CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND

WRITTEN 1787 BECAME LAW 1789 PURPOSE: TO PROVIDE A SUITABLE BUT LIMITED GOVERNMENT

FORM OF GOVERNMENT: REPUBLIC: WHICH MEANS… LEADERS ELECTED BY THE VOTERS That is a kind of DEMOCRACY

THREE BRANCHES: EXECUTIVE: PRESIDENT AND OTHERS WHO WORK FOR HIM ENFORCES LAWS LEGISLATIVE: CONGRESS MAKES LAWS JUDICIAL: FEDERAL COURTS INTERPRETS LAWS

CONGRESS: TWO “HOUSES” HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND… SENATE BOTH ARE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATES THEY MAKE THE TAX LAWS, SO THEY DECIDE HOW MUCH TAX YOU PAY

HOUSE affairs/resources/nc-congressional-districts/ gressional_delegation_map_ pdf

Elected every two years Must be at least 25 years old and a citizen for at least 7 years You DO NOT have to have been born in America. SHORT TERMS MAKES THEM MORE RESPONSIVE

United States Senate Elected every SIX YEARS Must be at least THIRTY years old and at least NINE years a citizen You DO NOT have to have been BORN in the United States LONGER TERMS MAKES THEM MORE INDEPENDENT

HOUSE AND SENATE PASS ALL LAWS IF A “SIMPLE MAJORITY “ ( 50% PLUS 1 VOTE ) OF EACH HOUSE VOTES FOR LAW, IT HAS PASSED.

EXECUTIVE BRANCH PRESIDENT, VICE-PRESIDENT CHOSEN BY THE “ELECTORAL COLLEGE” ELECTORAL COLLEGE IS ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE FOUR YEAR TERM TWO TERM MAXIMUM YOU MUST HAVE BEEN BORN A CITIZEN AND BE AT LEAST 35

ers/birthcertificate.asp

PRESIDENT IS “COMMANDER IN CHIEF” OF THE MILITARY THIS ENSURES CIVILIAN CONTROL OF THE MILITARY

HE CAN “VETO” LAWS MADE BY CONGRESS THAT KILLS THE LAW UNLESS CONGRESS VOTES AGAIN AND ¾ OF CONGRESS VOTES TO “OVER RIDE” THE VETO

JUDICIAL BRANCH US SUPREME COURT AND OTHER LOWER FEDERAL COURTS SERVE FOR LIFE: THIS MAKES THEM VERY INDEPENDENT CAN BE “IMPEACHED” FOR BAD BEHAVIOR PICKED (NOMINATED) BY THE PRESIDENT “CONFIRMED” BY THE SENATE

PRE AMBLE BEFORE THE MAIN DOCUMENT PURPOSE OF PREAMBLE? TO TELL WHY THE CONSTITUTION WAS WRITTEN. Why we have a government

We, the PEOPLE of the United States, in order to: FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION ESTABLISH JUSTICE PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENCE PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY TO OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY DO ORDAIN AND ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN ????

BILL OF RIGHTS TEN “AMENDMENTS” TO THE CONSTITUTION THESE FIRST TEN AMENDMENTS STATE THE BASIC RIGHTS OF ALL AMERICANS