The Constitution Test

Every 8th Grader Must Pass It and This Will Help!

The Three Branches:

• Legislative-makes the laws

• Executive-enforces the laws

• Judicial-interprets the laws

The Planning Stage:

• New Jersey Plan- every state has the same number of representatives

• Virginia Plan- representation is based on population of each state

• The Great Compromise- two houses, one with two members from each state, and one based on the population of each state

• The Three-Fifths Compromise- each black man counts as 3/5 of a vote. This was found to be unacceptable and declared Unconstitutional. Every adult vote counts the same in American elections.

How Long in Office?

• Representatives- 2 year terms• Senators- 6 year terms• President- 4 year terms (max. 10

years in office)• Supreme Court- appointed for life

by President, confirmed by the Senate

Who Has the Power?

• To establish post offices- F• To provide national defense- F• To make laws- F & S• To make coins/paper money- F• To establish local and county governments- S• To hold elections- S• To declare war- F

F=Federal S=State

Legislative, Executive, or Judicial?• May declare war- L• Collects taxes- E• Makes Agreements w/ foreign countries- E• Interprets laws- J• Approves treaties- L• Judges laws for fairness- J• Enforces laws- E• Commander-in-Chief- E• Settles disputes between States- J• Makes laws- L

The Legislative (Congress)

House Of Representatives 435 members, based on

population of state

The Senate 100 members, each state has two,

regardless of population

The Executive

• President of the United States - elected every 4 years - must be 35 years of age - must be born in America• The President’s Cabinet - advisors - appointed by the President and approved by

the Senate - serve at the “pleasure” of the President

Questions?????

• Who becomes President if the President dies?

• How many Associate Supreme Court Justices are there?

• One Justice is special. What is his/her title?

• What is the name for the leader of the House of Representatives?

• Who is considered the “Father” of the Constitution?

The Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments)• Guarantees right to own guns___• You do not have to keep soldiers in your home___• You do not have to testify against yourself___• A warrant is needed to search property___• No state religion___• Guarantees trial by jury___• Powers not Federal are State___• No Cruel and unusual punishment___• People have basic rights not listed in the Constitution___• Right to trial for any crime over $20___

Know These Terms:

• Compromise• Ratify• Amendment• Majority• Unanimous• Bill• Preamble• Veto• Separation of powers• Branches of government• Congress• Amendment 12• Amendment 14• Amendments 15,19,26• Amendment 13• Checks and balances• Posterity• Suffrage• Federalism• Elastic clause• Popular sovereignty• abolition

The Preamble

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure 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

______ ____ ________ of the United States, in ________ to form a ________ perfect union, ____________ justice, ___________ domestic _______________, __________ for the ___________ defense, _______________ the general __________, and ___________ the _____________ of liberty to ourselves and our _________________, do ordain and _______________ this ________________ for the United ______________ of America.

The Preamble

We the _________ of the United States, in order to _________ a more perfect ___________, establish ____________, ensure domestic _______________, provide for the ____________ defense, promote the general ___________, and secure the ______________ of liberty to _______________ and our posterity, do ________________ and establish this ______________________ for the United States of America.

The Constitution

Now You Have It!!