The Preamble & Foundations
Written in this year, the U.S. Constitution is the oldest written constitution still in use today.
What is 1787?
Article I creates this branch of government, which holds the primary power to make laws.
What is the Legislative Branch (or Congress)?
The President leads the Executive Branch and is responsible for this main job regarding laws passed by Congress.
What is carrying out/enforcing laws?
Article VI declares that this document is the "Supreme Law of the Land".
What is the U.S. Constitution?
This term describes a formal, official change made to the U.S. Constitution.
What is an amendment?
This opening paragraph of the Constitution explains the overall goals of the new government.
What is the Preamble?
This chamber of Congress has 2 members per state (100 total), which gives equal standing to small states.
What is the Senate?
The President holds this specific title as leader of the nation's military forces.
What is Commander-in-Chief?
If a state law comes into direct conflict with a federal law, this law wins.
What is federal law?
Promised during ratification to protect individual freedoms, these first 10 amendments were added to the Constitution.
What is the Bill of Rights?
These opening three words of the Constitution show that the government gets its power from citizens.
What is "We the People"?
All bills about raising tax money must start in this chamber, where membership is based on state population.
What is the House of Representatives?
Made up of the Supreme Court and lower federal courts, this branch interprets and studies laws.
What is the Judicial Branch?
Article IV states that if a criminal flees to another state, they must be returned, a process called this.
What is extradition?
To propose a Constitutional amendment in Step 1, this percentage vote is required in both houses of Congress.
What is two-thirds (or 66%)?
The Preamble focuses on establishing these three main goals for the government.
What are justice, tranquility, and freedom?
To serve in the Senate, a person must be a U.S. citizen for 9 years and be at least this age.
What is 30 years old?
Federal judges serve for this duration to keep them fair and independent from political arguments.
What is for life?
rules out kings and guarantees that every U.S. state must have this style of government.
What is a representative government?
To officially ratify an amendment in Step 2, this percentage of state legislatures must vote YES
What is three-fourths (or 75%)?
In 1787, these four groups of people were excluded from "We the People" and denied basic rights and voting access.
Who are women, Native Americans, poor white men without land, and enslaved people?
Name two of the specific financial or defense powers given to Congress besides making laws.
What are collecting taxes, printing money, declaring war, or managing national debt?
While the President picks Supreme Court justices and Cabinet advisors, this group must approve them.
What is the Senate?
To officially activate the Constitution in 1789, approval was required from this many original states.
What is 9 out of 13 states?
These two specific amendments expanded voting rights to women and young adults.
What are the 19th and 26th Amendments?