Constitution Day with Hip-Hop Flocabulary

1. Constitution Day withHip-Hop Flocabulary Mrs. Lulkin & Her amazingly awesome 7th graders  Excerpts from Hip-Hop U.S. History by Blake Harrison and Alex Rappaport http://www.patrioticon.org/soundfiles/starspangled.mid

2. What is Constitution Day??? Constitution Day (or Citizenship Day) is an American holiday that celebrates the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787 at the Constitutional Convention.

3. The Beginning of a Country… • The United States was once a colony ruled by a country named Great Britain (aka. England)

4. The Original U.S.A. The original 13 colonies became the first 13 states of our country.

5. American Flag Original Flag Current Flag

6. A Declaration of Independence • It said that the colonists should have the same status and power as citizens living in Britain. • Colonists were sick of unfair treatment and abuse • It was basically a break up letter from the U.S. to England saying, “We’re done with you, King George!”

7. Thomas Jefferson • Thomas Jefferson, a statesman from Virginia, wrote the Declaration. • He believed all men are created equal (except for slaves, women, and Native Americans) and that they are all born with “natural rights” given to us by Nature’s God

8. Natural Rights??? • According to Tommy (Jefferson that is), people are granted rights, simply by being born • They are the right to • Life • Liberty • Pursuit of happiness

9. Governments Role • What is the government’s role in granting rights? • Their job is to protect our natural rights, not to grant them (because we had them when we were born…remember?) • Well, I declare! Let’s listen to a song…

10. An Interlude… “When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

11. An Interlude (cont’d.) “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. (That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed).”

12. So what happened when Great Britain got the bad news??? • American Revolution • Sit back, relax, and listen to a little bit of history… • We fought…and won!!! • America was officially a single, independent woman! (Country that is ) • Let’s celebrate... • With a SONG!

13. It’s the U.S. (Bust the A) 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.

14. It’s the U.S. (Bust the A) • Chorus: • It’s the U.S., bust that A and come back. • It’s the U.S., bust that A and come back. • It’s the U.S., bust that A and come back. • We do it like that, we do that.

15. It’s the U.S. (Bust the A) Who’s that? Working hard baby, I’m not laid-back. If you have money, better save that. British want us to pay tax? We’ll lick your Stamp Acts! We fought the revolution and won. Time for states to form up like Megatron. Some like “awwnaww”. They liked states’ rights, it stays nice. Slave states get to keep their slave life.

16. It’s the U.S. (Bust the A) Day one, drafted something to form the nation: Articles of Confederation. It didn’t have power like Masons, so they’re done. It was too weak, like brittle bones on bubble boys. Farmer named Shay rebelled, caused trouble boys. A new Constitution, that’s the solution. If you don’t succeed, you better try again.

17. It’s the U.S. (Bust the A) • Chorus: • It’s the U.S., bust that A and come back. • It’s the U.S., bust that A and come back. • It’s the U.S., bust that A and come back. • We do it like that, we do it like that.

18. It’s the U.S. (Bust the A) Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Don’t spoil your bag with one bad apple. Gimme a break! Gimme a break! Break your government up like a Kit-Kat Bar. We hit it that far with our checks and balances: honestly a bigger deal than sex and violence is. Executive is Presidential. He’s essential, doesn’t make laws just signs or vetoes. Picks judges like Sam Alito.

19. It’s the U.S. (Bust the A) Legislate law bringing heat though, represent the people. Two chambers like a shotty. Senate kind of uppity, acting haughty. House of Reps is by population. Big states send a congregation all across the nation. Judicial are the judges, the dudes in robes. What they wear under there nobody knows.

20. It’s the U.S. (Bust the A) • Chorus: • It’s the U.S., bust that A and come back. • It’s the U.S., bust that A and come back. • It’s the U.S., bust that A and come back. • We do it like that, we do it like that.

21. Fun Facts The US Constitution has 4,440 words, making it the shortest Constitution in the world. The U.S. Constitution contains many spellngmistks (haha!), including the glaring misspelling of “Pensylvania” just above the signers’ names. Benjamin Franklin, who was 81 at the Constitutional Convention, was too frail to walk. Instead he had 4 prisoners from a local jail carry him into Independence Hall. The original Constitution is secured in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. During the day, it’s displayed in a bulletproof case. At night, the Constitution descends deep into an underground vault, where it is locked behind five-ton doors built to withstand a nuclear explosion!