The Preamble Tells the Goals of the Government

Name:______

Government Cornell Notes

The Preamble Tells the Goals of the Government  The ______was crafted carefully to explain the reason for creating a new government.  The Constitution begins with the words, “We the People,” which announced that the Constitution based its authority on the ______themselves—ordinary Americans.  This concept is known as ______.  Popular sovereignty = ______to the People!

The Preamble “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.”

 “Form a more perfect union” o Building a country that could take advantage of the ______the states gained from working together.  “establish Justice” o Americans wanted to be ruled by ______, not by the might of soldiers or the decisions of kings.  “insure domestic Tranquility” o Peace and ______would be kept because the people would not fight each other or the government.  “provide for the common defense” o The national government would be responsible for protecting Americans from ______invaders.  “promote the general Welfare” o The government could support an economy and society in which people could ______.  “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity” o “Posterity” means the generations that would come later. They wanted Americans to enjoy freedom then and in the ______.

Legislative Branch  Article I of the Constitution gives the power to ______laws to the ______branch of government.  The Constitution creates a ______(______parts) national legislature, called Congress.  The ______parts, or “houses,” of Congress are the ______of Representatives and the ______. Design of Congress  Members of the Senate serve ______year terms.  Members of the House of Representatives serve ______year terms.  Congress is designed to ______the rights of large and small states.  Each state gets ______senators, and representation in the House is based on ______.  States with more people have ______House representatives.  To determine the number of representatives in the House, the Constitution calls for a census every ______years.  The Senate is considered to be the “______house.”  Senators must be at least ______years old & citizens of the US for ____ years. (“Wiser & More Experienced)  The House of Representatives is considered to be the “______house.”  Representatives must be at least ____ years old & citizens of the US for _ years.

How Congress Passes Laws  The primary job of Congress is to make laws.  Any member of the House or Senate can submit a proposal for a new law, called a bill.  Only the House can propose new taxes.  If a majority in one house votes in favor of the bill, it is sent to other house for debate. If both houses approve the bill, it goes to the president.  The bill becomes a law if the president signs it.

How Congress Passes Laws  Article I spells out other powers of ______.  Powers of Congress include: o Deciding how to spend the money raised through ______o Raising an ______and ______o Declaring ______o Paying government ______o Granting ______ Congress may “make all laws which shall be necessary and proper” to carry out its powers. (______clause)

The Executive Branch  Article II of the Constitution gives the power to ______, or carry out, the laws to the ______branch.  The head of the executive branch is the ______. “Chief Executive”  The president is elected by winning the majority of votes in the “______college.” Each state has the same number of “electors” as it has representatives and senators.  The president serves a ______-year term, and may only be reelected ______under the ______Amendment.

The President  The president must be a natural-born American citizen & at least ___years old.  The president’s power includes: o Carrying out laws passed by ______o ______in chief of the nation’s military forces o Make ______with other nations o Nominates ambassadors and Supreme Court ______o Grant ______to people convicted of violating national laws

Executive Branch: Departments  The Executive branch is organized into ______to carry out its duties.  The State department handles relations with other ______.  The Justice department is involved in law enforcement as well as in court actions.  The heads of executive departments are members of the president’s ______, a formal group of ______.

Removing the President  The Constitution gives Congress the power to ______a president or other officials from office if they commit certain crimes related to their duties.  The House of Representatives can vote to ______(to formally accuse an official of a crime) the president if he/she is suspected of committing a crime specified in the Constitution.  If the House votes to impeach, the Senate puts the president on ______with the Senators as the jury.  If the president is found guilty, he/she is removed from office.

The Judicial Branch  Article III of the Constitution gives the framework of the ______branch, which consists of the system of federal courts and judges.  The Judicial Branch: o ______the Constitution (“the supreme Law of the Land”) o Contains the highest court, the ______Court o Gives Congress the ______to create lower courts to meet the nation’s needs. o Has the power to resolve ______that involve national laws, the national government, or the states.

Powers of the Supreme Court  The decisions made by the Supreme Court are ______l.  Congress has set the size of the Supreme Court to include 9 members, called ______.  These justices usually serve on the Court for ______.  A dispute goes directly to the Supreme Court if it involves a ______or an ambassador from another country.  Other cases come to the Supreme Court after a ______and an ______in lower courts.  Early in its history, the Supreme Court defined the power of “______,” as the power to decide whether laws and actions by the legislative and executive branches conflict with the Constitution.  Lower courts rely on the Supreme Court for guidance about what is ______.  Judicial review gives the Supreme Court great power in its role of ______the “supreme Law of the Land.” Checks and Balances  The framers of the Constitution were concerned about achieving a ______between a strong national government and protection for American ______.  Each branch of the national government has the ability to “check”, or ______the actions of another branch.  Congress can pass laws, but the president can ______the bill before it becomes a law.  Congress can ______the president’s veto by a two- thirds vote in both houses.  The Supreme Court can declare a law, treaty, or executive action “unconstitutional” through the power of ______.

Changing the Constitution  Article V of the Constitution describes how changes, called ______, can be made.  Proposing an amendment requires two-thirds of ______houses of Congress.  It must then be approved by the legislatures in three-fourths of the ______.  Once an amendment is approved, it becomes part of the supreme law of the land.  Only ______amendments to the Constitution have ever been approved.  The first 10 amendments were added almost immediately after the Constitution was ______(approved).  These are known as the Bill of Rights, which ______specific rights to citizens.  The other______amendments became part of the Constitution one at a time.  19th Amendment: Gave ______the right to vote.  26th Amendment: Gave the right to vote to all citizens over the age of ______.

Summary:

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