The Bill of Rights
The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. They were written by James Madison . They were proposed by the first session of Congress and were adopted in 1791.
Amendment 1. Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly & Petition
-Congress may not pass any law creating an official religion or preventing people from worshiping in their own way. Congress may not limit the rights of the people to speak or write their opinions freely, to gather together in meetings, or to request the government to correct abuses.
Amendment 2. Right to Bear Arms
-People have the right to keep and bear arms, however, this right is not absolute. The national government and many state governments regulate the purchase, possession, and use of firearms.
Amendment 3. Quartering Troops
-No one may be forced to keep soldiers in his or her home during peacetime, or in wartime unless requested to do so by law.
4th Amendment: Searches and Seizures
*The 4th Amendment guarantees Americans their privacy.
-The government is prohibited from conducting illegal searches and seizures.
-For the government to search or seize your property they must first attain a warrant.
-Warrants cannot be issued without probable cause.
5th Amendment: Rights of Accused Persons
*The 5th Amendment protects the legal rights of accused people in criminal proceedings.
-No one may be put on trial for a serious crime unless a grand jury finds sufficient evidence against the accused.
-No one may be put in double jeopardy. This means that a person can only be put on trial for a specific crime once.
-No one can be forced to testify against themselves, or say anything under oath than can be self-incriminating.
-All people are guaranteed due process of law. This means that all people are guaranteed all the rights and privileges available under the law.
-The government may take private property for public use only when it pays the owner a price that is fair market value or greater. This is called eminent domain.
6th Amendment: Procedural Rights of Accused Persons
*This Amendment protects the procedural rights of accused people in criminal proceedings.
-All people accused of a crime are entitled to a fair and speedy trial.
- All people accused of a crime are entitled to a trial by a jury of their peers.
-All people are entitled to a trial in the state and district where the crime was committed.
-All people accused of a crime have the right to be informed of the charges against them.
-All witnesses must testify against the accused publicly in an open court with the accused present.
-All people accused of a crime are entitled to have witnesses testify favorably on their behalf in court.
-All people accused of a crime have the right to be represented in court by an attorney.
7th Amendment: Civil Suits
*Anyone being sued in federal court is guaranteed a trial by jury as long as the amount that they are being sued for is greater than $20.
8th Amendment: Bail and Punishment
-People who are arrested for a crime may be released until the date of their trial if they pay a sum of money called bail that is reasonably related to the seriousness of the crime they were accused of.
-Fines may be imposed on people as a form of legal punishment. The fine must not be excessive, it must be reasonably related to the seriousness of the crime.
-No cruel and unusual punishments can be imposed on a person convicted of a crime.
9th Amendment: Powers Reserved to the People
*This Amendment recognizes that the Constitution includes many rights that are listed; however it states that the rights of the people that are listed directly in the Constitution are not the only rights that Americans are entitled to.
10th Amendment: Powers Reserved to the States
*This Amendment states that the powers that are not listed in the Constitution or prohibited by the Constitution belong to the individual states.
11th Amendment: Suits Against States
*When a state is sued by a citizen of another state, or a citizen of another country, the case will be tried in a state court, not a federal court.
12th Amendment: Election of President and Vice-President
*This Amendment defines the way the President and Vice-President are elected.
-The President and Vice-President are elected by the electoral college.
-The person who is running for President cannot at the same time run for Vice-President, and vice versa.
-The President and Vice-President must run together on the same ticket.
-The candidates for President and Vice-President cannot be residents of the same states.
-Each member of the Electoral College must cast one vote for President, and one vote for Vice-President.
-The winner of the Presidential election must receive the majority of electoral votes.
-If no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes the House of Representatives will choose the President from the candidates with the three highest total of electoral votes.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
October 25-26
ARTICLE III: The Judicial Branch
*Federal Courts
-Article III of the Constitution creates the nations court system.
-The nations court system includes the Supreme Court, lower federal courts, state courts, and local courts.
-All federal courts in the United States must be created by Congress.
-The President appoints all federal judges. A federal judge serves a term of life.
*Jurisdiction
-Jurisdiction is the right a court has to hear a case.
-Appellate jurisdiction is the right a court has to hear an appeal only after it has been heard by the court that had original jurisdiction in the case.
-Federal courts have jurisdiction in cases that involve the Constitution, any federal laws, treaties, cases involving foreign diplomats, and cases where the federal government is itself a party.
