The Constitution Packet 3. The Declaration of Independence.

The Constitution Packet 3

The Declaration of Independence

The Constitution

The Constitution(has 3 main parts)

Part 1 The Preamble:

Describes the purpose of the document and government

The most important part of our government?

The people

Part 2

The 7 articles

Establish how the government is structured and how the

Constitution can be changed.

There are seven articles

These 7 articles:

1. The powers and duties of Congress (the Legislative Branch) and how they carry out their powers.

2. The powers and duties of the president and his staff (the Executive Branch) of the United States.

3. The powers and duties of the country’s court system (the Judicial Branch).

4. Explains how states should work together for the good of the country.

5. How the Constitution can be changed (amended).6. The nation as a whole is more important than each

state.7. Everyone was OK with all this and it was going to be

approved

Part 3

The Amendments

Changes to the Constitution

the first ten are called the Bill of Rights

The National Archives (in Washington D.C.)

The National Archives is the U.S. Government’s collection of documents that records important events in American history. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the Government agency that preserves and maintains

these materials and makes them available for research.

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Some of the more interesting documentsat the National Archives

• Declaration of Independence• Articles of Confederation• The Constitution• Bill of Rights• Louisiana Purchase• List of Lewis's Purchases• District of Columbia

Emancipation• Emancipation Proclamation• Abolition of Slavery

• Check for Alaska• Edison's Light Bulb Patent• Zimmermann Telegram• Women's Right to Vote• Social Security Act• FDR's "Day of Infamy"

Speech• Brown v. Board of Education• A Letter from Jackie

Robinson• Voting Rights Act• Apollo 11 Flight Plan• Elvis’s Letter to President

Nixon

Declaration of Independence

• Q. Is anything written on the back of the Declaration of Independence?

• A. Yes, there is writing on the back of the original, signed Declaration of Independence. But it is not invisible, nor does it include a map, as the Disney feature film, National Treasure, suggests. The writing on the back reads "Original Declaration of Independence, dated 4th July 1776," and it appears on the bottom of the document, upside down.

Declaration of Independence

• Q. Is the original Declaration of Independence written on paper?

• A. No, the original was engrossed on parchment which is an animal skin specially treated with lime and stretched to create a strong, long-lasting writing support. The printed version is on paper and was read aloud from town squares throughout the colonies, so that those who could not read would receive the news about intended separation from England.

Declaration of Independence

• Q. Do other copies of the Declaration of Independence exist?

• A. Yes, there are 25 copies known to exist of what is commonly referred to as "the Dunlap broadside," 20 owned by American institutions, 2 by British institutions, and 3 by private owners.

• The Dunlap Broadside copies were printed on paper on the night of July 4,— and thus are contemporary with the original Declaration that is engrossed on parchment.

National Treasure