Bell Ringer 9/26 To address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, delegates at the Constitutional Convention agreed to (1) eliminate the slave trade (2) increase the powers of the central government (3) decrease the number of states (4) allow states to set tariff rates

Congress House 2 yr terms, Senate 6 yr terms Congress has the power to coin money, declare war, raise army and navy, regulate commerce Elastic Clause allows Congress to pass any laws reasonably necessary to carry out it duties Creates laws President Executive branch, Commander in Chief. Power to veto laws Picks cabinet members, appoints Justices for life terms.

Judicial branch National Court System, Supreme Court National court system is made up of lesser courts also. Supreme Court Justices picked by the President, approved by the Senate, Appointed for life Electoral College They vote based on votes of the state population. Number of votes based on States population. Determined through Census every ten years.

Strengths of the Constitution The Amending Process – This has allowed our government to change with changing times. 2/3 of Congress or ¾ of the states This is the single most important property of our government…it knows it will make mistakes.

The Elastic Clause (the Necessary and Proper Clause) Congress can pass any law necessary and proper to carry out its assigned duties

Bell Ringer 9/27 The primary purpose of the Articles of Confederation was to (1) provide revenues for the national government (2) establish the basic framework of the national government (3) give the national government the power to regulate interstate commerce (4) guarantee a bill of rights to protect citizens from the national government

The Unwritten Constitution Political Parties – Modern government could not function without them, but they are not in the Constitution anywhere The Cabinet - There are millions of cabinet employees making some of the world’s most important decisions…not written down either