1. Name the 6 Basic Principles of our government. ◦ Popular Sovereignty ◦ Federalism ◦ Judicial Review ◦ Limited Government ◦ Checks and Balances ◦ Separation of Powers What are the 3 branches of our government? ◦ Legislative ◦ Executive ◦ Judicial

2. Chapter 3, Section 2

3.  May be proposed by a 2/3 vote in each house of Congress and ratified by ¾ of the state legislatures. ◦ 38 of the State legislatures today.  Most amendments are added this way. ◦ Why use this method?  Decision making stays out of conventions that take a lot of time and money to organize.

4.  Proposed by Congress and then ratified by conventions (called for that purpose) in ¾ of the states.  Only the 21 st Amendment was added this way. ◦ Why use this method?  If you want the decision to stay out of the hands of the state legislatures… i.e. taking power away from them.

5.  Proposed by a national convention, called by congress at the request of 2/3rds of the state legislatures (34).  Must then be ratified by ¾ state legislatures.  This has never happened, but could…  Why use this method? ◦ If it is an amendment that is more likely to be passed by the American people, not legislatures.

6.  Proposed by a national convention and ratified by conventions in ¾ of the States. ◦ The Constitution itself was adopted in much the same way.  Why use this method?? ◦ If the amendment is one that national government officials are not likely to accept- such as lowering pay for congressmen.

7.  “No State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.”  So, basically anything can be proposed, not many amendments actually get passed, but A LOT get proposed.

8. First 10 Amendments to the Constitution Added because of the demands of the Anti- Federalists during the ratification process.

9.  Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly and Petition.

10.  The Right to bear Arms.

11.  Quartering of Troops ◦ This amendment was intended to prevent what had been common British practice in the colonial period…making colonists house British troops against their will.

12.  No illegal Searches and Seizures ◦ Police have no general right to search whatever they want. ◦ Evidence gained through an illegal search cannot be used in court.

13.  Criminal Proceedings, Due Process, Eminent Domain ◦ A person can only be charged for a serious federal crime if they are accused of the crime by a grand jury. ◦ No one can be subjected to Double Jeopardy (being tried for the same crime twice). ◦ Protection against self incrimination. ◦ Eminent domain- the government may take private property for public use if the owner is given a fair price.

14.  Criminal Proceedings ◦ If you are accused of a crime, you have the right to be tried in court; in a reasonable amount of time, by a jury. ◦ You also have the right to bring in witnesses, and have an attorney.

15.  Civil Trials ◦ Details what a Civil Trial is:  Between private parties, or between the government and private parties.  A jury is guaranteed in any civil trial where the dollar amount being fought over exceeds $20.

16.  Punishment for Crimes ◦ Bail- the money that a person accused of the crime may be required to deposit with the court as a guarantee that he or she will appear in court at the proper time.  The amount of bail must be reasonable for the crime that they are being accused.  Ex- $2 million bail for shoplifting a video game…not reasonable.

17.  Unenumerated Rights ◦ Just because the government sets out specific rights for it’s citizens, that doesn’t mean that they are denied any rights that were not added.

18.  Powers Reserved to the States ◦ If the US Constitution does not guarantee a specific right, the states are given permission to grant those rights to their citizens.  Added because the Anti-Federalists were strong believers in states’ rights.

19.  Come up with a new amendment to the Constitution (in groups of 2-4)- must be appropriate!  Write it out as it will be proposed to the government (sounding constitutional).  Choose which way you will go about getting it past (which of the 4 methods…think carefully about which one would be the best method).  Explain why you chose that method.  (A LIST OF THE 27 CURRENT AMENDMENTS ARE ON PAGE 76)  Must present to the class.  Write each group member’s name on your paper and turn in after presentation.