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2.21 Recognize that the U.S. has a constitution, which is the basis for our nation’s laws.

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The U.S. Constitution is our Country's Foundation of rules and laws that we believe in.

Things to know:

Preamble !

Bill of Rights (first 10 amendments) !

27 amendments in all !

7 articles !

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Keep track of your answers for the Kahoot on here by downloading OR write them on a separate piece of paper.

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Question: What are the first 10 amendments called?

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Together We Can | What is the U.S. Constitution? | PBS KIDS

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1. Read this entire page

2. Answer the questions

Question: How many times has the U.S. Constitution been changed since 1789?

Question: What document was the Constitution a replacement of?

Question: The Constitution starts with a section called what?

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The United States Constitution is the most basic law of the United States. All other laws-including local, state, and U.S. laws-must agree with the U.S. Constitution. History...

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Quick Facts about the U.S. Constitution !

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1. Look at this page

2. Answer the questions

Question: When was the U.S. Constitution written?

Question: How many branches?

(hint; look at the bold words on the left side of the page)

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Constitution of the United States

Created

September 17, 1787

Presented

September 28, 1787

Date effective

March 4, 1789

Branches

3

Chambers

Bicameral

Executive

President

Entrenchments

2, 1 still active

First executive

April 30, 1789

First court

February 2, 1790

Last amended

May 5, 1992

Signatories

39 of the 55 delegates

Media type

Parchment

The United States Constitution is the highest law of the United States of America. It was signed on September 17, 1787 by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Later, it was put into effect, or ratified, by representatives of the people of the first 13 states. When nine of the states ratified the document, they created a union of sovereign states, and a federal government for that union. That government started on March 4, 1789, which took the place of the Articles of Confederation.

The Constitution of the United States is the oldest federal constitution now in use.

Since 1787, changes have been made to the United States Constitution 27 times by amendments (changes). The first ten of these amendments are together called the Bill of Rights.

Articles of the Constitution

When it was signed in 1787, the Constitution had a preamble and seven main parts, called articles.

The Preamble states:

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.

The Preamble is not a law. It gives the reasons for writing the Constitution. The Preamble is one of the best-known parts of the Constitution. The first three words, "We the people," are used very often. The six intentions that are listed are the goals of the Constitution.

Legislative power

Article One says that the United States Congress (the legislative branch) will make the laws for the United States. Congress has two parts, called "Houses": the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. This Article says who can be elected to each part of Congress, and how they are elected.

The House of Representatives has members elected by the people in each state. The number of members from each state depends on how many people live there. Each member of the House of Representatives is elected for two years.

The Senate has two members, called Senators, from each state, no matter how many people live there. Each Senator is elected for six years. The original Constitution allowed the state legislatures to choose the Senators, but this was changed later by the Seventeenth Amendment.

Article One also says how the Congress will do its business and what kinds of laws it can make. It lists some kinds of laws the Congress and the states cannot make.

Article One also makes rules for Congress to impeach and remove from office the President, Vice President, judges, and other government officers.

Executive power

Article Two says that the President, Vice President, and executive offices (the executive branch) will carry out the laws made by Congress. This article says how the President and Vice President are elected, and who can be elected to these offices. The President and Vice President are elected for four years by a special Electoral College chosen by the states. The Vice President takes over as President if the President dies, resigns, or is unable to serve.

Article Two also says that the President is the Commander-in-Chief in charge of the United States military. He can make treaties with other countries, but these must be approved by two-thirds of the Senate. He appoints judges, ambassadors, and other officers, but the Senate also must approve these appointments. The President can also veto bills. However, Congress can override the veto and make the bill into a law anyway.

Judicial power

Article Three says there will be a court system (the judicial branch), which includes the Supreme Court. The Article says that Congress can decide which federal courts, besides the Supreme Court, are needed.

Article Three says what kinds of "cases and controversies" these courts can decide. It also requires trial by jury in all criminal cases, and defines the crime of treason.

States' powers and limits

Article Four is about the states. It says that all states must give "full faith and credit" to the laws of the other states. It also says that state governments must treat citizens of other states as fairly as they treat their own citizens, and must send arrested people back if they have been charged with a crime in another state and fled.

Article Four also says that Congress can make new states. There were only 13 states in 1787. Now there are 50 United States. It says Congress can make rules for Federal property and can govern territories that have not yet been made into states. Article Four says the United States must make sure that each state has a republican form of government, and protect the states from invasion and violence.

Process of amendment

Article Five gives two ways to amend, or change, the Constitution.

1. Congress can write a change, if two-thirds of the members in each House agree.

2. The state governments can call a convention to write changes, although this has not happened since 1787.

Any change that is written by Congress or by a convention must be sent to the state legislatures or to state conventions for their approval. Congress decides whether to send a change to the legislatures or to conventions. Three-fourths of the states must approve a change for it to become part of the Constitution.

An amendment can change any part of the Constitution, except one-no amendment can change the rule that each state has an equal number of Senators in the United States Senate.

Federal power

Article Six says that the Constitution, and the laws and treaties of the United States, are higher than any other laws. It also says that all federal and state officers must swear to "support" the Constitution.

Ratification

Article Seven says that the new government under the Constitution would not start until conventions in at least nine states approved the Constitution.

Amendments

Since 1787, Congress has written 33 amendments to change the Constitution, but the states have ratified only 27 of them.

The first ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights. They were argued over during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, but it wasn't until 1791 that they were ratified by two-thirds of the states. These ten additions or changes all limited the power of the federal government. They are:

1791

Congress must protect the rights of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of petition. Congress cannot create a national religion.

1791

"A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." - People have the right to keep and carry weapons, such as guns.

1791

The government cannot get a warrant to arrest a person or search their property unless there is "probable cause" to believe a crime has been committed.

1791

The government cannot put a person on trial for a serious crime until a grand jury has written an indictment. If a person is found not guilty in a trial, they cannot be put on trial again for the same crime. The government must follow due process of law before punishing a person or taking their property. A person on trial for a crime does not have to testify against himself in court.

1791

Any person who is accused of a crime should get a speedy trial by a jury. That person can have a lawyer during the trial. They must be told what they are charged with. The person can question the witnesses against them, and can get their own witnesses to testify.

After the Bill of Rights, there are 17 more changes to the Constitution that were made at different times.

Related pages

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Images for kids

In Spanish: Constitución de los Estados Unidos para niños

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Constitution of the United States Facts for Kids

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Learn Constitution of the United States facts for kids

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1. Watch this video

2. Answer the questions

Question: What is another name for the U.S. Constitution?

Question: How many articles are in the U.S. Constitution

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Constitution for Kids | What It Is and Why It Matters

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Listen to this book!

This is the preamble.

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Play this game!

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Join a game of kahoot here. Kahoot! is a free game-based learning platform that makes it fun to learn – any subject, in any language, on any device, for all ages!