The Constitution is Signed

1
The Constitution is Signed

• The Constitution was signed by 39 of the 55
  delegates on September 17, 1787.

2
The United States Constitution

• The Constitution of the United States of America
  is the written document that established a
  federal system of government based on power
  divided between the national and state
  governments.

3
Established the Basic Principles of our
Government.

• Separation of powers
• three separate branches of government
• Executive Branch (President)
• Legislative Branch (Congress)
• Judicial Branch (Supreme Court)

4
Executive Branch -The President
Barack Obama
5
Executive Branch -The President
Signs (approves) or Vetos (does not approve)
bills passed by congress - if signed the
bill becomes a law - if vetoed the bill returns
to Congress If two-thirds of all the members of
Congress vote "yes," the bill can still become
law. The bill dies when there are not enough
votes to override the President.
6
Executive Branch -The President

• Carries out federal laws
• Recommends new laws to Congress
• As Commander-in-Chief he directs national
  defense commands the military
• Directs foreign policy, and deals with
  international powers
• Performs ceremonial duties.

7
Executive Branch

• Also includes
• Vice-President
• The Presidents Cabinet
• Federal Departments

Joe Biden
John Kerry, Secretary of State and others

• The State Department
• The Department of Defense
• The F.B.I.
• And other Depts.

8
QUIZ
9

• Who is the head of the Executive branch of
  government ?

10
2. If there are 100 senators, how many of their
votes are required to override a veto?
11

• 3. Which would defiantly not be a part of the
  executive branch of the Federal Government?
• The Environmental Protection Agency
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation.
• The State Department
• The New York Department of Education

12
4. What is the name of the Vice President of the
USA?
13

• 5. The President can do all of the things below
  except
• Command the Military to evacuate American
  citizens from a foreign country
• Write a Law that prohibits the carrying of a
  loaded weapon.
• Sign a bill into law.
• Veto a bill and return it to Congress

14
Legislative Branch (Congress)

• makes the laws.

15
Legislative Branch (Congress)

• makes the laws.
• Congress is a two-house legislature.

The House of Representatives
The Senate
100 Senators
435 Congressmen
16
Legislative Branch (Congress)
1. The Senate - all states are represented
equally in the Senate (two Senators per state)
Senators serve for a 6-year term
Only the Senate can approve or reject treaties
and presidential nominations for government
offices.
NY Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten
Gillibrand
17
Legislative Branch (Congress)
2. House of Representatives (number of a states
representatives is based on states population).
NY 28 Congressmen and Congresswomen
Congressmen only serve a 2-year term
Only the House can introduce spending bills
18
Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) determines if
laws made by Congress are constitutional.
9 judges (justices) serve on the Court they are
appointed for life.
19
Judicial Branch (Supreme Court)
All of the other courts in the United States must
follow the ruling or the decision made by the
justices of the Supreme Court. the power to
judge whether federal, state, and local
governments are acting within the law. The
Supreme Court can also decide if a president's
action is unconstitutional.
20
The wording of the Constitution is complex, so it
must be studied and examined carefully. When
questions concerning particular laws arise in
lower courts, the justices who make up the
Supreme Court are responsible for explaining and
interpreting the Constitution.
Judicial Branch (Supreme Court)
21
QUIZ
22

• What are the two houses of Congress called?

23
2. How many senators does each state have?
24
3. How many years does a senator serve?
25
4. What determines how many congressmen a state
may send to the House of Representatives?
26
5. True or False Only the Senate can approve or
reject treaties made with foreign countries?
27
6. Name one senator from the state of New York.
28
7. Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) determines if
laws made by Congress are ___________ .
29
8. How long a term does a Congressmen serve?
30
9. How long a term does a Justice of the Supreme
Court serve?
31
10. The _______________ Branch of our government
makes the laws.
32
Aim How does the U.S. Constitution's system of
Checks and Balances work?
Do Now Why do you think a government might need
a system where one branch of the government has
some control over what another branch does?
33
The Constitution established a government based
on a system of Checks and Balances
These checks keep any one branch from gaining too
much power.
Each branch can check the power of the other.
34
Examples of Checks and Balances
If Congress passes a bill the President doesn't
like
Executive
Legislative
35
Examples of Checks and Balances
he can veto the bill
Executive
Legislative
36
Examples of Checks and Balances
But Congress can pass the bill into law over the
veto by a vote of 2/3 of its members
Executive
Legislative
37
Examples of Checks and Balances
Congress also has the ability to impeach the
President (remove him from office) if he commits
"treason, bribery, or other high crimes and
misdemeanors".
Executive
Legislative
38
Examples of Checks and Balances
If Congress passes a law that The Supreme Court
finds unconstitutional the law can no longer be
used
Legislative
Judicial
39
Examples of Checks and Balances
But Congress has the power to change the
Constitution by passing amendments (changes) to
it, although
Legislative
Judicial
40

• It is not easy to change the Constitution.
  Two-thirds of the House and Senate need to
  approve of the proposal and send it to the states
  for a vote. Then, three-fourths of the state
  legislatures must also affirm the proposed
  Amendment.

