The United States

Constitution

The Constitution…

• Lays out the plan for how the American government should work• It also explains how “we the

people” of America all fit into that plan

It was created …

• In 1787 by The Framers, a group of men who met to make some changes to fix the things they felt were not going well with America.

The Constitution…

• gives us RIGHTS! • Rights are things (Freedoms) the people of

America have that are protected by the Constitution.

• The Constitution contains The Bill of Rights and includes things like: The right to free speech.

The Constitution…

• sets up our government and separates it into 3 parts (branches): The Legislative (Congress), Executive (President), and Judiciary (Courts)

• The Constitution makes sure that no single branch has more power than the other two

The Constitution…

• also makes sure that our laws are fair and just by using the 3 branches of government to keep each other in check!

Watch a clip about the 3 Branches of Government

• Click Link Below(make sure you are viewing slide in slideshow mode or it won’t work)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEPd98CbbMk

The Preamble…

• to the constitution does a great job explaining the reasons behind creating the constitution in the first place.

Preamble to the Constitution

• We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Watch a clip about the Preamble:

• Click Link Below(make sure you are viewing slide in slideshow mode or it won’t work)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHp7sMqPL0g