SOCIAL STUDIES GRADE FIVE – THE CONSTITUTION Articles of Confederation Three branches of government The Constitution Content Vocabulary: constitution government Articles of Confederation delegates natural rights ratification Preamble legislative branch Congress executive branch President judicial branch Supreme Court judicial review checks and balances justice liberty federal Bill of Rights citizen governor Connecticut General Assembly bill law veto amendment Local, state, and federal governments Philadelphia Convention Developing the Government Constitutional Convention Bill of Rights Preamble Checks and balances Amending the Constitution Ratification Natural rights of people Essential Understandings/Learning Goals: The newly created United States needed a government and the Articles of Confederation did not work because they gave too little power to the federal government. The United States Constitution divided the government into three branches: the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. Each branch of government balances the power of the other branches. The powers of government are divided between local, state, and federal levels of government. The Bill of Rights was developed to protect the rights of individual citizens. People in Connecticut are represented in the state government by our governor and representatives and in the federal government by the President, our Representatives, and Senators.