-The Supreme Court only has original jurisdiction in cases that affect Ambassadors, high-ranking government employees, and individual States. The Supreme Court is the highest court of appeals in the US.
-Any case can be appealed to the Supreme Court, however the Supreme Court does not have to hear all cases that are appealed to it. The Supreme Court chooses which cases it wishes to hear based on Constitutional importance.
*Treason
-The only crime specifically defined in the US Constitution is treason.
-Treason is a serious crime committed against the government by a US citizen. Crimes that are Constitutionally treasonous are waging war against the United States, aiding or comforting enemies of the United States, and providing enemies of the United States with any material or information that is classified or secret.
ARTICLE IV: The States
-Each State must honor the laws, records, and court decisions of all of the other States.
-Each State must give citizens of other States all the rights and privileges that it gives to its own citizens.
-When a person charged with a crime in one State is captured by the authorities in another State that person may be returned to the State where the crime was committed. This is called extradition.
-Only Congress can add new States to the Union.
-New States cannot be added by dividing or joining parts of existing States without the consent of the States involved and of Congress.
-All territories owned by the United States and property owned by the federal government will by governed by or sold by the federal government only with the consent of Congress.
-The federal government guarantees every State a representative form of government.
-The United States will protect all of the individual States from foreign invasion, and will come to the aid of any State during times of insurrection if the State requests the help.
ARTICLE V: The Amending Process
*Proposing Amendments: There are two ways to propose Amendments.
-2/3 of both houses of Congress may propose
amendments.
-Congress must call a convention if 2/3 of the state
legislatures request one to propose an amendment.
*Ratification of Amendments: Proposed amendments become part of the Constitution when approved by 3/4 of the States.
*The only thing in the Constitution that cannot be amended is each States right to two Senators.
ARTICLE VI: National Supremacy
*The Constitution, federal laws, and federal treaties are the supreme law of the land and take precedent over any of the State’s constitutions or laws. This is referred to as the supremacy clause.
*All federal and state legislators, executive officers, and judges must take an oath to support and uphold the Constitution of the United States of America.
*No religious requirement shall ever be necessary to qualify for any political office in the US.
ARTICLE VII: Ratification
*The Constitution would officially be ratified and go into effect when 9 of the States had formally approved of it.
*Federal Courts
-Article III of the Constitution creates the nations court system.
-The nations court system includes the Supreme Court, lower federal courts, state courts, and local courts.
-All federal courts in the United States must be created by Congress.
-The President appoints all federal judges. A federal judge serves a term of life.
*Jurisdiction
-Jurisdiction is the right a court has to hear a case.
-Appellate jurisdiction is the right a court has to hear an appeal only after it has been heard by the court that had original jurisdiction in the case.
-Federal courts have jurisdiction in cases that involve the Constitution, any federal laws, treaties, cases involving foreign diplomats, and cases where the federal government is itself a party.
-The Supreme Court only has original jurisdiction in cases that affect Ambassadors, high-ranking government employees, and individual States. The Supreme Court is the highest court of appeals in the US.
-Any case can be appealed to the Supreme Court, however the Supreme Court does not have to hear all cases that are appealed to it. The Supreme Court chooses which cases it wishes to hear based on Constitutional importance.
*Treason
-The only crime specifically defined in the US Constitution is treason.
-Treason is a serious crime committed against the government by a US citizen. Crimes that are Constitutionally treasonous are waging war against the United States, aiding or comforting enemies of the United States, and providing enemies of the United States with any material or information that is classified or secret.
ARTICLE IV: The States
-Each State must honor the laws, records, and court decisions of all of the other States.
-Each State must give citizens of other States all the rights and privileges that it gives to its own citizens.
-When a person charged with a crime in one State is captured by the authorities in another State that person may be returned to the State where the crime was committed. This is called extradition.
-Only Congress can add new States to the Union.
-New States cannot be added by dividing or joining parts of existing States without the consent of the States involved and of Congress.
-All territories owned by the United States and property owned by the federal government will by governed by or sold by the federal government only with the consent of Congress.
-The federal government guarantees every State a representative form of government.
-The United States will protect all of the individual States from foreign invasion, and will come to the aid of any State during times of insurrection if the State requests the help.
ARTICLE V: The Amending Process
*Proposing Amendments: There are two ways to propose Amendments.
-2/3 of both houses of Congress may propose
amendments.
-Congress must call a convention if 2/3 of the state
legislatures request one to propose an amendment.
