1. The Constitution!

2. What’s the US Constitution?
I) Constitutional Convention – May 1787
A) Meeting in Philadelphia to fix
Articles of Confederation
B) Delegates: Ppl sent from states to go
to the meeting
C) G. Washington elected President of
convention (meeting)

3. What’s the US Constitution?

4. What’s the US Constitution?
II) James Madison (Delegate)
A) Father of the Constitution
1. Wants to get rid of Articles of
Confederation
2. Studied a lot about gov’t
3. Many of his ideas went into writing
the new constitution

5. What’s the US Constitution?
III) Benjamin Franklin (Oldest Delegate -81)
A) Popular and well respected
B) Printer, writer, scientist, inventor
C) Helped write Declaration of
Independence, and peace treaty to end
the Revolution (Treaty of Paris)
IV) Alexander Hamilton – NY Lawyer – wants STRONG central government

8. John Green – Constitution (6 min)

9. What’s the US Constitution?

10. What’s in the US Constitution?
Compromises were Made
Compromise: Ppl give up some ideas to
get other ideas / negotiate
The Virginia Plan - (Madison and Randolph – Va.)
1. National gov’t would have 3 parts
(branches)

11. What’s in the US Constitution? Virginia Plan
2. Executive Branch = Enforces Laws
President/VP/ Cabinet (Secretaries)
3. Judicial Branch = Interprets Laws
Court System (makes sure laws are fair)
4. Legislative Branch = Makes Laws
Congress * Arguments about this!!!
How many representatives would each
state have in Congress?
(BiCameral – Split the power into two groups)

12. What’s the US Constitution?
Three Branches of Government

13. What do we do with the Legislative Branch
What do we do with the Legislative Branch? Virginia Plan (Strong Fed Gov’t)
* Two “Houses” (By Population)
Big states wanted representation (votes)
in each house to be based on population of
state -VA is a big state so they would get more
** Small states said “UNFAIR”

14. One “House” of Congress
What do we do with the Legislative Branch? New Jersey Plan (Weaker Fed Gov’t)
One “House” of Congress
- EQUAL Representation
- Small states think all states should have
the same amount of representatives

16. What’s in the US Constitution?
The Great Compromise
(Connecticut Plan)
1. Roger Sherman’s idea
2. Congress (Legislative) would be split in two
House of Representatives (By Population)
* Amount of representatives (votes)
depended on population of state
(ex: NY has more than Delaware)
*Chosen by the people

17. Representatives (House)

18. New York has 27 representatives in the House of Representatives

19. What’s in the US Constitution?
c) Senate (Chosen By Each State)
* Representation is the same
for all states regardless of size
Each state had two senators

20. New York has 2 Senators in the Senate (so do the other states)

22. What’s the US Constitution?
d) Three-fifths Rule (3/5 Rule)
* Southern states wanted slaves to
count in population so they
would get more representatives
* North said “NO”
* Compromise: Three-fifths (3/5)
of slaves in a state are part of
population

23. What’s the US Constitution?
D) Slave Trade Compromise
1. North said, “No more slave trade”
2. South wanted slave trade
3. Compromise: Slave trade would continue
for 20 more years, then decide

24. Tree Map Virginia Plan, NJ Plan, Great Compromise

25. More about the Constitution

26. What’s the US Constitution?
V) The New Constitution – what’s in it?
A) “We the People of the US”
1) Plan for government
B) Republic: Ppl elect representatives to
run gov’t for them
1. Tells rules for being a representative
2. How long you can be a representative

27. What’s the US Constitution?
C) Federal System (Federalism)
1. Power is split between national (federal)
gov’t and state gov’t
a) each decide different things
* state decides driving age
* national gov’t declares war

29. More about the Constitution

30. What’s the US Constitution?
VI) Three (3) Branches of Gov’t
A) Separation of Powers
1. Each branch has its own powers
2. No branch can be more powerful
than another

