1. THE CONSTITUTION CHAPTER 3

2. TODAY: 10/3 & 10/4

3. STRUCTURE OF THE CONSTITUTION

4. THE PREAMBLE “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, Establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

5. ARTICLES OF THE CONSTITUTION These make up the general formation of our government How each of the branches are structured The organization and powers of the three branches Checks and Balances Rights of the States How to change the constitution if desired This has only been done 27 times

6. Article 1: Legislative First and longest article Powers Requirements of its members Allows for taxation of the American people Article 2: Executive Creates the Executive Branch Powers of the President Leaves a lot unsaid Creates the electoral college

7. Article 3: Judicial Establishes a Supreme Court as well as lower courts Constitution is the “Supreme Law of the Land” What kinds of cases go to the Supreme Court Article 4: States and National Governments Defines federalism No law created by the states can contradict Federal Law Subject to the Constitution

8. Article 5: Amendments 2/3 of the Senate and the House must approve an amendment ¾ of all states’ legislatures must then ratify it Article 6: Supremacy Established the Constitution as the Supreme Law of the Land (again)

9. Article 7: Ratification 9 of the 13 states had to approve the Constitution in order for it to be ratified

10. INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION The Constitution was “penned” by Jacob Shallus, A Pennsylvania General Assembly clerk, for $30 ($726 today). Patrick Henry was elected as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, but declined, because he “smelt a rat.” When the Constitution was signed, the United States’ population was 4 million. It is now more than 309 million. Philadelphia was the nation’s largest city, with 40,000 inhabitants. George Washington and James Madison were the only presidents who signed the Constitution. The word “democracy” does not appear once in the Constitution. Vermont ratified the Constitution on January 10, 1791, even though it had not yet become a state. As evidence of its continued flexibility, the Constitution has only been changed seventeen times since 1791! The term “others” is used in the Constitution to categorize ethnic minorities.