*Ratification of Amendments: Proposed amendments become part of the Constitution when approved by 3/4 of the States.
*The only thing in the Constitution that cannot be amended is each States right to two Senators.
ARTICLE VI: National Supremacy
*The Constitution, federal laws, and federal treaties are the supreme law of the land and take precedent over any of the State’s constitutions or laws. This is referred to as the supremacy clause.
*All federal and state legislators, executive officers, and judges must take an oath to support and uphold the Constitution of the United States of America.
*No religious requirement shall ever be necessary to qualify for any political office in the US.
ARTICLE VII: Ratification
*The Constitution would officially be ratified and go into effect when 9 of the States had formally approved of it.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
October 24th
ARTICLE II: The Executive Branch
*ELECTIONS
-The President and Vice President are elected for a term of 4 years.
-The President and Vice President are elected by members of the Electoral College. Each state is assigned a number of electors equal to the number of Representatives and Senators it has in Congress. The people of each state vote for a set of electors to vote for a candidate in a presidential election. All of a states electoral votes go to the candidate who receives the most votes in that states election.
-Congress determines the dates and times for Presidential elections. Currently the people vote for the electors on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The Electoral College casts their votes on the Monday after the second Wednesday in December.
*QUALIFICATIONS
-The President and Vice President must both be natural born American citizens.
-The President and Vice President must both be at least 35 years old.
-The President and Vice President must both be continuous residents of the United States for at least 14 years before running for office.
*VACANCY
-If the President dies, resigns, or is removed from office the Vice President shall become the President.
*SALARY
-The President is entitled to a salary for performing his duties. This salary is to be determined by Congress and cannot change during a President’s term. Currently the salary for the President is $200,000 a year, plus $50,000 a year for expenses related to his office, plus an additional $120,000 a year for travel and entertainment.
*POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT
-The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the US Armed Forces.
-The President has the power to form a cabinet of advisors to aid him in his duties.
-The President has the power to grant reprieves and pardons to anyone convicted of a crime.
-The President has the power to enter into treaties, appoint federal judges, and appoint ambassadors; however the Senate must approve of any appointments or treaties.
*DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT
-The President must from time to time deliver to Congress a State of the Union address.
-During times of emergency the President can call Congress into session or order Congress to end their session.
-It is the Presidents duty to recognize the legitimacy of foreign governments. The President does this by accepting or rejecting formal meetings with foreign ambassadors.
*IMPEACHMENT
-The President, Vice-President, and all presidential appointees can be put on trial by the House of Representatives for the crimes of treason, bribery, or any other high crime or misdemeanor. Removal from office occurs if 2/3 of the Senate votes to convict on the charges.
*ELECTIONS
-The President and Vice President are elected for a term of 4 years.
-The President and Vice President are elected by members of the Electoral College. Each state is assigned a number of electors equal to the number of Representatives and Senators it has in Congress. The people of each state vote for a set of electors to vote for a candidate in a presidential election. All of a states electoral votes go to the candidate who receives the most votes in that states election.
-Congress determines the dates and times for Presidential elections. Currently the people vote for the electors on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The Electoral College casts their votes on the Monday after the second Wednesday in December.
*QUALIFICATIONS
-The President and Vice President must both be natural born American citizens.
-The President and Vice President must both be at least 35 years old.
-The President and Vice President must both be continuous residents of the United States for at least 14 years before running for office.
*VACANCY
-If the President dies, resigns, or is removed from office the Vice President shall become the President.
*SALARY
-The President is entitled to a salary for performing his duties. This salary is to be determined by Congress and cannot change during a President’s term. Currently the salary for the President is $200,000 a year, plus $50,000 a year for expenses related to his office, plus an additional $120,000 a year for travel and entertainment.
*POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT
-The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the US Armed Forces.
-The President has the power to form a cabinet of advisors to aid him in his duties.
-The President has the power to grant reprieves and pardons to anyone convicted of a crime.
-The President has the power to enter into treaties, appoint federal judges, and appoint ambassadors; however the Senate must approve of any appointments or treaties.
*DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT
-The President must from time to time deliver to Congress a State of the Union address.
-During times of emergency the President can call Congress into session or order Congress to end their session.
-It is the Presidents duty to recognize the legitimacy of foreign governments. The President does this by accepting or rejecting formal meetings with foreign ambassadors.
*IMPEACHMENT
-The President, Vice-President, and all presidential appointees can be put on trial by the House of Representatives for the crimes of treason, bribery, or any other high crime or misdemeanor. Removal from office occurs if 2/3 of the Senate votes to convict on the charges.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
October 22-23
Section 4: Elections and Meetings
-Congressional elections are held the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even numbered years. During congressional elections all 435 seats in the House are up for grabs, and one-third of all Senate seats are up for grabs.
-Section 4 of Article I also states that Congress must meet at least once every year. The 20th Amendment states that the date Congress is to meet will January 3rd.
Section 5: Organization and Rules of Congress
-Each house of Congress decides if its members are qualified to serve, and if the members were all properly elected. Both houses have the power to refuse to seat new members.
-In order to carry out congressional business, each house must have a majority present. Absent members can be forced to attend meetings of Congress.
-Each house sets its own rules. Can punish members for disorderly conduct, and can expel a member by a 2/3rds vote.
-Each house must keep an official record or journal of its meetings which must be published and made available to the public on a regular basis. The way that members of Congress vote on issues must be published and made public as well.
-Neither house of Congress may adjourn or relocate for more than 3 days without the approval of the other house.
Section 6: Privileges and Restrictions
-Members of Congress are to be paid for their duties by the federal government, not by the state they represent.
-No member of Congress can be sued or persecuted for anything they say on the floor of either house or in an official written publication.
-No member of Congress can be arrested while Congress is in session unless they are being charged with treason or other very serious crimes.
-Members of Congress can not hold any other government office while serving in Congress.
Section 7: Passing Laws
-Any bill that deals with money or taxes must originate in the House of Representatives.
-In order for a law to pass Congress, a simple majority in each House must vote for its approval.
-Once a bill passes Congress it is sent to the President. The President has a few options on what he can do with the bill:
1. The President can sign the bill into law.
2. The President can formally disapprove of the bill by vetoing it.
3. The President can do nothing. If the President does nothing the bill automatically becomes law after 10 days, excluding Sundays. If Congress adjourns before those 10 days are up the bill is automatically vetoed. This is called a pocket veto.
-If the President vetoes a bill it gets sent back to Congress. Congress then has the option to override the veto. In order to override a Presidential veto, both houses of Congress must approve the bill by a 2/3rds majority.
Section 8: Powers of Congress
*The US Constitution gives the Congress the following powers:
-Congress has the power to tax in order to raise funds for public purposes. Federal tax rates must be the same in every state.
-Congress has the power to borrow money by selling government bonds.
-Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce.
-Congress has the power to determine and define the process of naturalization that immigrants must go through in order to become US citizens.
-Congress has the power to regulate the procedures people must go through to declare bankruptcy.
-Congress has the power to coin and mint currency.
-Congress has the power to set the standards of weights and measures.
-Congress has the power to define the punishments for counterfeiting US currency, stamps, bonds, and federal documents.
-Congress has the power to create a postal system.
-Congress has the power to set copyright, and patent rules.
-Congress has the power to create federal courts lower than the US Supreme Court.
-Congress has the power to define punishments for pirates.
-Congress, only congress, not the President or any other branch or department of the US government, has the power to declare war.
-Congress has the power to raise, support, and regulate the armed forces.
-Congress has the power to give the states the authority to raise, support, and regulate a National Guard in order to suppress insurrections, and repel invasions.
-Congress has the power to set a location for the national capitol. The national capitol shall not be a state, or be a part of a state. The capitol shall be a district under complete federal control.
-Congress has the power to create laws that the constitution does not directly give it the power to create. The powers that are listed in the Constitution are called expressed powers because they are expressed directly in the constitution. In order to carry out the expressed powers, the congress has other, implied powers that will help it carry out the expressed powers. This is called the elastic clause.
-Congressional elections are held the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even numbered years. During congressional elections all 435 seats in the House are up for grabs, and one-third of all Senate seats are up for grabs.
-Section 4 of Article I also states that Congress must meet at least once every year. The 20th Amendment states that the date Congress is to meet will January 3rd.
Section 5: Organization and Rules of Congress
-Each house of Congress decides if its members are qualified to serve, and if the members were all properly elected. Both houses have the power to refuse to seat new members.
-In order to carry out congressional business, each house must have a majority present. Absent members can be forced to attend meetings of Congress.
-Each house sets its own rules. Can punish members for disorderly conduct, and can expel a member by a 2/3rds vote.
