Analysis of the Constitution of the United States of America
Preamble
List the six purposes of the delegates in making a constitution.
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The Constitution is divided into ______Articles, each Article is divided into ______, and each of these is divided in turn into paragraphs. There is also another division at the end, for there are ______Amendments.
Article I
Article I deals with the ______. The purpose of this department is to make ______.
1. All legislative power is vested in ______which consists of a ______and a ______.
2. The House of Representatives:
a. How are the candidates to the House elected?
How often?
The word “electors” means:
b. What regulations govern the selection of members of the House?
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c. What is their term of office?
d. Representation (like direct taxes) is based on:
The House has ______members fixed by law.
In order to ascertain the population, a census is taken every ten years. Why?
When was the first census taken?The last census?The next one?
e. What does the phrase “all other persons” mean in Art. I, Sec. 2, par. 3?
f. How is the Speaker of House chosen?
g. What power over civil officers is given to the House?
h. What is a synonym for impeach?
i. Who may be impeached?
For what crimes?
3. The Senate:
a. What is the total number of senators in the Senate?
b. How are they chosen?
c. How long is their term of office?
d. What qualifications are necessary to be a candidate for the Senate?
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e. What official is always the head officer of the Senate?
Who is the president of the Senate now?
f. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all cases of ______, but it can never
sentence a person. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of what percentage of the
Senators?
g. Who presides when the president of the United States is tried?
Why?
4. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the:
Why?
5. After a bill has passed both houses by a majority vote and is sent to the president, what three
possibilities are there for its becoming a law? (Art. I, Sec. 7, par. 2)
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a. Explain: plurality
b.simple majority
6. What is a “pocket veto”?
7. What does the word “veto” mean?
8. List the powers given to Congress (enumerated powers):
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9. What is the exact wording of the implied powers clause?
Another word for the “implied powers” clause is the ______clause.
10. What does the Constitution say about?
a. Habeus corpus
b. Bill of Attainder
c. Ex post facto
d. capitation tax
e. export tax
f. titles of nobility
11. List five specific prohibitions on the states:
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Article II
Article II deals with the ______. The purpose of this department is to ______the laws.
1. Executive power is vested in the ______and his/her ______.
2. Compare the original method of electing the President and Vice President with that provided by Amendment XII.
3. What is the meaning of “electoral college”?
When are the electors chosen?
When do they vote?
4. What are the specified qualifications for becoming president?
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5. List the powers given to the president.
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6. What are the president’s duties?
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Article III
Article III deals with the ______. The purpose of this department is to ______the laws.
1. The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one ______. The
personnel of this court consists of one ______and eight ______, appointed by the
______and confirmed by the ______.
2. Who creates the inferior courts?
3. All judges shall hold office during ______.
4. Define the word “jurisdiction.”
5. The Supreme Court has two kinds of jurisdiction:
a. ______which means it can try all cases dealing with such subjects as:
b. ______which means that it may try (if the judges so decide) all cases that are
rightfully appealed to it; for example, cases deal with such subjects as:
6. How is treason defined?
a. Why does the Constitution carefully define treason?
b. How may a person be convicted of treason?
Article IV
Article IV deals with relations among the states.
1. What does the Constitution say about a fugitive from justice? (extradition)
2. What does the Constitution say about persons “held to service or labor” who escape into another state?
3. The Constitution provides that new states may be admitted on what terms?
4. What would happen if any state attempted to set up a government adverse to our republican form?
Article V
Article V deals with amending the Constitution.
What are the possible methods by which the Constitution may be amended?
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Article VI
Article V deals with the supremacy of federal law.
1. What does the Constitution say about debts contracted before the adoption of the Constitution?
2. What does the Constitution say will constitute the supreme law of the land?
3. By what device was the Constitution made binding upon the officials of the various states?
Article VII
Article VII deals with ratification of the Constitution.
1. How many states had to ratify the Constitution and by what method?
2. Why was it especially important that Virginia should ratify the Constitution?
3. Why was it especially important that New York ratified?
How was public opinion in New York changed?
4. What was the chief reason for the reluctance in many states before they would ratify the Constitution?
Amendments
1. The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as the:
They were added to the Constitution all at once in the year:
2. The first one guarantees what civil liberties?
3. The second one guarantees what civil liberty?
Why?
4. What are the two provisions governing the quartering of troops in private houses?
5. What provision is made against another possible “writ of assistance” menace?
6) Which amendment prohibits “cruel and unusual punishment”?
7. What is the exact wording of the tenth amendment?
It is also called the ______amendment.
8. Amendments 13, 14, and 15 were made as a result of the Civil War. Briefly describe what each provides and record the date each was ratified.
13th:
14th:
15th:
9. Amendments 16, 17, 18, and 19 were ratified during the Progressive era. State the provisions and dates of these changes to the Constitution.
16th:
17th:
18th:-repealed by the ______Amendment.
19th:
10. The 20th Amendment provides that the term of the president and vice president shall begin on
______and the term of a member of Congress shall start on ______.
Why is this known as the “Lame-duck Amendment”?
11. Briefly describe the provisions of each of the following amendments and the date each was ratified:
22nd:
23rd:
24th:
25th:
26th:
27th: