Download Constitution Review - Black Hawk Middle School

Constitution Review
This is what will be on the
test next Wednesday!
What you’ll need to know for the test:
1. The Preamble Of The Constitution
1. Branches Of The Government
2. The Bill Of Rights
The Preamble
• The Preamble is the opening
statement to the U.S Constitution. It
basically explains the reasons the
delegates created our form of
government, in order to replace the
Articles of Confederation. The
preamble states:
“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.”
Branches Of The Government
• Delegates at the Constitutional Convention
wanted to divide the power within the federal
government. They did not want these powers
to be controlled by just one man or one group.
To avoid the risk of dictatorship or tyranny, the
group divided the new government into three
parts (Branches). They include:
The 3 Branches
• Legislative Branch
- The branch of the government that passes laws.
-Headed by Congress (Senate & House of Representatives).
• Executive Branch
– The branch of the government that carries out the laws.
– Headed by The President Of The United States.
• Judicial Branch
– The branch of government that decides if the laws are
carried out fairly.
– Headed by The Supreme Court.
The Bill Of Rights
• Some delegates of the Constitution
Convention, would not approve the
Constitution until it included a bill of rights
listing the individual rights of every citizen.
The Bill of Rights are the first 10 amendments
to the United States Constitution. They
include:
The First 10 Amendments
1. The First Amendment protects the rights of every American. It defines the freedoms of religion,
speech, and press.
2. The Second Amendment guarantees Americans the right to bear arms (Own guns).
3. The Third Amendment prevents the government from forcing citizens to shelter soldiers in their
homes.
4. The Fourth Amendment protects the privacy of American citizens. It prevents, unreasonable
searches of a person's property.
5. The Fifth Amendment guarantees the right to a fair trial. It also protects someone from testifying
against him/herself under oath in court.
6. The Sixth Amendment provides the right to a speedy trial.
7. The Seventh Amendment guarantees the right to a trial by jury court cases.
8. The Eighth Amendment prohibits unreasonable bail or fines & cruel and unusual punishment.
9. The Ninth Amendment recognizes that Americans have rights that are not listed in the Constitution.
10. The Tenth Amendment says that the powers not given to the United States government by the
Constitution belong to the states or to the people.