31. How do you organize the gov’t?

32. What’s the US Constitution?
Three Branches of Government

33. What’s the US Constitution?
Executive Branch
Enforces Laws (makes sure laws are carried out)
President/VP are elected
Serve for four years

34. Executive Branch Power to command armed forces
Can choose Supreme Court Judges
Chooses Cabinet members (advisors)
Pres can veto a bill before it becomes a law

35. How do you organize the gov’t? Executive Branch
Branch: Executive
What it does
Leader
Leader’s Name
President
Enforces laws
George Washington-
“Inauguration” ceremony in NYC
Vice President
Advises the President
John Adams

36. How do you organize the gov’t? Executive Branch
Department Name
What it does
Leader
Leader’s Name
Cabinet (Unofficial department)
Advises the President
Department of State, Treasury, War, Attorney General, Postmaster
President picked top leaders

37. How do you organize the gov’t? Executive Branch
Department Name
What it does
Leader
Leader’s Name
State Department
Foreign Affairs –dealings with other countries
Secretary of State
Thomas Jefferson
Department of Treasury
Finances – collected & spent taxes
Secretary of the Treasury
Alexander Hamilton

38. How do you organize the gov’t? Executive Branch
Department Name
What it does
Leader
Leader’s Name
Department of War (Defense)
Run the nation’s armed forces
Secretary of War
Henry Knox

39. What’s the US Constitution?
Legislative Branch
Makes the Laws
Congress
Made up of Senate(100) and House of Representatives (435)
Congress people are elected
Senate serves for 6 years
House serves for 2 years

40. Congress declares war
Congress can override (set aside) a presidential veto by 2/3 vote
Senate approves Presidents choice for Supreme Court judge
Congress can impeach (trial)

41. Legislative Branch
Census : Americans must be counted every 10 years to decide how many ppl will go to House of Reps
Sets taxes and how they are spent

42. How do you organize the gov’t? Legislative Branch - Congress
Branch: Legislative
Leader
Job
House of Representatives
Speaker of the House
Watch over making laws
Senate
Vice President

43. Judicial Branch Supreme Court 9 judges picked by President
Can settle arguments between states
Decides if laws are unconstitutional
Serve for LIFE!

44. What’s the US Constitution?
Judicial Branch
Decides court cases about ppl’s rights and the Constitution
NOT Criminal cases

45. How do you organize the gov’t? Judicial Branch
Type of Court
Name of Court
Description
What it does
Highest Court
Supreme Court
9 Judges deal with constitutioncases and rights
No appeals allowed
Lower Federal Courts
Federal District Courts
Deal w/federal laws and treaties
Allows Appeals – ppl can ask to try case again

47. What’s the US Constitution?

48. What’s the US Constitution?
Checks and Balances – All Branches Have
Equal Power
A) No branch has too much power
1. Each branch can “check” the others
2. Example: Making a Bill (idea for a
law)
a) Congress makes and votes for bill
b) President can sign it or VETO it

49. What’s the US Constitution?
* VETO = refuse to sign it
c) Congress can override (still pass) the
veto if enough ppl vote for it
d) Supreme Court can judge a law to be
unconstitutional (unfair) and it will not be a
law

50. Preamble: opening statement
First three words of Constitution –
We the People = popular sovereignty –
the ppl hold the final
authority

51. “We The People”
Form a more perfect union- a single, UNIFIED national gov’t
Establish Justice – law applies fairly to everyone
Ensure Domestic Tranquility – ensure peace at home

52. Provide for the Common Defense – be able to support an army/navy
Promote the General Welfare-can collect taxes and use them to benefit people
Secure the Blessings of Liberty-have the right to have freedom

54. What’s the US Constitution?
Constitution Approved!!!
A) Federalists: Ppl who wanted a federal
(national) gov’t, approved Constitution
B) Anti-Federalists: Ppl who did not want
a federal gov’t (wanted states to have control),
NO Constitution

55. C) States wanted a Bill of Rights added
D) Bill of Rights was promised – Constitution is Ratified (Approved!)
E) NYC Chosen as First US Capital!