When you read this simple version of the US Constitution and learn about the history of our founding fathers, match part of the constitution with an event in history. Write the event or problem the Colonial Patriots had and how they wrote the Constitution and Amendments to solve that problem. Get a star for each thing you discover as your study the history of the USA.
| The Preamble “We the People …” Means the sovereignty of the people 1 | Establish Justice Branches are equal but Divided. Different but equal. | Secure Domestic Tranquility United and living in peace in the USA. | Provide for the Common Defense Set borders and protect them from invaders. |
| Promote the General Welfare Keep the borders safe and prevent attacks. 2 | Secure the Blessing of Liberty Making freedom available to the people | For Ourselves and Our Posterity For all the people and their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and all their descendants | Representative Democracy Produce the right relationship between the reason and the passion of the people |
| The Constitution of the United States of America A government is set up when people live around others. The law is the set of rules that we live by. 3 | We are like the KING! But there are too many of us to sit on the throne and none of us want one person to make all the rules. | Article 1 Creates the two parts of Congress. They are responsible for making laws. We vote for a Congress to make the rules for us. | Article 2 Creates the job of President, called the Executive. Responsible for enforcing the laws. |
| Article 3 Establishes Judges called the Judiciary. They decide if a law is allowable, or if it goes against the Constitution. 4 | Article 4 States Rights –All Powers not given to the Federal Government. Ensures a “Power by the People” government. Guarantees that the federal government will protect the states against other nations | Article 5 How to change the Constitution. 2/3 of the Congress must vote on the change. | Article 6 Constitution and all laws and treaties of the United States to be the supreme law of the country. Officials swear and oath to the USA. |
| Article 7 Of the original 13 states in the United States, nine had to accept the Constitution before it would officially go into effect. 5 | The Bill of Rights Proposed in 1789 and enacted on December 15, 1791, is very important. It protects important ideas. | 1st Amendment Protects the people’s right to practice religion, to speak freely, to assemble (meet), to address the government and rights of the press to publish. | 2nd Amendment Protects the right to own weapons for self-defense. |
| 3rd Amendment Guarantees that the army cannot force homeowners to give them room and food. 6 | 4th Amendment Protects the people from the government improperly taking property, papers, or people, without a valid warrant based on probable cause (good reason). | 5th Amendment Protects people from being held for committing a crime unless they are properly indicted, that they may not be tried twice for the same crime, and that you need not be forced to testify against yourself. | 6th Amendment Guarantees a speedy trial, an impartial jury, and that the accused can confront witnesses against them, and that the accused must be allowed to have a lawyer. |
| 7th Amendment Guarantees a jury trial in federal civil court cases. This type of case is normally no longer heard in federal court. 7 | 8th Amendment Guarantees that punishments will be fair, and not cruel and that extraordinarily large fines will not be set. | 9th Amendment Simply a statement that other rights aside from those listed may exist, and just because they are not listed doesn’t mean they can be violated. | 10th Amendment Says that any power not granted to the federal government belongs to the states. |
| USA is a Democratic Republic This is how it all Works The Congress makes laws. The people elect the members of Congress. 8 | First Part The President administers the law Congress makes.. Second Part The courts decide what the law means when there are questions. | Third Part The President enforces the laws. | All Work Together All agree on the laws. No part has too much power. The power is shared. This helps protect “we the people.” |