Since 1787, over 9,000 amendments have been
proposed, but only 27 have been approved.
41
Examples of Checks and Balances
The Supreme Court can decide that a president's
action is unconstitutional
Executive
Judicial
42
Examples of Checks and Balances
But its the President who selects candidates for
the Supreme Court when one of the Justices
retires or dies.
Judicial
Executive
43

• Name one way in which
• The Executive branch of our government checks the
  power of the Legislative branch.
• The Legislative checks the Executive
• The Judicial checks the Legislative
• The Legislative checks the Judicial
• The Executive checks the Judicial
• The Judicial checks the Executive

44

• Established the Basic Principles of our
  Government.
• Basic principles of government
• Separation of powers
• The structure of the new national government was
  based on James Madisons Virginia Plan, which
  called for three separate branches of government
• Legislative Branch (Congress) makes the laws.
  Congress is a two-house legislature in which all
  states are represented equally in the Senate (two
  Senators per state) and people are represented in
  the House of Representatives (number of a states
  representatives is based on states population).
• Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) determines if
  laws made by Congress are constitutional.
• Executive Branch (President) carries out the
  laws.
• Checks and balances
• Each branch can check the power of the other.
• These checks keep any one branch from gaining too
  much power.

45
Bill of Rights

• Bill of Rights
• James Madison was the author of the Bill of
  Rights.
• The first ten amendments to the Constitution of
  the United States of America provide a written
  guarantee of individual rights (e.g., freedom of
  speech, freedom of religion).

46
Bill of Rights

• Amendment I. - Congress shall make no law
  respecting an establishment of religion, or
  prohibiting the free exercise thereof or
  abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press
  or the right of the people peaceably to assemble,
  and to petition the Government for a redress of
  grievances.
• Amendment II. - 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.
• Amendment III. - No Soldier shall, in time of
  peace be quartered in any house, without the
  consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in
  a manner to be prescribed by law.

47
Bill of Rights

• Amendment IV - The right of the people to be
  secure in their persons, houses, papers, and
  effects, against unreasonable searches and
  seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants
  shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported
  by Oath or affirmation, and particularly
  describing the place to be searched, and the
  persons or things to be seized.
• Amendment V - No person shall be held to answer
  for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime,
  unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand
  Jury, except in cases arising in the land or
  naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual
  service in time of War or public danger nor
  shall any person be subject for the same offence
  to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb nor
  shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a
  witness against himself, nor be deprived of life,
  liberty, or property, without due process of law
  nor shall private property be taken for public
  use, without just compensation.

48
Bill of Rights

• Amendment VI - In all criminal prosecutions, the
  accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and
  public trial, by an impartial jury of the State
  and district wherein the crime shall have been
  committed, which district shall have been
  previously ascertained by law, and to be informed
  of the nature and cause of the accusation to be
  confronted with the witnesses against him to
  have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses
  in his favor, and to have the Assistance of
  Counsel for his defense.
• Amendment VII - In Suits at common law, where the
  value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars,
  the right of trial by jury shall be preserved,
  and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise
  re-examined in any Court of the United States,
  than according to the rules of the common law.

49
Bill of Rights

• Amendment VIII - Excessive bail shall not be
  required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel
  and unusual punishments inflicted.
• Amendment IX - The enumeration in the
  Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be
  construed to deny or disparage others retained by
  the people.
• Amendment X - The powers not delegated to the
  United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited
  by it to the States, are reserved to the States
  respectively, or to the people.

50
Two Parties Emerge

• Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson had
  opposing views on the role of the national
  government. That opposition resulted in the
  creation of two political parties.
• The debate over the role of the national
  government has continued throughout United States
  history.

51
What should the Government do?

• Major party differences
• Alexander Hamilton
• Leader of Federalists
• Favored strong national government
• Favored limits on states powers
• Favored development of industry on a national
  scale
• Favored a national bank
• Thomas Jefferson
• Leader of the Democratic Republicans
• Favored a weak national government
• Supported states powers
• Favored small business and farmers
• Opposed a national bank

52
Ratifying the Constitution

• The Continental Congress received the proposed
  Constitution on September 20. It then voted to
  send the document to the state legislatures for
  ratification.
• These supporters of the Constitution believed
  that the checks and balances system would allow a
  strong central government to preserve states'
  rights.

53
The Bill of Rights

• Some delegates, however, would not approve the
  Constitution when it was sent to the states for
  ratification until it included a bill of rights
  listing the individual rights of every citizen..
  Several amendments were immediately considered
  when the first Congress met in 1789. Ten
  amendments were approved. Those first ten
  amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill
  of Rights.

54
Americas first leaders

• Congress and the first five presidents made
  decisions establishing a strong government that
  helped the nation grow in size and power.
• All of the first five presidents were Virginians
  except John Adams.

55
George Washington

• Federal court system was established.
• Political parties grew out of the disagreements
  between Hamilton and Jefferson over the proper
  role of the national government.
• The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution
  of the United States of America.
• Plans were initiated for development of the
  national capital in Washington, D.C. Benjamin
  Banneker, an African American astronomer and
  surveyor, helped complete the design for the city.

56
John Adams

• A two-party system emerged during his
  administration.

57
Thomas Jefferson

• He bought Louisiana from France (Louisiana
  Purchase).
• Lewis and Clark explored this new land west of
  the Mississippi River.

58
James Madison

• The War of l812 caused European nations to gain
  respect for the United States.

59
James Monroe

• He introduced the Monroe Doctrine warning
  European nations not to interfere in the Western
  Hemisphere.

60
Essential Questions

• What were the basic weaknesses of the Articles of
  Confederation?
• What were the basic principles of governments
  stated in the Constitution of the United States
  of America and Bill of Rights?
• What were the major differences between Hamilton
  and Jefferson?
• What were the major national issues and events
  faced by the first five presidents?