Revised Constitution Packet

THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION

DIRECTIONS: AS YOU READ THE U.S. CONSTITUTION COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING OUTLINE.
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THE PREAMBLE: States the basic purposes of the government of the United States.
1. The purpose of our government can be summed up with six basic goals that it seeks to provide. List these six goals. i (a). _______________________________________________________________________________
(b). _______________________________________________________________________________
(c). _______________________________________________________________________________
(d). _______________________________________________________________________________
(e). _______________________________________________________________________________
(f). _______________________________________________________________________________

ARTICLE 1: LEGISLATURE: Describes the legislative branch and outlines what powers it has and does not have.

2. A Congress is set up and given the power to ___________________________________________.

3. The United States Congress is made up of two houses – the
____________________________________ and the
____________________________________

4. In the House of Representatives, members are chosen every _____________ years.

5. List the three requirements a person must satisfy in order to become a member of the House of Representatives. (a) ____________________________________ (b) ____________________________________ (c) ____________________________________

6. The number of members in the House of Representatives is based on the ________________ of the states.

7. In the final clause of Article 1; Section 2, the House of Representatives is given the power of _________________________________________________________________________________.

8. Define the term you used to answer question #7. ________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

9. Members of the Senate are chosen every ______________ years.

10. List the three requirements a person must satisfy in order to become a member of the Senate. (a) _____________________________________ (b) _____________________________________ (c) _____________________________________
11. The United States Senate is composed of ____________Senators from each state. This provides for equal representation of all states regardless of population.

12. The ___________________________________is the official presiding officer of the United States Senate; however, this person is often not present and votes only in the case of a tie.

13. While it is the House of Representatives that can impeach, or bring charges of wrongdoing against a government official, it is the Senate that is given the power to determine actual guilt or innocence by acting as __________________________________________________________________________.

14. Section 4. Congressional Elections Clause 1: Elections for Congress must be held in _______________ as prescribed by the state legislature; however, Congress has designated the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November as national election day.

15. Section 5. Rules and Procedures
Clause 1. The House and Senate each have the power to decide whether members are legally qualified to take office.
Clause 2. The House and Senate each have the power to punish members who are found guilty of improper acts.

A member of either house can be expelled by a vote of _______________ of the members of their respective house.

Clause 3. Each house is required to publish a record of its proceedings with the exception of proceedings that are felt to require secrecy.

Presently, the proceedings of both houses of Congress are published in a document called __________________________________________________________________________________

16. Section 6. Payment and Privileges Clause 1. Sets Salary and

Grants freedom from arrest while they are in attendance at their respective houses and while they are traveling to or from their respective house except in the cases of: (a). __________________ (b). __________________ (c). __________________

17. Section 7. Bills Clause 1. Any bills that are meant to raise revenue for the federal government must originate in the ______________________.

Clause 2. List the four actions that a president may take once a bill has passed the House and Senate, and it is sent to him/her for signature.
(a) ______________________
(b) ______________________
(c) Refuse to do anything (but if Congress is in session, it automatically becomes law)
(d) ______________________
18. Section 8. Powers Granted to Congress Clause 1: lay and collect taxes Clause 2: _______________________________________________________ Clause 3: _______________________________________________________ Clause 4: establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization Clause 5: _______________________________________________________
Clause 6: Congress may punish persons who make counterfeit government bonds, stamps or money.
Clause 7: _______________________________________________________
Clause 8: Congress is given the responsibility to promote science, industry, and the arts by providing protections for individual's work through the granting of patents and copyrights. Clause 9: _______________________________________________________
Clause 10: Congress is given the power to punish individuals who break international law, and it has the power to pass laws regarding the use of the seas or oceans.
Clause 11: _______________________________________________________
Clause 12: ________________________________________________________
Clause 13: _______________________________________________________
Clause 14: To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces.

Clause 15: To call forth state militias (National Guard) to put down insurrections and repel invasions.
Clause 16: Provides for the establishment of state National Guards, subject to presidential call-up in times of national emergencies, but otherwise their service is reserved to the states.
Clause 17: ________________________________________________________
Clause 18: ________________________________________________________

!!!KEY POINT!!!
This clause (Clause 18) is extremely important because it allows Congress to deal with matters not specifically mentioned in the Constitution (i.e. regulation of airplane travel) without having to amend the Constitution itself. It is often referred to as the ________________________________ or the Necessary and Proper Clause.

19. Section 9. Powers Denied Congress Clause 1: Congress cannot prohibit importation of slaves prior to 1808 Clause 2: ______________________________________________________________ Define: Habeas Corpus ______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

Clause 3: ______________________________________________________________ Define: Bill of Attainder _____________________________________________________ Ex post factor law: ____________________________________________________

Clause 4: Congress cannot levy unfair head or poll taxes (taxes not levied on an equal basis).
Clause 5: Congress cannot tax goods or products simply because they are being shipped from a state.
Clause 6: Congress cannot favor one state’s ports over another
Clause 7: Government money may be spent only after Congress passes a law for that purpose. A statement of federal spending and income must be published.
Clause 8: _______________________________and ______________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

20. Section 10. Powers Denied to the States Clause 1: States may not:
(a) ______________________________________________________
(b) ______________________________________________________
(c) ______________________________________________________
(d) ______________________________________________________
(e) Pass any bill of attainder or ex post facto law
(f) ______________________________________________________
(g) Issue title of nobility

Clauses 2 & 3: States may do the following only with the consent of Congress:
(a) tax goods entering or leaving a state beyond the amount required to cover the cost of inspection
(b) tax ships
(c) keep state troops or warships in time of peace
(d) enter into agreements or alliances with other states or foreign countries
(e) go to war

ARTICLE 2: EXECUTIVE
In the Constitution, the president is given a number of specific powers; however, the Constitution does not provide a great deal of information concerning how he/she is to use that power. Therefore, how a president interprets the Constitution has much to do with his/her strength and effectiveness as president.

