Unit 3: Constitution

1. Unit 3: Constitution Learning Targets 1-29

2. 1. I can identify the purpose of the Preamble. • The Preamble explains the purpose for writing the Constitution.

3. 2. I can explain each part of the Preamble and relate it to society today. • “form a more perfect union” • to insure the country is united • Albany Congress, Stamp Act Congress, 1st/2nd Continental Congress, • Post 9-11, • “establish justice” • to set up courts to fairly settle disputes • civil and criminal courts, sue another for damages • “insure domestic tranquility” • to keep peace within the nation • establish/enforce laws • call out the National Guard, police, SWAT, to put down disturbances

4. 2. I can explain each part of the Preamble and relate it to society today. • “provide for the common defense” • to protect the nation and its citizens • the Coast Guard and/or military forces • “promote the general welfare” • to provide for citizens health, education, welfare • Affordable Care Act, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid • “secure the blessings of liberty” • to protect citizens rights • voting rights, free speech, no unreasonable searches, etc …

5. 3. I can identify each branch of government and its purpose. • Legislative Branch • Congress • main function: to make the laws! • to legislate

6. 3. I can identify each branch of government and its purpose. • Executive Branch • President, Vice-President, Cabinet (including the Justice Department), F.B.I., C.I.A., D.E.A., • main function: to enforce the laws! • to execute

7. 3. I can identify each branch of government and its purpose. • Judicial Branch • Supreme Court, Appellate & District Courts • main function: to interpret the laws! • to judge or, evaluate

8. 4. I can explain why we have checks and balances. • To insure that any one branch doesn’t become too powerful! • Executive Checks: • veto, calling Congress into special session, appointing judges; • Legislative Checks: • overriding veto’s, impeaching President/judges, refusing to ratify treaties/appointments, altering size of Supreme Court; • Judicial Checks: • declaring acts of Congress and of the executive unconstitutional (judicial review);

9. 5. I can define the term bicameral. • Bicameral • having two branches, chambers, or houses, as a legislative body • Congress • Senate • House of Representatives

10. 6. I can identify the number of members in the House of Representatives and the Senate. • House of Representatives • 435 • set by law • at least one from each state • number depends on the population of each state • Senate • 100 • 2 from each state

11. 7. I can explain how the total number of representatives in the House of Representatives is determined and how often it may change. • each Representative for every 500,000 people • may increase or decrease through act of Congress • may change every 10 years adjusted by census data • each state’s representative’s may change as people move from state to state

12. 8. I can recall the number of Representatives that Illinois currently has in the House of Representatives. • 19

13. 9. I can list the qualifications and termlengths for Representatives, Senators, the President, and Vice President. • Representatives • qualifications • 25 years of age • U.S. citizen for minimum of 7 years • resident of state district • Length of term • 2 years

14. 9. I can list the qualifications and termlengths for Representatives, Senators, the President, and Vice President. • Senators • qualifications • 30 years of age • U.S. citizen for minimum of 9 years • resident of state • Length of term • 6 years

15. 9. I can list the qualifications and termlengths for Representatives, Senators, the President, and Vice President. • President & Vice President • qualifications • 35 years of age • native-born U.S. citizen • resident of country for 14 consecutive years • Length of term • limited to two terms of 4 years or a total of ten years • 22nd Amendment

16. 10. I can name the current Representative in my district. • Peter Roskam(District 6) or • Randy Hultgren(District 14)

17. 11. I can name the two currentIllinois Senators. • Richard Durbin • Mark Kirk

18. 12. I can identify by name and title the current leader of the House of Representatives. • “Speaker of the House” • John Boehner • elected from the House of Representatives

19. 13. I can identify by name and title the current leader of the Senate. • “President of the Senate” • Joseph Biden • current Vice President of the United States

20. 14. I can recall by name our current President, Vice President, and presiding Supreme Court officer. • President • Barack Obama • Vice President • Joseph Biden • Chief Justice of the Supreme Court • John Roberts

21. 15. I can define delegated, reserved, and concurrent powers. • Delegated powers • specifically granted to the national government or implied from the specifically granted powers. • Reserved powers • left for the states, not delegated to the national government nor prohibited to the states. • Concurrent powers • granted to the national government but not denied to the states, can be exercised by both.

