Essential Question
• How is the Constitution structured?
Structure of the Constitution
Preamble
• The introduction states why the Constitution was written
Articles
• Seven major divisions of the Constitution
Article 1
• The legislative branch
• Organizes the U.S. Congress into the Senate and House of Representatives
• How to make laws
Article 2
• Creates the executive branch
• Details the powers and duties of the presidency
• Qualifications for election
Article 3
• Establishes the Supreme Court as head of the judicial branch
• Created lower federal courts
Article 4• Relationship of states
• Citizens of other states have the same rights as their own citizens
Article 5
• Explains how the Constitution can be amended
Article 6• Contains the supremacy clause
• The Constitution and laws passed by Congress are the supreme law of the land
Article 7
• Ratification
• 9 states needed to adopt the Constitution
The Amendments
• Changes to the Constitution
• 27 have occurred thus far
• Let’s (legislative)• Eat (executive)• Jumbo (judicial)• Shrimp (states’ relations)• At (amendment process)• Sonic (supremacy clause)• Restaurant (ratification)
Powers of Congress
• Enumerated powers are listed in Article 1, Section 8
• List of specific actions Congress may take
Powers of Congress?
• Elastic Clause
• Gives Congress the right to make all laws deemed “necessary and proper”
• Can stretch their powers
The Amendment Process
• Amendments are proposed by the national government and ratified by states
• Example of federalism
Proposing Amendments
1. Two-thirds vote from both houses of Congress
2. Convention called by Congress on petition of 2/3 of the states
Ratifying Amendments
1. Legislatures of ¾ of the states approve it
2. Each state calls a special ratifying convention and ¾ approve it.
Federalism
• Government power is divided between the state and national governments
Concurrent Powers
• Powers that both the national government and the states possess
Power to Tax
Power to Maintain a Court System
Power to Define Crimes
10th Amendment
• States may exercise any power not reserved in the Constitution for the national government
What Can States Not Do?
• Restrictions outlined in Article 1
Make treaties with foreign governments
Coin money
Grant titles of nobility