Constitution

How does the government established by the Constitution embody the purposes, values, and principles of American democracy?
The Constitution, the end all final say in our government. After the Americans won their independence from Great Britain in the Revolutionary War, they adopted the Articles of Confederation. This first form of government led to many problems due to the fact that e ach state only had one vote in Congress, regardless of size, Congress had not have the power to tax, Congress did not have the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce, there was no executive branch to enforce any acts passed by Congress, there was no national court system, amendments to the Articles of Confederation required a unanimous vote, and laws required a 9/13 majority to pass in Congress.

The Federal Convention convened in the State House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on May 14, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation. Because the delegations from only two states were at first present, the members adjourned from day to day until a quorum of seven states was obtained on May 25. Through discussion and debate it became clear by mid-June that, rather than amend the existing Articles, the Convention would draft an entirely new frame of government. All through the summer, in closed sessions, the delegates debated, and redrafted the articles of the new Constitution. Among the chief points at issue were how much power to allow the central government, how many representatives in Congress to allow each state, and how these representatives should be elected--directly by the people or by the state legislators. The work of many minds, the Constitution stands as a model of cooperative statesmanship and the art of compromise.

Start out the unit by watching an introductory video on the history of the Constitution. The complete the following assignment, "Congress at Work" about the workings of Congress. Be sure to make a copy of the assignment and then share it with Carrie when you are done.

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Congress at Work

The role of the President has been highly controversial. Do they follow the explicitly stated role in the Constitution or are they allowed to change their role based on issues and opportunities that come up; taking a more implied approach to understanding the role. This controversy between the expressed and implied powers of the Constitution are still going on today. An example of this controversy can be found in the following video. Watch the video, then complete the following assignment, "Presidential Power." Be sure to make a copy of the assignment and then share it with Carrie when you are done.

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Presidential Power

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Know your leaders