US+Consitution

December 10, 2011

Three Fifths Compromise:

Do now: Look up the three-fifths compromise and summarize it. Then CCQ it. Summary: A compromise between the Southern and Northern states during the Philadelphia Convetntion in 1787 where three-fifths of the population of slaves is counted in the census because it is important for distributing taxes and the number of representatives needed for the House of Representatives. CCQ: A slave is three fifths a person. Slavery is part of the the constitution now: but as an object--bought, sold, traded, and owned. Slaves=Property Slaves could not be freed because freeing them would be violating the Constitution.

December 11, 2011

First Amendment of the Constitution

Do now: Read and summarize the first amendment of the Constitution. Define "amendment". Summary: People have the rights to the freedom of religion and the expression of their religion, the freedom of speech, the freedom of press, and the freedom to meet peacefully to petition the government for grievances. "Amendment": The act of changing a law or a bill for the better.

US constiution: 27 amendments total. The first 10 is part of the Bill of Rights, stating the rights for states and people.
 * 1st amendment: Freedom of speech, religion, and press.
 * 2nd amendment: One of the rights is that you can carry a gun-only of you are in the militia-so you dont need to carry the gun becase you are not ensurring the safety in Massachusetts.
 * 3rd amendment: We cannot quarter-feeding and clothing- soldiers unless there is a war here.
 * 4th amendment: To go into someones house, someone needs a warrant. (A probable cause)
 * 5th amendment: You do not need to incriminate yourself. You cannot commit the same crime twice.

Activity on the first amendment: Principal's side: I think that the students who wrote the articles are violating the privacy of the student's parents and the personal life of the student Students' side: The principal had violated the freedom of press and the freedom of speech for the students.

Though the principal may be violating the student's first amendment, the students should not be publically saying that a student's parents life. The divorce should be private even though the names are erased.

December 14, 2011

Checks and Balances:

There are three branches in the United States government as established by the Constitution. First, the Legislative branch makes the law. Second, the Executive branch executes the law. Last, the Judicial branch interprets the law. Each branch has an effect on the other.
 * Legislative Branch**
 * Checks on the Executive
 * Impeachment power (House)
 * Trial of impeachments (Senate)
 * Selection of the President (House) and Vice President (Senate) in the case of no majority of electoral votes
 * May override Presidential vetoes
 * Senate approves departmental appointments
 * Senate approves treaties and ambassadors
 * Approval of replacement Vice President
 * Power to declare war
 * Power to enact taxes and allocate funds
 * President must, from time-to-time, deliver a State of the Union address
 * Checks on the Judiciary
 * Senate approves federal judges
 * Impeachment power (House)
 * Trial of impeachments (Senate)
 * Power to initiate constitutional amendments
 * Power to set courts inferior to the Supreme Court
 * Power to set jurisdiction of courts
 * Power to alter the size of the Supreme Court
 * Checks on the Legislature - because it is bicameral, the Legislative branch has a degree of self-checking.
 * Bills must be passed by both houses of Congress
 * House must originate revenue bills
 * Neither house may adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other house
 * All journals are to be published
 * Executive Branch**
 * Checks on the Legislature
 * Veto power
 * Vice President is President of the Senate
 * Commander in chief of the military
 * Recess appointments
 * Emergency calling into session of one or both houses of Congress
 * May force adjournment when both houses cannot agree on adjournment
 * Compensation cannot be diminished
 * Checks on the Judiciary
 * Power to appoint judges
 * Pardon power
 * Checks on the Executive
 * Vice President and Cabinet can vote that the President is unable to discharge his duties
 * Judicial Branch**
 * Checks on the Legislature
 * Judicial review
 * Seats are held on good behavior
 * Compensation cannot be diminished
 * Checks on the Executive
 * Judicial review
 * Chief Justice sits as President of the Senate during presidential impeachment

Do now: First Activity- identify how the particular action could be checked by another branch of the US government.
 * 1) I am the President, I can declare war on Lower Slobovia; I can make any decision I want.
 * 2) I am a Senator; I can help write and pass any law I want.
 * 3) I am the President of the United States; I can veto any law passed by Congress.
 * 4) I am the President of the United States; I can do anything I want.
 * 5) I am the President of the United States; I can make a treaty with Upper Slobovia.
 * 6) We're the Supreme Court; we'll be ruling on every law for years.


 * 1) Legislative
 * 2) Constitutional
 * 3) Can be overrided. (Two thirds of the congress overrides, it overpowers the presidents veto.)
 * 4) Constitutional- seperation of powers
 * 5) Only Legislative can make treaties
 * 6) Chooses what cases to hear