21. The president’s term of office is _________________________

22. The President is not elected directly by the people; rather each state chooses _____________ that together makeup the body known as the _____________________________________.

23. Section 1. The Presidency Clause 4: Eligible voters go to the polls on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November to vote for the president and vice-president, but they really vote for ____________________

Electors in the Electoral College vote on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December.

Clause 5. In order for a person to become president he/she must meet these three criteria:
(a) ______________________________________
(b) ______________________________________
(c) ______________________________________

Clause 6: Presidential Succession (See the 25th Amendment)
Clause 7: Salary

Clause 8. Sets forth the specific oath of office to be given to a president-elect.

24. Section 2. Powers of the President Clause 1: The president is the _______________________________ of the Army and Navy.

This clause caused George Washington to form a cabinet (group of advisers).
The President may, except in the case of impeachment, grant reprives and ______________________ for offenses against the United States. Clause 2: The president may make treaties and appoint officials only with ___________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Clause 3. The President may make appointments to fill vacancies that occur while the Senate is on recess.

25. Section 3. Presidential duties: List the four major responsibilities of the president as outlined in this section. (a) _________________________________________________________________________ (b) _________________________________________________________________________ (c) _________________________________________________________________________ (d) _________________________________________________________________________

26. Section 4. Impeachment The president and vice president (and all civil officers may be removed from office following _______________________________________ in the House of Representatives and conviction in the _____________________________________ by a vote of 2/3.

ARTICLE 3: JUDICIAL Describes the judicial branch and outlines what powers it has and does not have.

27. Section 1. The Federal Courts Only ___________________________ can create inferior courts (any federal court)

28. Judges are appointed for _______________________________________ unless they are impeached and convicted of a serious crime or improper act.

29. Section 2. Federal Court’s and Judges Clause 1: Establishes the Supreme Court’s power to all cases and controversies involving the United States as a party; between two or more states; between citizens of different states; between a state and a citizen of another state; and between citizens and foreign states. Clause 2: Grants the Supreme Court _______________________jurisdiction and only applies to cases affecting Ambassadors, other public officials, and those in which a State is a party. In all other cases, the Supreme Court shall have ____________________________ jurisdiction.

NOTE: Jurisdiction = the authority of a court to hear a particular case

Define: Original Jurisdiction: __________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

Appellate Jurisdiction: __________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Clause 3: Guarantees a ___________________________ to anyone accused of a crime.

30. Section 3. Defines and sets the punishment for Treason.

ARTICLE 4: FULL FAITH AND CREDIT/PRIVLEGES AND IMMUNITIES
31. Section 1. Each state mush respect laws regarding public information concerning each of the following items from other states: (a) ___________________________________________________________ (b) ___________________________________________________________ (c) ___________________________________________________________

32. Section 2. A citizen traveling to another state is entitled to all rights and privileges of the citizens of that state. If a person commits a crime in one state and flees to another, he can be _______________________ back to the state where the crime was committed.

33. Section 3. Allows for the admission of new states to the Union by Congress.

34. Section 4. This sections guarantees a _________________________ form of government in each state.

ARTICLE 5: AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION
This Article explains the process for amending or changing the Constitution.

35. First Step: Propose (suggest) an amendment Two ways:
(1) ____________________________________________
(2) ____________________________________________

Second Step: Ratification (approving the change)
(1) ____________________________________________
(2) ____________________________________________

ARTICLE 6: SUPREMACY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

36. Clause 2: Establishes the following three items as the “supreme law of the land:” (1) __________________________________________________ (2) __________________________________________________ (3) __________________________________________________

37. Clause 3: States that all government officials must promise to support the _______________________.

ARTICLE 7: RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION 38. How many states were required to ratify the Constitution for it to become the law of the land _______?

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

39. The first ______ amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights.
FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AND EXPRESSION

40. The First Amendment guarantees the freedoms of a. _____________________________________ b. ____________________________________ c. _____________________________________ d. ____________________________________ and e. _____________________________________________________

LEGAL RIGHTS

41. The Fourth Amendment protects citizens from ____________________________________________

42. The Fifth Amendment guarantees protection from: (a) being tried for a crime unless a _____________________ is convened (b) being tried for the ________________________________________ (double jeopardy) (c) being forced to __________________________________________________ (d) having life, liberty, or property taken away without ________________________________ (e) having private property taken for public use without ____________________________(eminent domain) 43. The Sixth Amendment guarantees the: (a) right to a __________________________________ trial (b) right to trial by ________________________________ (c) right to be informed __________________________________________________ (d) right to compel _________________________________ for your defense (e) right to have a ___________________________________________

44. The Seventh Amendment guarantees the right to trial by ____________________ in civil cases.
45. The Eighth Amendment protects citizens from excessive ____________ and ________________ and from _____________________________________________________________.

RIGHTS DEALING WITH WEAPONS AND SOLDIERS

46. The Second Amendment guarantees the right of the Militia to _________________________________.

47. The Third Amendment prevents the government from _______________________________________.

CATCH-ALL AMENDMENTS

48. The Ninth Amendment states that you have rights not _______________________________________.

49. The Tenth Amendment limits the power of the _________________________ and reserves certain powers for the ______________________ and the __________________________________________

50. There currently is a total of ______________ amendments to the U.S. Constitution.