-Each house must keep an official record or journal of its meetings which must be published and made available to the public on a regular basis. The way that members of Congress vote on issues must be published and made public as well.
-Neither house of Congress may adjourn or relocate for more than 3 days without the approval of the other house.
Section 6: Privileges and Restrictions
-Members of Congress are to be paid for their duties by the federal government, not by the state they represent.
-No member of Congress can be sued or persecuted for anything they say on the floor of either house or in an official written publication.
-No member of Congress can be arrested while Congress is in session unless they are being charged with treason or other very serious crimes.
-Members of Congress can not hold any other government office while serving in Congress.
Section 7: Passing Laws
-Any bill that deals with money or taxes must originate in the House of Representatives.
-In order for a law to pass Congress, a simple majority in each House must vote for its approval.
-Once a bill passes Congress it is sent to the President. The President has a few options on what he can do with the bill:
1. The President can sign the bill into law.
2. The President can formally disapprove of the bill by vetoing it.
3. The President can do nothing. If the President does nothing the bill automatically becomes law after 10 days, excluding Sundays. If Congress adjourns before those 10 days are up the bill is automatically vetoed. This is called a pocket veto.
-If the President vetoes a bill it gets sent back to Congress. Congress then has the option to override the veto. In order to override a Presidential veto, both houses of Congress must approve the bill by a 2/3rds majority.
Section 8: Powers of Congress
*The US Constitution gives the Congress the following powers:
-Congress has the power to tax in order to raise funds for public purposes. Federal tax rates must be the same in every state.
-Congress has the power to borrow money by selling government bonds.
-Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce.
-Congress has the power to determine and define the process of naturalization that immigrants must go through in order to become US citizens.
-Congress has the power to regulate the procedures people must go through to declare bankruptcy.
-Congress has the power to coin and mint currency.
-Congress has the power to set the standards of weights and measures.
-Congress has the power to define the punishments for counterfeiting US currency, stamps, bonds, and federal documents.
-Congress has the power to create a postal system.
-Congress has the power to set copyright, and patent rules.
-Congress has the power to create federal courts lower than the US Supreme Court.
-Congress has the power to define punishments for pirates.
-Congress, only congress, not the President or any other branch or department of the US government, has the power to declare war.
-Congress has the power to raise, support, and regulate the armed forces.
-Congress has the power to give the states the authority to raise, support, and regulate a National Guard in order to suppress insurrections, and repel invasions.
-Congress has the power to set a location for the national capitol. The national capitol shall not be a state, or be a part of a state. The capitol shall be a district under complete federal control.
-Congress has the power to create laws that the constitution does not directly give it the power to create. The powers that are listed in the Constitution are called expressed powers because they are expressed directly in the constitution. In order to carry out the expressed powers, the congress has other, implied powers that will help it carry out the expressed powers. This is called the elastic clause.
Friday, October 19, 2007
October 18-19
Article I The Legislative Branch
*Article I of the US Constitution creates and defines the legislative branch of government. Article I is broken into 10 sections.
Section 1: This section establishes the creation of a bicameral legislature called Congress. The upper house of Congress is called the Senate, and the lower house is called the House of Representatives. Section 1 gives Congress the power to make laws.
Section 2: The House of Representatives.
-Representatives are elected directly by the people every 2 years.
-Members of the House must be at least 25 years old and must be a citizen of the US for no less than 7 years.
-Each House member must be a resident of the state he or she represents.
-Representation in the House is proportional to the population of the state.
-Each State must have at least 1 Representative.
-Congress decides the size of the House; currently there are 435 members of the House of Representatives.
-If a vacancy occurs in the House, the governor of the state calls a special election to fill the open seat.
-The House makes its own rules, elects its own officers, and has the power to remove members from office through impeachment proceedings.
-The House has the sole power to impeach members of Congress, the executive branch, the legislative branch, and all people who are appointed to federal offices.
Section 3: The Senate
-Each state is guaranteed to have 2 Senators represent it in Congress. Currently there are 100 Senators. Each Senator has 1 vote in the Senate.
-Senators were originally chosen by state legislatures until the 17th Amendment was passed. Now, Senators are elected directly by the people.
-Members of the Senate are elected to serve a term that lasts 6 years.
-One must be at least 30 years old to be a Senator, be a US citizen for no less than 9 years, and must be a citizen of the State that he or she represents.
