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The United States Government: Our Democracy at work

The United States Government: Our Democracy at work. What do you already know about how the US Government was formed?. Our government is based on a Constitution. What is a constitution? Why is understanding our constitution important? What is the preamble?

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The United States Government: Our Democracy at work

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  1. The United States Government: Our Democracy at work What do you already know about how the US Government was formed?

  2. Our government is based on a Constitution • What is a constitution? • Why is understanding our constitution important? • What is the preamble? • What are the major parts of the US Constitution? • What are our rights?

  3. 6 major principles of the US CONSTITUTION • Popular sovereignty-VOTING-makes our democracy work! • Federalism-Divided powers between nation and states • Separation of powers- Divided powers among three branches of government • Checks and Balances-powers in place to “check” the other branch’s powers • Judicial Review –the power of the Supreme Court to declare laws unconstitutional • Limited Government- citizens know what the powers are of the government in relationship to their rights.

  4. How does the Preamble explain the purposes or functions of government? • “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.”

  5. Breaking it down... • What does “We the people” mean to you? • “to form a more perfect union”? • Establish justice? • Ensure domestic tranquility? • Provide for the common defense? • Promote general welfare? • Secure blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity?

  6. Structure of the US Constitution • See handout on structure http://www.house.gov/paul/constitutiontext.htm

  7. Bill of Rights and Amendments • Why do we need a Bill of Rights? Why are they necessary? • What are your “rights”- define rights.

  8. Bill of Rights: Why are the necessary? • A bill of rights is needed in a free society in order to protect the rights of the individual from abuses by the government. • The entire society benefits from the protection of minority rights. • Oftentimes protecting the minority causes great controversy. • We are all a part of some minority, race, religion, economics, political beliefs, or social beliefs; thus we all need our individual rights protected. • The Preamble promises that the government will look out for our best interests, but those protections were not always us equally applied to all US Citizens. Through the amendment process the US has continued to work toward a “more perfect union”.

  9. Ranking rights and freedoms • WHAT IF…the US government could no longer guarantee all the rights in the Bill of Rights– • Which would you be willing to let go? Why? • Activity

  10. Review the Bill of Rights- First 10 Amendments • Review all of the rights within each Amendment • Watch Future Freight- record Rights being violated- • What is the connection between the Bill of Rights and personal liberty???? • What role does personal responsibility play? • Practice the Bill of Rights – review • Quiz on Tuesday- Bill of Rights- Paragraph on Personal Liberty.

  11. Amendment One- • A. religion • B. Petition • C. Speech • D. Press • E. Assembly • Amendment Two-Bear Arms • Amendment Three- Quartering Troops in one’s home • Amendment Four- protections from illegal search and seizure

  12. Amendment five: • A. Right to be charged by a grand jury • B. Freedom from double jeopardy • C. Freedom from self-incrimination • D. Right to due process in court • E. Government’s right of eminent domain Amendment six- A. Speedy and Public Trial B. Information on the nature and course of the charge C. Witnesses at the trial D. Counsel for the defendant Amendment seven- Jury Trial in Civil Cases Amendment Eight- Cruel and unusual punishment

  13. Amendment 9: Other rights not mentioned in the bill of rights belong to the people • Amendment 10- The powers not delegated to the United States (government) belong to the states or to the people (FEDERALISM) • QUESTIONS??? • Review vocabulary terms- • Review items 1-18 • For Quiz tomorrow- 25 points • 10 case studies PLUS • Quote interpretation about the Bill of Rights AND • Short answer– WHY DO WE HAVE A BILL OF RIGHTS???? Three reasons!

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