2. Chapter Introduction
Section 1: The Nation’s First
Government
Section 2: The Road to the
Constitution
Section 3: The Structure of
Our Constitution
Section 4: Principles
Underlying the
Constitution
Visual Summary

3. The Constitution outlines the
ideals of American
government and describes
how they should be achieved.
It tells you what your rights
and privileges are. The
Constitution affects you, your
family, and your friends as
much today as it affected
those who wrote it more than
200 years ago.

4. Section 1:
The Nation’s First
Governments
Political principles and
major events shape how
people form governments.
Americans faced the task of
forming independent
governments at both the state
and national levels.

5. Section 2:
The Road to the
Constitution
Political principles and
major events shape how
people form governments.
American leaders decided
that a new constitution was
needed.

6. Section 3:
The Structure of Our
Constitution
A constitution reflects the
values and goals of the
society that creates it. The
Constitution is this nation’s
fundamental law.

7. Section 4:
Principles Underlying the
Constitution
A constitution reflects the
values and goals of the
society that creates it. The
Constitution sets forth the
basic principles of
government.

8. Guide to Reading
Big Idea
Political principles and major events
shape how people form
governments.

9. Guide to Reading
Content Vocabulary
• constitution • confederation
• bicameral • ratify
Academic Vocabulary
• convert • impact
• area

10. The First State Constitutions
Americans faced the task of forming
independent governments at both the
state and national levels.

11. The First State Constitutions (cont.)
• When the colonies organized as states,
they wrote constitutions, which were
written plans for government.
• Most state constitutions:
– Specified bicameral legislatures
– Provided for an elected governor
– Based on the ideas of the Declaration of
Independence
– Included a bill of rights

12. What do you think is the
most important thing that a
constitution provides?
A. A way of electing a governor
B. A plan for creating a
A. A
legislature
B. B
C. A bill of rights C.
0%
C
0% 0% 0%
D. A method for setting up a D. D
A
B
C
D
court system

13. The Articles of Confederation
The weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation created problems for the
new country.

14. The Articles of Confederation (cont.)
• The Articles of Confederation were the
first constitution of the United States.
• The Articles:
– Established a “league of friendship”
among states
– Ratified by all thirteen states

15. The Articles of Confederation (cont.)
– Set up a one-house legislature called
the Confederation Congress
– Withheld the powers to enforce laws and
to tax from the Confederation Congress
• Ordinance of 1785:
– System created by the Confederation
Congress for surveying and selling land
– System still used today

16. The Articles of Confederation (cont.)
• The Northwest Ordinance:
– Provided a way for territories to organize
and become new states
– Outlawed slavery in the Northwest
Territory

17. The Articles of Confederation (cont.)
• Weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation:
– Votes from nine states needed to pass
a law
– Unanimous vote needed to change the
Articles
– Congress unable to enforce laws
Weaknesses of the Articles of the Confederation

18. The Articles of Confederation (cont.)
• National and state debt after the
Revolutionary War
• Shay’s Rebellion:
– Led by Daniel Shays
– Sparked by debt due to heavy state
taxes
– Armed attack on a federal arsenal
– Arguments for a stronger national
government

19. Guide to Reading
Big Idea
Political principles and major events
shape how people form
governments.

20. Guide to Reading
Content Vocabulary
• Constitutional • Electoral
Convention College
• Great • Federalists
Compromise
• federalism
• Three-Fifths
Compromise • Anti-Federalists
Academic Vocabulary
• process
• despite

21. The Philadelphia Convention
American leaders decided to create a
new plan of government.

22. The Philadelphia Convention (cont.)
• The Congress asked each state to send
delegates to Philadelphia to fix the problems
with the Articles of Confederation.
• Constitutional Convention began in
Philadelphia’s Independence Hall in 1787.
Who Were the Delegates?

23. The Philadelphia Convention (cont.)
• Delegates:
– 55 in all
– Benjamin Franklin as the oldest delegate
– George Washington and James
Madison as future presidents

24. The Philadelphia Convention (cont.)
• Leaders not in attendance:
– Thomas Jefferson in Paris
– John Adams in London
– Patrick Henry against the convention

25. The Philadelphia Convention (cont.)
• Important decisions made by the
delegates:
– George Washington presided over
convention.
– Each state got one vote and a simple
majority would decide any issue.
– Work was kept secret.
– Created a new constitution, thus called
the Constitutional Convention.

26. Creating the Constitution
Many of the provisions of the
Constitution were arrived at through a
series of compromises.

