1.  Get into your Constitution groups. This Day in History: November 13, 1775- Patriot forces capture Montreal. November 13, 1941- U.S. Congress revises the Neutrality Acts to allow merchant ships to travel in war zones. November13, 1982- The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is dedicated in Washington D.C.

2. The Six Basic Principles

3.  Written by James Madison  Took effect in 1789  “the supreme Law of the Land”  Living document

4.  Articles I, II, and III deal with the 3 branches of power.  Article IV deals with the relationship among the states with each other and the National Government.  Article V talks about amending the Constitution.  Article VI declares the Constitution is the supreme law.  Article VII states the requirements for ratification.

5.  Popular Sovereignty  Limited Government  Separation of Powers  Checks and Balances  Federalism  Republican form of Gov’t  Individual Rights (Bill of Rights)

6.  The people in America are sovereign, meaning they hold the power.  Government can govern only with the consent of the governed.  The citizens of America elect the officials and the officials make laws.

7.  The Government may only do things that people have given it the power to do, Constitutionalism  Rule of Law- The Government and its officers are always subject to-never above-the law

8.  Legislative is the lawmaking branch  Executive branch executes, enforces, and administers the law.  Judicial branch interprets and applies the laws of the U.S.

10.  Federalism is the division of power among a central government and several regional governments.  Born out of a weak Articles of Confederation.

11.  Enumerated powers are specifically given to Congress.  Reserved powers belong to the states. Not specifically stated. Given by the 10 th Amendment.  Concurrent powers are shared between the states and federal government.

12.  In each of your groups you will read through the Constitution and paraphrase/summarize each article and section of the Constitution. Explain the main point of each article and section.  Page 219-242 Constitution Assignment

13.  What are the powers of the Executive branch? This Day in History: December 6, 1884- The Washington Monument in Washington D.C. is completed. December 6, 1865- The 13 th Amendment is ratified. December 6, 1941- President Roosevelt sends Emperor Hirohito a telegram telling him to prevent “further death and destruction” with the assumption the Japanese fleet was headed to Thailand. The Japanese would strike Pearl Harbor in Hawaii the following day.

14. Bell Work  What powers are shared by the national and state governments? This Day in History: December 5, 1839- Future Civil War officer and infamous Indian Wars general, George Armstrong Custer is born. December 5, 1933- Prohibition ends with the ratification of the 21 st Amendment. December 5, 1782- Future President Martin Van Buren is born in Kinderhook, New York. December 5, 1945- An American aircraft squadron is lost in the Bermuda Triangle during a routine training mission.