-The presiding officer of the US Senate is the Vice-President of the United States. The Vice-President is only allowed a vote in the Senate when there is a tie.
-In the absence of the Vice President, a member of the Senate, who is elected by the other Senators, serves as the presiding officer. The title of this Senator is president pro tempore of the Senate.
-The Senate makes its own rules, and elects its own officers.
-The Senate has the power to try all impeachment cases; in the event that person being impeached is the President of the United States, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the trial.
*Article I of the US Constitution creates and defines the legislative branch of government. Article I is broken into 10 sections.
Section 1: This section establishes the creation of a bicameral legislature called Congress. The upper house of Congress is called the Senate, and the lower house is called the House of Representatives. Section 1 gives Congress the power to make laws.
Section 2: The House of Representatives.
-Representatives are elected directly by the people every 2 years.
-Members of the House must be at least 25 years old and must be a citizen of the US for no less than 7 years.
-Each House member must be a resident of the state he or she represents.
-Representation in the House is proportional to the population of the state.
-Each State must have at least 1 Representative.
-Congress decides the size of the House; currently there are 435 members of the House of Representatives.
-If a vacancy occurs in the House, the governor of the state calls a special election to fill the open seat.
-The House makes its own rules, elects its own officers, and has the power to remove members from office through impeachment proceedings.
-The House has the sole power to impeach members of Congress, the executive branch, the legislative branch, and all people who are appointed to federal offices.
Section 3: The Senate
-Each state is guaranteed to have 2 Senators represent it in Congress. Currently there are 100 Senators. Each Senator has 1 vote in the Senate.
-Senators were originally chosen by state legislatures until the 17th Amendment was passed. Now, Senators are elected directly by the people.
-Members of the Senate are elected to serve a term that lasts 6 years.
-One must be at least 30 years old to be a Senator, be a US citizen for no less than 9 years, and must be a citizen of the State that he or she represents.
-The presiding officer of the US Senate is the Vice-President of the United States. The Vice-President is only allowed a vote in the Senate when there is a tie.
-In the absence of the Vice President, a member of the Senate, who is elected by the other Senators, serves as the presiding officer. The title of this Senator is president pro tempore of the Senate.
-The Senate makes its own rules, and elects its own officers.
-The Senate has the power to try all impeachment cases; in the event that person being impeached is the President of the United States, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the trial.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Journal 4
-On Friday Al Gore and the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work on the climate change crisis. Do you believe that a true international crisis exists? Explain why or why not.
If you believe the crisis exists then answer these following questions:
-What do you think should be done to help solve this crisis? How should the governments of the world get involved in solving this crisis?
-What do you do personally to try to avert this crisis? What things do you know of that normal people can do?
If you do not believe the crisis exists then answer these following questions:
-What reason or motives do you think Al Gore and the scientific community have for trying to stop a crisis that does not exist? Explain.
-Do you think that there is any sort of environmental crisis in the world today? Explain
If you believe the crisis exists then answer these following questions:
-What do you think should be done to help solve this crisis? How should the governments of the world get involved in solving this crisis?
-What do you do personally to try to avert this crisis? What things do you know of that normal people can do?
If you do not believe the crisis exists then answer these following questions:
-What reason or motives do you think Al Gore and the scientific community have for trying to stop a crisis that does not exist? Explain.
-Do you think that there is any sort of environmental crisis in the world today? Explain
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
TEST ON FRIDAY
There will be a test on all material given so far this year in notes on Friday, Oct 12, 2007.
October 10th
The Constitution of the United States of America
*The US Constitution is the oldest written constitution in the world. It was written in 1787, and was ratified by all 13 original States and in effect by 1789.
-The Constitution has three main sections: the preamble, the articles, and the amendments.
*The Preamble: This is a statement of goals for the nation. The framers of the constitution hoped that the document would fulfill the goals set forth for it in the opening statement: to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure peace within our borders, be ready to defend our nation, promote the well being of all citizens, and to secure freedom for all Americans for all time.
*The Articles: There are seven articles in the constitution. The Articles basically outlines the structure of American government. Each branch of government and their powers and limitations are clearly defined, the amending process and the concept of federalism are explained.
*The Amendments: Many people believe that the best thing about our constitution is that it can be changed. Since 1789 the constitution has been changed only 27 times. The first 10 Amendments, the Bill of Rights, were all ratified by 1791, so in essence there are have only been 17 changes made over the past 215+ years. Amendments have been added for many different reasons: to insure civil rights, voting rights, and to further define the role of government is America.
