1. Bell Ringer 16
At 4400 words, The U.S. Constitution is one of the shortest national constitutions in the world, (India is the longest, Vatican City the shortest), and it is composed of a Preamble, Articles and Amendments. Find out how many Articles and Amendments are in it.

2. Bell Ringer 17
The first article of the U.S. Constitution was considered the most important by many founders. What branch of government does it describe?
Most people are more focused on the 2nd article of the Constitution. What branch does that one describe?

3. Unit 1 Essay

4. Opening with a thesis sentence that states your claims, and identifies general content you will present as evidence.
Content paragraph with details that support your claims
Closing sentences that repeat your claims

5. The founders of the United States made many appropriate choices for our government such as compromising to create a democratic system that avoided the violent state of nature that the Articles of Confederation were sliding into, yet they made critical errors in the complexity of a bicameral system, and the failure to deal with the terrible issue of slavery.
Those who established the government of the United States made the best decisions they could for their time as they worked to create a new republican form of government in a world full of tyrants, built a balanced approach to democratic ideals such as the separation of powers, and insured that the rights of future generations would be guaranteed.
The founders of the United States government built a flawed system of government in which the rights of minority groups have been dominated by the brutal will of the majority, their legislative and executive systems were filled with errors that are to this day a barrier to quick, decisive action, and the cruelty of slavery was not decisively ended.

6. Reference Sheet

7. Homework 4 Due Monday, January 28th
Excerpt from The Federalist Papers #70 by Alexander Hamilton (March 15, 1788)
The Executive Department Further Considered-3 pages
Excerpt from The Federalist Papers #78 by Alexander Hamilton (May 28, 1788)
The Judiciary Department-3 pages

8. Federalist Papers 70 Guiding Questions
The Federalist Papers 78
Guiding Questions
What arguments does Hamilton put forth in support of a single executive with “energy”?
What are some positive “ingredients” or characteristics of a single executive?
What are Hamilton’s arguments against more than one executive?
What does Hamilton offer as the most important way to secure impartial, and steady administration of law?
Why is the Judicial branch the least dangerous and weakest of the branches?
What is Hamilton’s argument in the last two paragraphs for the tenure of judges?

9. Homework 5 Due Monday, February 4th
The Rights of Man by Thomas Paine (1791)
Part 2: Introduction-2 pages
The Spirit of the Law by The Baron de Montesquieu (1748)
Book XI, Chapter 6 "discussing the three branches“-2 pages

10. Thomas Paine ( ) was an English-born American political activist and a “Founding Fathers” of the United States.
Virtually every rebel read his powerful pamphlet , Common Sense, which inflamed the rebellious demand for independence from Great Britain.
Paine lived in France for most of the 1790s, becoming deeply involved in the French Revolution. He wrote Rights of Man in defense of the French Revolution. Paine advocated the right of the people to overthrow their government and was wanted for arrest in both Britain and France.
He became notorious because he criticized institutionalized religion. In 1802, he returned to the U.S. where he died on June 8, Only six people attended his funeral, since he had been disliked for his ridicule of Christianity.
Thomas Paine

11. Charles-Louis de Secondat
Generally referred to simply as Montesquieu ( ), he was a French lawyer, and political philosopher who lived during the Age of Enlightenment.
He is famous for his description of the theory of separation of powers, which is implemented in many constitutions throughout the world.
The Catholic Church banned many of Montesquieu's books, but he was highly regarded in the British colonies of North America as a champion of liberty.
Following the American revolution, Montesquieu's work remained a powerful influence on many of the American founders, most notably James Madison of Virginia, the "Father of the Constitution".
Charles-Louis de Secondat
Baron de Montesquieu

12. The Rights of Man Guiding Questions
The Spirit of the Law
Guiding Questions
How does Paine compare the American Revolution to science?
Why does Paine think that America was the best spot for revolution to begin?
What does Paine believe to be the future of revolution?
How does Montesquieu describe the branches of government?
How can liberty die, even with separate branches?
How does he view judges and juries?
What is the author’s view of elections and voting?

13. Bell Ringer 18
Which goal within the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution wants to create equality and fairness of the law for all people? (2 words)
Which goal of the Preamble desires that the people of the nation enjoy good health and well-being? (4 words)

14. Bell Ringer 19
I have to get Powers!!!
Congress is given sweeping powers in Article 1 within which controversial clause?
Which Article of the Constitution makes federal laws the supreme power over all other law?

15. 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.

16. 3 delegates to the convention refused to sign the Constitution George Mason, Elbridge Gerry, & Richard Henry Lee  
without a Bill of Rights included

17. Arguments for a Bill of Rights
How democratic was the Constitution as originally conceived without a Bill of Rights?
Congress has too much power!
They will pass laws to restrict states!
Amending is too difficult!
Leaders are corrupt and seek power!
State laws protecting rights will be crushed!
The national government is so powerful that is must be limited by guaranteed rights to citizens.
Arguments for a Bill of Rights
Lots of rights are unguarded in British law (magna carta is an old 13th century document)
States already enforce most rights
Rights are more in danger from factions of people than from government
Rights are reserved powers for the states
Constitution can be amended
Arguments against a Bill of Rights

18. The English Bill of Rights & The U.S. Bill of Rights
The House approved 17 amendments. Of these, the Senate approved 12, which were sent to the states for approval in August Ten amendments were approved (or ratified). Virginia’s legislature was the final state legislature to ratify the amendments, approving them on December 15, 1791

19. Federalism and Powers Federal Federalism Expressed Powers
Implied Powers
Reserved Powers
Concurrent Powers

20. Interpretation of the Constitution
Strict Construction (Originalism)
Loose Construction (Living Document)
Evolutionist
Rules at home examples
Debate between Judges
Video Links in images

21. Bell Ringer 20 List three powers that are reserved for the states.
Which article of the Constitution describes the amending process?
What kind of power is used by both state and federal governments?