Bill of Rights – Key to Ratification Federalists promised to add a bill of rights if the Constitution was ratified .

Bill of Rights – Key to Ratification

• Federalists promised to add a bill of rights if the Constitution was ratified

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/ratification/map/?state=Delaware

The Constitution• Objectives Preamble• Form a more perfect

union– – – – –

• Longevity– Not anticipating major

revisions

Article I = Legislative Branch• Significance of enumerated powers?

? ?

Article I = Legislative Branch• Enumerated Powers

– – – Provide for the common welfare– Borrow money– – Regulate commerce with foreign

countries– Establish uniform laws dealing with

immigration and naturalization– Coin money– Punish counterfeiting– Establish post offices– – Establish federal courts (in addition to

SCOTUS)– Define and punish piracy– – Raise and support an army and navy– Create a national guard

• Denied Powers–

– Passage of bills of attainder

–

– Cannot tax exports

–

•To make all Laws which shall be for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Congress

“The executive power shall be vested in a president of the United States of America.”

-Article II, Section 1

• POTUS

Article II = Executive Branch

POTUS Power

• Act as commander in chief of the armed forces• Ability to obtain information from members of the

executive branch• Grant pardons• Make treaties with the consent of the Senate• Sign or veto legislation• Duty to give Congress a State of the Union

report• Call special sessions of Congress

http://www.justice.gov/pardon/pardon_instructions.htm

Vice President

• Preside over the Senate and vote if a tie

“The Vice Presidency is the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived"?

Electoral College

Article III

• Section 1– SCOTUS

– Lower courts created by Congress– Judiciary Act of 1789– Judiciary Act of 1801

Article III

• Section 2– Federal courts

• Interpret Congressional laws• Disputes among states, citizens of different states,

and between states and federal government• Only hear cases where someone is actually

harmed– Not an advisory body

Article IV

• Section 1–

• State laws and court orders must be respected in various states

• Section 2– States cannot discriminate against citizens of

other states

• Fugitives may be extradited

Article IV

• Section 3– New states admitted by Congress

• One state may not make a new state• Two states (or parts) may not make without consent of state

legislatures and Congress• (states admitted as equals = precedent)• Congress has power to regulate territories

• Section 4– “Guarantee Clause” states have republican

government– Congress has power/obligation to protect states from

invasion (foreign or uprisings)• States may request federal help

Article V

Article VI

• “Supremacy Clause”– When state law conflicts with federal law,

federal law prevails• aka:

• Federal and state officials must obey the US Constitution– No religious test

Article VII

•