AP Gvernment Summer Wrk 2015 due date: Mnday, August 31 (first day f schl) estimated time: 3 hurs (fr planning purpses nly; wrk until yu finish) Yur assignment is t read the U. S. Cnstitutin and answer the fllwing questins directly n this handut. This assignment will be graded and is due n the first day f schl. We will discuss this wrk during the first week f schl; there will be a test n the material during the fllwing week. The United States Cnstitutin Scavenger Hunt Part I: The Overall Structure f the Cnstitutin 1. Read each article f the Cnstitutin. Summarize the general purpse r subject f each article in sentence frmat in the chart belw. Name: Date: Article I Article II Article III Article IV Article V Article VI Article VII Page 1 f 7
2. Cmpare Article I with Article II. Which Article is lnger and mre detailed? 3. Identify tw pwers denied t Cngress in the Cnstitutin. 4. Hw des the Huse f Representatives determine the rules f prceedings (the ability t have filibusters, riders, etc.)? 5. Identify tw pwers the Cnstitutin prhibits frm the states. 6. What eligibility requirements des the Cnstitutin establish fr members f the Huse? 7. What eligibility standards des the Cnstitutin establish fr members f the Senate? 8. What eligibility requirements des the Cnstitutin establish fr the President? 9. The pwers f the Cnstitutin that are specifically granted t the branches f gvernment r t ffice hlders are called expressed pwers. Identify tw expressed pwers f the President: Identify the expressed pwers f the Vice-President: Identify tw expressed pwers f Cngress: 10. Accrding t the principle f checks and balances, each branch f the gvernment must have cntrl ver the ther branches. Lk at the first three articles f the Cnstitutin and identify ne f each type f checks and balances. Indicate where each pwer is listed in the Cnstitutin. A pwer that the executive branch has ver the legislative branch: This pwer is fund in what article/sectin f the Cnstitutin? A pwer that the executive branch hlds ver the judicial branch: This pwer is fund in what article/sectin f the Cnstitutin? Page 2 f 7
A pwer that the legislative branch hlds ver the executive branch: This pwer is fund in what article/sectin f the Cnstitutin? A pwer that the legislative branch hlds ver the judicial branch: This pwer is fund in what article/sectin f the Cnstitutin? A pwer that the judicial branch hlds ver the executive branch: This pwer is fund in what article/sectin f the Cnstitutin? A pwer that the judicial branch hlds ver the legislative branch: This pwer is fund in what article/sectin f the Cnstitutin? 11. The curt f riginal jurisdictin is the first curt that hears a case. Appellate curts hear cases n appeal frm lwer curts. Althugh the Supreme Curt functins primarily as an appellate curt, it is the curt f riginal jurisdictin in certain kinds f cases. What are these? 12. Accrding t Article I f the Cnstitutin, wh has the pwer t declare war? 13. What pwer des the Cnstitutin give the President in the area f war? Part II: Majrity and Supermajrity The Cnstitutin requires a simple majrity fr sme actins and a supermajrity fr thers. A simple majrity means mre than half, while supermajrity requirements can invlve 2/3 majrity r ¾ majrity. Mst electins in the United States require a plurality, r the mst vtes, but nt necessarily a majrity. 1. What bdies have the pwer t verride a presidential vet? 2. What margin is required t verride a presidential vet? 3. Where in the Cnstitutin is the vet pwer described? 4. What bdy has the pwer t ratify treaties? 5. What margin is required t ratify treaties? 6. Where in the Cnstitutin is the ratificatin pwer described? 7. T impeach means t bring charges against r indict. a) What bdy has the pwer t impeach the President? Page 3 f 7
b) What margin is required t impeach the President? c) Where in the Cnstitutin is the impeachment pwer described? d) What bdy has the pwer t cnvict the President f charges brught against him in the impeachment prcess and thereby remve him frm the presidency? e) What margin is required t cnvict and remve a president? f) Where in the Cnstitutin is the impeachment pwer described? 8. What bdy has the pwer t accept r reject a president s nminatins t the Supreme Curt? 9. What margin is required t elevate a president s nminee t a seat n the Curt? 10. Where in the Cnstitutin are judicial nminatins described? 11. If n candidate fr the presidency wins a simple majrity f the ttal number f electral vtes, what bdy has the pwer t elect the president? 12. What margin is required t chse the president? 13. Where in the Cnstitutin is the Electral Cllege described? (hint: there are 2 parts) 14. The Cnstitutin specifies a ¾ majrity fr just ne prcess. What? 15. The Cnstitutin has cmparatively little t say abut the structure and cmpsitin f the Supreme Curt. Identify tw aspects f the Curt s structure and cmpsitin that the Cnstitutin des nt specify. (The Cnstitutin des specify these tw basic aspects f structure and cmpsitin fr the ther tw branches.) 16. List all parts f the Cnstitutin that require a supermajrity. Fr each, explain why yu believe there is a supermajrity requirement. 17. See Article VI. Explain the supremacy clause in yur wn wrds. 18. What are tw ways that amendments t the cnstitutin can be prpsed? 19. What are tw ways that amendments t the Cnstitutin can be ratified? Page 4 f 7
Part III: The Amendments t the Cnstitutin The first ten amendments t the Cnstitutin, which make up The Bill f Rights, prtect citizens frm the will f the majrity. In ther wrds, n majrity culd vte t take these rights away. They are inalienable. Read each amendment t the Cnstitutin and answer the questins belw. 1. Outline the general purpse f the first ten amendments. 1 st Amendment 2 nd Amendment 3rd Amendment 4th Amendment 5th Amendment 6th Amendment 7th Amendment 8th Amendment 9th Amendment 10th Amendment 2. What is the ttal number f Amendments t the Cnstitutin? 3. Summarize the last amendment t the Cnstitutin. Page 5 f 7
4. When were the first ten amendments t the Cnstitutin ratified? 5. Which amendment(s) address and prtect the rights f wmen? 6. Summarize what this/these amendment(s) say. 7. Which amendment(s) prtect the rights f African Americans? 8. Summarize what this/these amendment(s) say. 9. Summarize the sixteenth amendment. 10. Summarize the seventeenth amendment. 11. Hw were U.S. Senatrs chsen befre the seventeenth amendment? 12. Identify by number, amendments that a) Extend individual rights b) Extend civil rights (including vting rights) c) Prhibited certain practices by states d) Changed specific language in the Cnstitutin 13. Summarize the twenty-secnd amendment. 14. Outline the sequence f events that ccurs in presidential successin accrding t the twenty-fifth amendment. Page 6 f 7
15. Summarize the twenty-sixth amendment. 16. Hw many times des the wrd privacy exist in the Cnstitutin Articles/amendments)? 17. In the first amendment, what are the tw separate clauses that detail religin? 18. What d each f these clauses mean? Page 7 f 7