27. Creating the Constitution (cont.)
• The Constitution was the result of a series
of compromises that combined the best
ideas of different plans.
• The Virginia Plan:
– Called for a government similar to the
one we have today
– Two-house congress

28. Creating the Constitution (cont.)
– Representation in the two houses of
congress based on each state’s population
– Favored by larger states
– Because they had more population,
delegates from their states would be
able to control the vote

29. Creating the Constitution (cont.)
• The New Jersey Plan:
– One-house congress
– Equal representation and equal votes
– Favored by smaller states

30. Creating the Constitution (cont.)
• The Great Compromise settling the
structure of Congress
• Representation based on population in
the House, equal in the Senate (2 for
each state)
• The Three-Fifths Compromise settling
that every five enslaved persons would
count as three free persons
• Congress able to regulate trade between
states and other countries

31. Creating the Constitution (cont.)
• Congress unable to tax exports or interfere
with the slave trade before 1808.
• Electoral College created to select the
president and vice president

32. Balancing Viewpoints
Writing the new Constitution and
getting the American people to approve
it was not an easy task.

33. Balancing Viewpoints (cont.)
• Signing of the Constitution
• Various factions interpreted the new
Constitution differently.

34. Balancing Viewpoints (cont.)
• Federalists:
– Supported dividing power between
federal and state governments
– Supported the Constitution as it was
written in Philadelphia

35. Balancing Viewpoints (cont.)
• Anti-Federalists:
– Opposed a powerful central or national
government
– Opposed the Constitution as it was
written in Philadelphia

36. Balancing Viewpoints (cont.)
• Bill of rights added to the Constitution
• Persuaded anti-federalists to ratify the
Constitution
• They felt Bill of Rights would protect
individuals and states
• Ratification of the Constitution
Ratification of the Constitution

37. Guide to Reading
Big Idea
A constitution reflects the values and
goals of the society that creates it.

38. Guide to Reading
Content Vocabulary
• Preamble • judicial branch
• legislative • amendment
branch
• executive
branch
Academic Vocabulary
• consist
• assume

39. The Sections of the Constitution
The Constitution is a remarkable
document that serves as an adaptable
blueprint for governing the United
States.

40. The Sections of the Constitution (cont.)
• The Constitution is divided into three
sections: the preamble, the articles, and
the amendments.
• Preamble:
– Establishes that power of government
comes from the people
– States six purposes of government

41. The Sections of the Constitution (cont.)
• Article I:
– Creates a two-house legislative branch
– Outlines the duties of the Congress in
making laws

42. The Sections of the Constitution (cont.)
• Article II:
– Provides for the executive branch
– President carries out and enforces the
laws made in Congress
– Explains how leaders are elected to
office and how they can be removed

43. The Sections of the Constitution (cont.)
• Article III:
– Establishes the judicial branch
– Judicial branch interprets laws
– Creates a court system and lists its
powers

44. The Sections of the Constitution (cont.)
• Articles IV-VII:
– Explains relationship between state and
national government
– Tells how the Constitution can be
changed
– Article VI Declares the Constitution as
the “supreme Law of the Land”
Comparing Governments

45. Amending the Constitution
The Framers wrote the Constitution so
that it could be adapted to meet
changing needs.

46. Amending the Constitution (cont.)
• The Constitution can be changed or
amended to adapt to the country’s
changing needs, but amending it is a
difficult process.
• 27 amendments ratified
• Amendments in safeguarding freedoms

47. Amending the Constitution (cont.)
• Process for amending the Constitution:
– Proposal by congressional action or
national convention
– Ratification by three-fourths of states
Amending the Constitution

48. Amending the Constitution (cont.)
• Interpretation:
– Necessary and proper clause allows
Congress to exercise implied powers
– Supreme Court has the final authority to
interpret the Constitution
– Legislative and Executive actions
have caused interpretations
– Changes made to the Constitution
through customs that develop over years

49. Guide to Reading
Big Idea
A constitution reflects the values and
goals of the society that creates it.

50. Guide to Reading
Content Vocabulary
• popular • expressed
sovereignty powers
• rule of law • reserved powers
• separation of • concurrent
powers powers
• checks and
balances

51. Guide to Reading
Academic Vocabulary
• ensure
• assign

52. Should one branch of government
hold more power than the others?
A. Yes
B. No
A. A
B. B
0% 0%
A
B

53. Major Principles of Government
The Constitution sets forth the basic
principles of government.

54. Major Principles of Government (cont.)
• The Constitution establishes the basic
principles of the government of the
United States.
• Five fundamental principles of
government:
– Popular sovereignty
– The notion that power lies with the people
– The rule of law
– Laws apply to everyone, even government

