Who were these states? New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Where is the composition of the House of Representatives explained? Article 1, Section 2 Where is the composition of the Senate explained? Article 1, Section 3 Where is the process of electing a President explained? Article 2, Section 1
Congress House of Representatives Who can be elected as a Representative? How often are they elected? Who elects them? How many Representatives shall there be, at first and then in the future? How will this be decided? Who is included in the population of the United States? Senate
25 yrs Resident 7 yrs Legal state inhabitant House of Representatives 25 yrs Resident 7 yrs Legal state inhabitant 30 yrs Resident 9 yrs Legal state inhabitant 35 yrs Resident 14 yrs Natural born Unites States Elections: Will occur every 2 years Will be elected by those qualified to vote as determined by the individual states. The number of representatives is dependent on population – 1/30,000. Population will be decided by a national census. 1 st one will occur in 3 yrs. Subsequent censuses will occur every 10yrs. Before a the first census the number of Representatives was determined by the Constitution. The population is counted as Free persons Indians who pay tax Those bound in service 3/5ths of all other persons
Congress House of Representatives Who can be elected as a Representative? How often are they elected? Who elects them? How many Representatives shall there be, at first and then in the future? How will this be decided? Who is included in the population of the United States? Senate Who can be elected as a Senator? How many Senators can there be? Who elects the Senators? How often are they elected? How many votes does each Senator hold? How many Senators are chosen at each election? What is the maximum term for a Senator? What is the role of the Vice President?
Senate Elections There are 2 Senators for every state. The Senators are elected by the State Legislature. They are elected every 2 years. Each Senator has one vote in the Senate. A third of the Senators are elected at each election. A Senator serves 6 years maximum before re-election. The Vice President is the President of the Senate and only votes if there is a tie. 30 yrs Resident 9 yrs Legal state inhabitant 35 yrs Resident 14 yrs Natural born Unites States 30 yrs Resident 9 yrs Legal state inhabitant
The President President is elected every 4 years, along with the Vice-President. It is not a direct popular vote, instead electoral colleges are used. Population of each state votes for the State electors State electors cast 2 votes How many state electors are there? ‘Faithless electors’ What happens if a majority of state electors’ votes is not obtained or there is a tie? For the President For the Vice-President
How is an Amendment made? By the end of our study period (1861), there were 12 Amendments to the Constitution. The 13 th abolished slavery in the United States. The first 10 Amendments were brought about together in The Bill of Rights (see on the right).
How is an Amendment made? There are 2 methods to propose an Amendment. In Congress By a State proposed National Convention How is it then passed? State ratification Where is this in the Constitution?
How is a law passed? Proposal is made House debate/amend Passes to the other House Congress can override veto Considered by a committee Final vote, if approved Submitted to the President Pocket veto