The Articles
The three Articles that create the structure of the government.
What are Articles 1, 2, and 3?
This is where you can find the Preamble.
What is the opening paragraph to the Constitution.
The Bill of Rights are made up of these Amendments.
What are the first 10 Amendments?
Some countries, like England, don't have the benefit of this simple benefit of our Constitution.
What is "it's a single document"?
This is the branch of government that has the power to interpret the Constitution.
What is the judicial branch?
The Amendment process is explained in this Article.
What is Article 5?
The Preamble contains a list of these. No need to be specific.
What are objectives?
This is the purpose of the Bill of Rights.
To protect people's individual rights and liberties.
Despite the fact that it was not originally included in the Constitution, this section is very popular among the citizens of other coutnries.
Those who follow this approach believe in a literal or historic interpretation of the Constitution.
What is strict construction?
The Article requires states to have a republican form of government.
What is Article 4?
This is the purpose of the Premable.
What is to lay out the goals of the Constitution?
This is the reason the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution.
To earn the peoples' trust and to get the states the ratify the Constitution.
This popular feature of the Constitution ensures that no one person or branch of government becomes too powerful.
Those who follow this approach believe in a broader, more flexible interpretation of the Constitution.
What is loose construction?
This Article lays out the process for ratifying the Constitution.
What is Article 7?
This objective promises to provide for the well-being of Americans.
What is "to promote the general welfare?"
This Founding Father is considered the main author of the Bill of Rights.
Who is James Madison?
Some countries liked this set up for our government that was inspired by Ancient Rome and Montesquieu.
What is the separation of powers or the three branches of government?
The first test of this clause occurred when framers proposed the creation of a national bank.
What is the Elastic Clause?
This Article contains the Supremacy Clause.
What is Article 6?
What is "to insure domestic tranquility?"
These are the two ways an amendment to the Constitution may be proposed.
What is by Congress or a national convention?
These countries wrote Constitutions modeled after ours shortly after ours when into effect.
What are France and Poland.
This is the case that settled the issue of the Elastic Clause and the national bank.
What is McCulloch v. Maryland?