55. Major Principles of Government (cont.)
– Separation of powers
– Split authority among 3 branches
– Checks and balances
– Federalism
– Power divided between states and federal
government
• Changes in the meaning of republic
Foundations of Rights

56. Major Principles of Government (cont.)
• Popular sovereignty:
– Power lies with the people
– Ensured by the Constitution through
elections

57. Major Principles of Government (cont.)
• Rule of law:
– Power of the government is limited
– Law applies to everyone
• Separation of powers:
– Branches of government have different
functions
– Idea influenced by philosopher
Montesquieu

58. Major Principles of Government (cont.)
• Checks and balances:
– Prevents one branch from becoming too
powerful
– Each branch able to limit the power of
the others
A System of Check and Balances

59. The Principle of Federalism
The Constitution created a federal
system of government. Under
federalism, power is divided between
national and state governments.

60. The Principle of Federalism (cont.)
• The Constitution establishes a system of
federalism where power is divided
between national and state governments.

61. The Principle of Federalism (cont.)
• Three types of government power:
– Expressed powers granted to the national
government
– Reserved powers kept by the states
– Concurrent powers exercised by both
national and state governments
Federal and State Powers

62. The Principle of Federalism (cont.)
• Supremacy clause:
– Constitution is the highest law
– National government or state
governments cannot violate the
Constitution
– National laws win out
• The Constitution is both durable and
adaptable.

63. The Constitution
The Constitution is this
nation’s fundamental law. It
established that our nation
is a republic that includes:
• an elected president;
• a bicameral legislature;
• a system of courts.
The Constitution is made up of three parts:
• the Preamble
• the Articles
• the Amendments

64. The Constitution (cont.)
The Constitution sets forth the
five basic principles upon which
the American system of
government rests.
1. popular sovereignty
2. the rule of law
3. separation of powers
4. checks and balances
5. federalism

65. The Constitution (cont.)
In setting up a federal system, the writers of the
Constitution divided the powers of government into
three types:
• Enumerated powers are those powers the
Constitution specifically gives to the national
government.
• Reserved powers are those that the Constitution
gives to the states.
• Concurrent powers are those that the national and
state governments share.

66. The Supremacy Clause
Found in Article VI, the
supremacy clause states that
the Constitution and the laws
of the national government
are the “supreme law of the
land.” In any conflict between
national law and state law,
the national law has the
higher authority.

67. Amending the Constitution
Any change in the Constitution is called an
amendment. The Constitution has 27 amendments.

78. It set up a two-house
legislature in which
representation in one
house was the same
for all states and
representation in the
other house was
based on population.

81. constitution
a detailed, written plan for
government

82. bicameral
a legislature consisting of two parts,
or houses

83. confederation
a group of individuals or state
governments

84. ratify
to vote approval of

85. convert
to change from one belief, form, or
use to another

86. area
a region or section

87. impact
to influence or effect

88. Constitutional Convention
meeting of state delegates in 1787
leading to adoption of new
Constitution

89. Great Compromise
agreement providing a dual system of
congressional representation

90. Three-fifths Compromise
agreement providing that enslaved
persons would count as three-fifths of
other persons in determining
representation in Congress

91. Electoral College
a group of people named by each
state legislature to select the
president and vice president

92. Federalists
supporters of the Constitution

93. federalism
a form of government in which power
is divided between the federal, or
national, government and the states

94. Anti-Federalists
those who opposed ratification of the
Constitution

95. process
an action or a series of actions
directed toward a result

96. despite
in spite of

97. Preamble
the opening section of the
Constitution

98. legislative branch
the lawmaking branch of government

99. executive branch
the branch of government that carries
out laws

100. judicial branch
the branch of government that
interprets laws

101. amendment
any change in the Constitution

102. consist
to be made up of

103. assume
to take over a job or responsibility

104. popular sovereignty
the notion that power lies with the
people

105. rule of law
principle that the law applies to
everyone, even those who govern

106. separation of powers
the split of authority among the
legislative, executive, and judicial
branches

107. checks and balances
a system in which each branch of
government is able to check, or
restrain, the power of the others

108. expressed powers
powers that Congress has that are
specifically listed in the Constitution

109. reserved powers
powers that the Constitution does not
give to the national government that
are kept by the states

110. concurrent powers
powers shared by the state and
federal governments

111. ensure
to secure or make sure

112. assign
to dole out or give as a task

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