Jumpstarters for the U.S. Constitution

Transcription

1 Jumpstarters for the U.S. Constitution Short Daily Warm-ups for the Classroom By CINDY BARDEN COPYRIGHT 2005 Mark Twain Media, Inc. ISBN 10-digit: digit: Printing No. CD Mark Twain Media, Inc., Publishers Distributed by Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company, Inc. The purchase of this book entitles the buyer to reproduce the student pages for classroom use only. Other permissions may be obtained by writing Mark Twain Media, Inc., Publishers. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

2 Table of Contents Table of Contents Introduction to Parents and Teachers...1 The Constitution of the United States...2 The Preamble Requirements for membership and number of members in both houses of Congress, powers and limits of Congress, how bills become laws, limitations on states Article 2: The Executive Branch...25 Requirements for president, method of electing the president, duties and limitations of the president, disqualifications, the Cabinet, republican form of government Article 3: The Judicial Branch...28 Judicial powers, the Supreme Court, trial by jury, treason Articles 4, 5, and Interaction between states, admitting new states, amending the Constitution, upholding the Constitution Review Articles 1 through Extension Activities...31 The Bill of Rights: Amendments I through X...32 Rights of citizens Amendments XI and XII...35 Electoral College, electing the president and vice president Amendments XIII through XV...36 Emancipation of slaves, citizenship, and right to vote Amendments XVI and XVII...37 Income taxes, electing senators Amendments XVIII and XIX...38 Prohibition, women s suffrage Amendments XX and XXI...39 Lame Duck Amendment, repeal of prohibition Amendments XXII and XXIII...40 Term limits on presidency, electoral votes for Washington, D.C. Amendments XXIV through XXVI...41 Poll tax abolished, presidential disability and succession, voting age at 18 Amendment XXVII and Review...42 Congressional pay raises, review Amendments XX through XXVII What Do You Think?...43 Answer Keys...44 Mark Twain Media, Inc., Publishers ii

3 Congress 1 (Art. 1: Sect. 1 2) Write a short definition for each word. Feel free to use a dictionary. legislative: requisite: enumeration: subsequent: Congress 2 (Art. 1: Sect. 1 2) List the three qualifications for members of the House of Representatives. Congress 3 (Art. 1: Sect. 1 2) The number of members in the House of Representatives from each state is based on population. The Constitution requires a new census every 10 years. Do you think that is too often, not often enough, or about right? Explain your answer on another sheet of paper. Congress 4 (Art. 1: Sect. 1 2) 1. How long is the term for a member of the House of Representatives? 2. What is the leader of the House of Representatives called? Congress 5 Would you like to be elected as a member of the House of Representatives? Why or why not? 3. Who elects the leader of the House of Representatives? Mark Twain Media, Inc., Publishers 21

4 Congress 6 (Art. 1: Sect. 1 3) Congress 7 (Art. 1: Sect. 3) Write a short definition for each word on your own paper. Feel free to use a dictionary. 1. What two groups make up the U.S. Congress? pro tempore impeachment affirmation concurrence liable Congress 8 (Art. 1: Sect. 3) List the three qualifications for senators: 2. How many senators does each state have? 3. What is the length of the term of office for a senator? 4. Who is the leader of the Senate? Congress 9 (Art. 1: Sect. 1 3) Representatives of small states with low populations worried that the larger states would control the government if the number of representatives to Congress was based on population. On another sheet of paper, explain how the Constitution addressed this issue. Congress 10 (Art. 1: Sect. 1 3) On another sheet of paper, create a table comparing qualifications and terms of office of members of the House of Representatives and members of the Senate. Mark Twain Media, Inc., Publishers 22

5 Congress How many members of the House of Representatives does your state have in Congress? 2. Name the two senators from your state. 3. Who is currently the Speaker of the House? Congress 12 Imagine being elected as a senator from your state. On your first day, you are invited to give a short speech to introduce yourself, explain why you will make a good senator, and what you hope to accomplish as a member of Congress. Give your speech to the class. Congress 13 (Art. 1: Sect. 4 10) Write a short definition for each word. Use a dictionary if you need help. adjourn: quorum: revenue: veto: Congress 14 (Art. 1: Sect. 5) U.S. citizens have the right to elect members of Congress by secret ballot. However, voting by members of Congress while in session is a matter of public record. Do you think that is fair? Explain why or why not on another sheet of paper. Congress 15 (Art. 1: Sect. 7) What is the difference between a bill and a law? Mark Twain Media, Inc., Publishers 23

6 Congress 16 (Art. 1: Sect. 7) On another sheet of paper or poster board, create a flow chart showing how bills become laws. Include what happens if the bill does or does not pass in both houses, if the president does or does not sign the bill, and if the president does not sign the bill and Congress adjourns during the next 10 days. Congress 17 If you could introduce a bill in Congress to change a current law or create a new law, what would it be? On your own paper, write a summary of your bill. Congress 18 (Art. 1: Sect. 8) The Constitution gave Congress many powers. List five powers it has. Congress 19 (Art. 1: Sect. 9) The Constitution placed limits on the powers of Congress. List three limits on Congress. Congress 20 (Art. 1: Sect. 10) Select one of the limits imposed on the states by the Constitution in Article 1: Section 10. List several pros and cons for the limit. Pros Cons Mark Twain Media, Inc., Publishers 24