22. 16. I can explain what it means to impeach and the roles that the House and Senate have in an impeachment. • impeach • to accuse; • government officials of treason, bribery, high crimes and misdemeanors • House of Representatives • sole power to impeach the President or Federal Court judges • Requires a 50% + 1 vote • Senate • sole power to try persons impeached in the House • requires a 2/3 vote to convict

23. 17. I can recall the process by which treaties are negotiated and approved. • Negotiated … • … by the executive; • examples: • Jay’s Treaty • Pinckney’s Treaty • S.A.L.T. I & II • Approved … • … by the Senate; • requires a 2/3 vote

24. 18. I can list all the duties of the President. • Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces • Grant reprieves/pardons for federal crimes • except impeachment • Make treaties with advice/consent of Senate • Appoint ambassadors & foreign service officers • Appoint judges of courts and other high officials • Call Congress into special session • Receive representatives of foreign countries • Veto bills passed in Congress • Remove from office high officials he appoints

25. 19. I can recall the purpose of the Cabinet. • Composed of heads of all major departments of government • Dept. of State, Defense, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Justice (Attorney General), etc… • A dual capacity • administer government activities • advise the President * • regarding department related decisions • on other general matters • Chosen by President w/ consent of Senate (50% + 1) • They serve at the pleasure of the President • Congress creates new Cabinet positions

26. 20. I can list qualifications and term lengths for Supreme Court Justices. • Qualifications • none!! • must be appointed by the President • confirmed by “simple” majority vote (50% + 1) of Senate • most rise through ranks of lower federal courts • Term Lengths • life during good behavior • can be removed through impeachment process • can resign

27. 21. I can identify which part of the Constitution guarantees civil liberties. • The Bill of Rights • first ten amendments of the Constitution • Not originally part of the Constitution as written in 1787! • added before final ratification in 1788 • brought about by debate between Federalists and Anti-federalists over the nature of government • to protect property (Federalists) • to protect liberty (Anti-federalists)

28. 22. I can list the amendments that resulted from the Civil War. • 13th Amendment • abolishes slavery (except as punishment for crime) • 14th Amendment • citizenship to any person born or naturalized in the United States • 15th Amendment • cannot deny the right to vote on basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude

29. 23. I can list the order of succession based on the 25th amendment. • 25th Amendment • Vice-President • Speaker of the House • President Pro Tempore of the Senate • Cabinet Members in order of rank: • Secretary of State • Secretary of the Treasury • Secretary of Defense • Attorney General • Secretary of the Interior • Secretary of Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs

30. 24. I can recall the 18th and 21st amendments as examples of amendments being repealed. • 18th Amendment • Prohibits the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors from the United States • 21st Amendment • The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed

31. 25. I can list eleven different rights found within the Bill of Rights. • Right to speak, press, assemble, petition, worship • Right to bear arms • Soldiers not quartered in peacetime • Unreasonable searches forbidden • Not deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law • Cannot be compelled to be a witness against him/herself • Not stand trial twice for the same crime if found not guilty • Private property taken without just compensation • Right to a public and speedy trial

32. 25. I can list eleven different rights found within the Bill of Rights. • Right to information as to the nature of the accusation • Right to confront witnesses against you • Right to be represented by a lawyer • Right to a trial by jury • Protected from excessive fines/bail and cruel/unusual punishment • Any rights not specifically enumerated (listed) in the constitution are protected from government infringement • All powers not delegated to the national government belong to the states or to the people

33. 26. I can explain why all revenue bills begin in the House of Representatives. • It is the more democratic house • small “d” • membership is based upon population • better able to reflect the will of the majority • larger number of representatives (435) • better able represent interests of common man • elected directly by the people • “the people’s house” • Senate originally elected by representatives of state legislatures • controls the “power of the purse” • right of taxation • two year term allows for timely change in office by disgruntled constituents

34. 27. I can explain the purpose of judicial review. • the practice of declaring acts of Congress and of the Executive unconstitutional! • one of the checks the judicial branch has over the legislative and executive branches • allows the courts to determine the constitutionality of laws • serves as a judicial “check” on the legislative/executive branches

35. 28. I can explain the purpose of the elastic clause. • makes laws “necessary and proper” for carrying out the powers of the constitution and, to cope with problems which were nonexistent when the constitution was written: • Transportation • railroads • automobiles • airplane • Communication • telegraph • telephone/cell phone • internet • Computer technology • Food and drug safety • Environmental protection

36. 29. I can apply my knowledge of our constitutional rights to modern-day scenarios. • Sentenced to life in prison for littering? • Convicted of something that wasn’t a crime when it was violated? • Held for more than 24 hours without informed of nature of accusation/evidence against you? • Not hired for a job because of religious beliefs? • A group of students are suspended for protesting the war? • The state puts on trial again, a person already found not guilty? • The government taps your phone because of contributions you’ve made to Muslim charitable organizations?