Name:
Assessed Learning Target: 1.1 Origins of Govt.
U.S. Constitution Scavenger Hunt
Answer each question by providing the answer and byciting the Article and Section, or the Amendment.
- Under the U.S. Constitution, Americans are free to disagree with and criticize government officials. Which amendment guarantees this right? ______
- According to the U.S. Constitution, where does government get its power? ______Where did you find this? ______
3. The colonists did not want the government to have the ability to search people’s homes whenever they wanted and for any reason. What amendment to the U.S. Constitution addressed this concern and what does the government need before it can search your home? ______
4. What amendment to the United States Constitution limited the terms of office for the President? ______How many times can a person be elected to the office of the President? _____
5. What branch of government is constitutionally responsible for establishing the lower courts (e.g., courts “inferior” to the Supreme Court)? ______
Where did you find this? ______
6. How long is a US Representative’s term of office? ______
Where did you find this? ______
7. How long is a US Senator’s term of office? ______
Where did you find this? ______
8. In the Declaration of Independence, the colonists complained that the King imposed taxes without their consent/approval. In the United States Constitution which branch of government (legislative, executive, or judicial) has the power to “lay and collect taxes”? ______
Where did you find this? ______
9. The Declaration of Independence listed a series of complaints about how the King controlled the courts. One complaint was that judges had to please the King in order to keep their jobs and be paid. How did the U. S. Constitution address this complaint? (Hint: See Article III, Section 1).
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10. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution included five rights. What are the five rights in the First Amendment? ______
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11. The King interfered with justice by not allowing the colonies to establish their own courts or denying certain powers to their courts. What article in the U. S. Constitution established the judicial branch? ______
12. The Declaration of Independence claimed that King George was cutting off trade between the American colonies and all parts of the world. What branch of government is given constitutional responsibility for the regulation of trade under the U. S. Constitution? ______
Where did you find this? ______
13. Which branch of government/government official serves as commander in chief of the military? ______
Where did you find this? ______
14. What is one right that the 6th Amendment guarantees to accused criminals during their trials? ______
15. The US Constitution is recognized as the highest law of the land. The judicial branch has the power to overrule state laws that violate the Constitution. This power is based on the Supremacy Clause. Where is the Supremacy Clause found in the Constitution? ______
16. The King did not allow colonists to have trials by jury in some cases. In the U. S. Constitution, where is the right to trial by jury found? ______
17. Voting rights have been extended constitutionally to various groups throughout the history of our country. What was the most recent group to receive the right to vote and what amendment secured this right? ______
18. Any bills (proposed laws) for raising taxes (“revenue”) must originate in which house of Congress? ______
Where did you find this? ______
19. What article and section of the Constitution gives Congress the power to establish post offices? ______
20. This article and section of the Constitution forbids the U.S. government from creating nobles/nobility in this country. ______
21. How and where does the Constitution define “treason”? ______
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22. TRUE/FALSE: States can coin (make) their own money/currency. Cite the article and section that proves your opinion. ______
23. After the Civil War (1861-1865), three major amendments were added to the Constitution. Generally, what did each amendment do? ______
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24. Which body of our government gets to try cases of impeachment against the President?
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Where did you find this? ______
25. What is one type of case that the Supreme Court must hear? ______
Where did you find this? ______
Advanced/Extended Understanding
- Why do you think that the Constitution has been amended/changed so infrequently?
- Why do you think that the article (chapter) dealing with our President, Article II, is so small, given how much he and his Executive Branch actually do in our country today?
- Which branch of government—legislative, executive, or judicial—do you think that the Founding Fathers wanted to be the most powerful/important? Why?
- Why do you think that most of our rights (in the Bill of Rights) were added later? Why weren’t they simply included in the original Constitution that was written in 1787?
- When you read the 2nd Amendment, does it seem like Congress has the ability to regulate (make rules for) the use of firearms in this country? Why or why not?