1. LO 3.1
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2. LO 3.1 Back to learning objectives LO 3.1 Back to learning objectives
This chart shows when states got their current constitution as well as how many times it has been amended. Note the blue states have more than 100 amendments—talk with students about why some states are so often amended.
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Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman
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3. The United States and each of the fifty states has a written constitution, which
serves as a contract between the government and the people.
A constitution serves several purposes.
· First, it defines and limits government's powers.
· It also establishes the basic rights of the people that government cannot infringe upon. These are typically found in a bill of rights.
· Detailing the structure of government is another function of a constitution.
· A fourth function of a constitution is to establish the rules and operating
procedures for government.
· Lastly, a constitution serves as the supreme and fundamental law of the
nation and the state.

4. The Illinois Constitution
14 articles
Article 1 – Bill of Rights
Article 2 – State Powers
Article 3 – Voting and Elections
Article 4 – The Legislature
Article 5 – The Executive
Article 6 – The Judiciary
Article 7 – Local Government
Article 8 – Finance
Article 9 – Revenue
Article 10 – Education
Article 11 – Environment
Article 12 – Militia
Article 13 – General Provisions
Article 14 – Constitutional Revision

5. Amending State Constitutions Legislative Proposals
LO 3.1
LO 3.2
All states allow their legislatures to propose constitutional amendments—this is the most common method. More than 75% of amendments proposed this way are approved.
From the disillusionment and progressive movement of the late 19th century came the reform of amending constitutions through citizen initiative. The number of signatures necessary varies from 4% to 15%. Voters have approved slightly more than a third of amendments proposed by initiative petitions.
Voters used to love conventions—they held 144 in the 19th century, but only 63 were held in the 20th century.
Amending State Constitutions
Legislative Proposals
Initiative Petitions
Constitutional Conventions
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Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman
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6. The Politics of Constitutional Revision
LO 3.1
LO 3.3
Proponents of the first type generally find that people might favor such measures in the abstract, but only special interest groups are likely to get invested in the debate and outcome and they are more likely to oppose than to favor reform. It is much easier to maintain the status quo.
The text goes through a series of cases—Texas, Alabama, Hawaii, and Rhode Island. Choose one that seems most appropriate for your students to discuss what is happening.
The Politics of Constitutional Revision
Two types of proposed amendments
Focused on streamlining or modernizing the constitution
Targeting specific policy issues rather than institutional reforms
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Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman
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