Amendments

Mrs. Alls

·  # of Articles - 7; # of Amendments - 27

·  The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution are called Bill of Rights.

·  Reserved powers are any powers not specifically denied to the states or given to Congress.

·  1st Amendment:

·  2nd Amendment – right to bear arms

·  3rd Amendment protects from housing soldiers in private homes.

·  4th Amendment was an attempt to protect citizens against unlawful searches and seizures.

o  A court order allowing an individual or his property to be searched and seized is called a warrant.

·  5th Amendment –

o  entitles you to a lawyer

o  (I plead the 5th!) This amendment guarantees that persons may not be forced in any criminal case to be a witness against themselves

o  Miranda rights - The "Miranda warning" reminds people who are arrested for a crime that they have the right to remain silent.

o  Double jeopardy – can’t be tried for the same crime twice

·  6th Amendment – right to a jury trial

·  8th Amendment protects against cruel and unusual punishment/treatment.

·  13th Amendment abolishes/ended slavery. Why wasn’t it enough to provide civil rights for all Americans?

o  Citizens constantly seek to improve their government.

o  The American government constantly adjusts to meet the needs of the citizens.

o  The Constitution continues to adapt to the needs of the citizens.

·  14th Amendment talks about the rights of citizens; in 1954 the Supreme Court ruled in what case that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional because it denied equal protection? Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas_

·  15th Amendment gave African Americans the right to vote.

o  Poll Tax - fee paid in order to vote.

o  Suffrage means the right to vote.

·  18th Amendment ended the sale of alcohol and production of alcohol in the U.S.

·  19th Amendment gave suffrage to women.

·  20th Amendment is also called the Lame Duck Amendment.

o  A lame duck is a Congressman who has not been reelected but is still participating in the Congressional session.

·  21st Amendment was the only amendment to repeal a prior amendment. Which amendment did it repeal? 18th

·  22nd Amendment put limits on the number of terms a president can serve.

o  Which president had the biggest impact on the limit of terms a president could serve? Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)

·  26th Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

REVIEW ITEMS:

·  Who has the sole power of impeachment? House of Representatives

·  Who has the power to declare laws unconstitutional? U.S. Supreme Court

·  Implied powers are also called expressed powers.

·  Terms of office: President – 4 yrs; Supreme Court - life; House – 2 yrs; Senate – 6 yrs

·  How is the representation of the Senate determined? 2 per state

·  Qualifications of office: Senate – at least 30 yrs. Old; U.S. citizen for 9 yrs.; resident of the state in which you are elected

·  Who is the President of the Senate? Vice President of the USA

·  What is the main job of the President of the USA? To enforce/carry out the laws

·  Powers of the President –

o  Granting reprieves and pardons

o  Executing laws

o  Vetoes

·  How many justices of the U.S. Supreme Court are there? 9

·  Who admits new states? Congress

·  How is the number of electors decided? # of Representatives + # of Senators from that state

·  What is eminent domain? Government takes private property for public use and gives just compensation

·  Who protects the rights listed in the U. S. Constitution? Federal courts

·  What are checks and balances? Ensures that one branch doesn’t become too powerful

·  What is the presidential veto? Where the president may veto any bill so that it will not become a law