Name Selena Huang Period 7

The Constitution

A 2019 Marquette University Law School poll found that 57% of Americans haven’t read the Constitution. Over
the next two days, I’d like for you to thoroughly read through the Constitution (and amendments) and complete
the following activity. This will serve as a study tool throughout the semester and in preparation for the AP
Exam as the Constitution is one of the required foundational documents.

Resource: Interactive Constitution from the National Constitution Center

Relevant date(s) Constitutional Convention: May 25 - Sep 17, 1787

*Convention Ratified June 21, 1788
*Ratification

Location written Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Preamble
Subject Introduction to Constitution, states purpose of government/Constitution

Summary/Key Form better union

Points Establish justice
Insure domestic tranquility
Provide for the common defence
Promote the general Welfare

Article I
Subject Structure and power of the legislative branch

Summary/Key Points The Congress consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate
*Qualifications for office
*Brief summary of powers House:
granted to Congress - based on ppl, 435 today, 2-year term
*Commerce Clause - impeachment (1/2) , write bills
*Elastic/Necessary & Senate:
Proper Clause - 2 per state, 100 in total, 6-year term
- Write bills except for raising revenue, ⅔ to ratify treaties and convict
impeachment, ½ to pass bill, 60 percent to close a debate, confirming
presidential appointment,
Origination Clause:
- bill for raising revenue is exclusively written by the House but Senate
can propose, or concur with, amendments.
Section 8:
Congress can
- borrow money. Coin money, establish PO, declare war, raise and
support the militaries,
- Regulate interstate commerce, and foreign/Indian tribe commerce
(Commerce Clause)
 - Pass laws that are not explicitly stated in the Constitution (Elastic
Clause)

Article II
Subject The Executive branch

Summary/Key Points President and vice-president Qualifications: 35 yrs+, natural born citizen, 14 yr+
*Qualifications for office resident of US.
*Powers granted Powers of the president: head of military, make treaties (⅔ senate), nominate
and appoint (½ senate) officers
Prisidents should communicate w/ Congress
Removed from Office if impeached and convicted Treason, Bribery, etc.

Article III
Subject Judicial Branch

Summary/ Judicial power belongs to courts, extend to all cases arising under Constitution,
Key Points Law of US, and treatie made under them, to all Cases affecting Ambassadors,
other public Ministers and Consuls;--to all Cases of admiralty and maritime
Jurisdiction;--to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;--to
Controversies between two or more States;--between a State and Citizens of
another State;--between Citizens of different States;--between Citizens of the
same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a
State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.
How to convict treason

Article IV
Subject Relations among states

Summary/ State should truth other states’ public act, records, and judicial preceedings on the
Key Points behave of Congress.
All citizens are granted with the same privileges and immunities whatever states they
are in.
Procedure when criminals flee
Procedure for new states

Article V
Subject Amending the Constitution

Summary/ ⅔ of both houses deem it necessary, or

Key Points ⅔ of the legislature of states applied, convention called, and
¾ of the legislature of states ratified or the convention ratified.

Article VI
Subject National Supremacy
 Summary/ Constitutional supremacy
Key Points

Article VII
Subject Ratification procedure

Summary/ Established in the 13 states

Key Points

Summarize the 27 amendments to the Constitution. Fill in the historical context for the remaining
amendments.
Amendment Year Ratified Summary Historical Context

1 1791 Free Speech, press, religion, assembly BOR/Ratification

2 1791 Right to bear arms BOR/Ratification

3 1791 No quartering of troops in homes BOR/Ratification

4 1791 No unreasonable searches/seizures BOR/Ratification

5 1791 Right to due process, grand jury, no double BOR/Ratification

jeopardy, self-incrimination

6 1791 Right of speedy and public trial, counsel BOR/Ratification

7 1791 Right to trial by jury in civil cases BOR/Ratification

8 1791 No excessive bail, fines, cruel/unusual punishment BOR/Ratification

9 1791 Rights not enumerated retained by people BOR/Ratification

10 1791 Powers not delegated to Congress or prohibited to BOR/Ratification

states belong to states or people

11 1798 No Federal cases between states, citizens of other Supreme Court’s 1793
state ruling in Chisholm v.
Georgia

12 1804 Modification of electoral college rules In response to the 1976

and 1800 elections

13 1865 Abolition of Slavery Civil War/Reconstruction

14 1868 States can’t deprive the right to due process, Civil War/Reconstruction
equal protection, privileges, and immunities

15 1870 The right to vote can’t be denied by race Civil War/Reconstruction

16 1913 Congress can levy individual income taxes In response to the

 Supreme Court’s 2895
decision in Pollock v.
Farmers’ Loan & Trust
Co.

17 1913 Direct election of senators In response to the calls

for a constitutional
convention (27/31) for
direct election of
senators regarding
corruption and deadlock

18 1919 Prohibition of liquors The temperance

movement

19 1920 Women’s right to vote Suffrage movement

20 1933 Dates for inauguration, Congress’s session Shorten the transition

between administrations
and reduce the “lame
duck” period

21 1933 Repeal of prohibition Organized crime and

black market flourished

22 1951 Presidential term limits FDR’s 4 terms

23 1961 D.C. residents vote for president DC people

unrepresented

24 1964 Ban on poll taxes Civil Rights movement

25 1967 Appointment of new vice president, presidential Response to prior

incompetence inconvenience because
of the ambiguity. Death
of William Harrison,
Woodrow Wilson’s
stroke, absence of vice
presidents

26 1971 Eighteen-year-olds right to vote Vietnam War

27 1992 Congressional pay raises effective only after Prevent corruption

election