-The Constitution has within it, six major principles: the concept of popular sovereignty, federalism, separation of powers, a system of checks and balances, the idea of judicial review, and the principle of limited government.
*Popular Sovereignty: The concept of popular sovereignty insures that the government is ultimately ruled by the people.
*Federalism: The constitution outlines a system in which the powers of government are divided between the national government, and the government of the states.
-Separation of Powers: The constitution insures that the powers of government are separated and distributed among the three branches. This is to insure that no one branch hold the power.
-Checks & Balances: In order to keep each branch honest, and to insure that each branch is carrying out its duties and responsibilities, each branch has certain powers, or checks over the other branches. This is to insure a balance of power within the federal government.
-Judicial Review: The most important check that any branch has belongs to the judicial branch. It is the responsibility of the judicial branch to insure that all the laws passed, and actions taken by the executive, and legislative branches are legal and within the boundaries of the Constitution.
-Limited Government: The Constitution lists the powers that the federal government has, and also describes powers that it doesn’t have, that may belong to the States, or to the individual
*The US Constitution is the oldest written constitution in the world. It was written in 1787, and was ratified by all 13 original States and in effect by 1789.
-The Constitution has three main sections: the preamble, the articles, and the amendments.
*The Preamble: This is a statement of goals for the nation. The framers of the constitution hoped that the document would fulfill the goals set forth for it in the opening statement: to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure peace within our borders, be ready to defend our nation, promote the well being of all citizens, and to secure freedom for all Americans for all time.
*The Articles: There are seven articles in the constitution. The Articles basically outlines the structure of American government. Each branch of government and their powers and limitations are clearly defined, the amending process and the concept of federalism are explained.
*The Amendments: Many people believe that the best thing about our constitution is that it can be changed. Since 1789 the constitution has been changed only 27 times. The first 10 Amendments, the Bill of Rights, were all ratified by 1791, so in essence there are have only been 17 changes made over the past 215+ years. Amendments have been added for many different reasons: to insure civil rights, voting rights, and to further define the role of government is America.
-The Constitution has within it, six major principles: the concept of popular sovereignty, federalism, separation of powers, a system of checks and balances, the idea of judicial review, and the principle of limited government.
*Popular Sovereignty: The concept of popular sovereignty insures that the government is ultimately ruled by the people.
*Federalism: The constitution outlines a system in which the powers of government are divided between the national government, and the government of the states.
-Separation of Powers: The constitution insures that the powers of government are separated and distributed among the three branches. This is to insure that no one branch hold the power.
-Checks & Balances: In order to keep each branch honest, and to insure that each branch is carrying out its duties and responsibilities, each branch has certain powers, or checks over the other branches. This is to insure a balance of power within the federal government.
-Judicial Review: The most important check that any branch has belongs to the judicial branch. It is the responsibility of the judicial branch to insure that all the laws passed, and actions taken by the executive, and legislative branches are legal and within the boundaries of the Constitution.
-Limited Government: The Constitution lists the powers that the federal government has, and also describes powers that it doesn’t have, that may belong to the States, or to the individual
October 9th
*The Connecticut Compromise: Also called the Great Compromise, this plan kept many of the principles of the Virginia Plan but with enough changes to satisfy the small states. The principles of the the Connecticut Compromise are as follows:
1. A bicameral legislature that features a lower house with proportional representation, and an upper house with equal representation. All tax and money bills would, by law, originate in the lower house.
2. A strong national executive featuring a President.
3. A national judicial system.
*Three-Fifths Compromise: This compromise came about when faced with the question of how to count slaves for proportional representation and for tax purposes. Each slave would be counted as 3/5ths of a person for both.
Ratifying the Constitution
-After all the compromises had been made, and after all the delegates agreed on the final draft of the Constitution it had to be ratified, or formally approved of by each of the states, before it became law in each state. The convention delegates agreed that the Constitution would not go into effect until at least 9 of the states ratified it.
-The first state to ratify the constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787.
-Pennsylvania was second to ratify the Constitution on December 12, 1787.
-The 9th state to ratify the Constitution and officially put it into effect was New Hampshire on June 21, 1788.
-The last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution was Rhode Island on May 29, 1790.
-The last state to ratify the Constitution was Hawaii on March 18, 1959.
-Although the Constitution officially went into effect when New Hampshire ratified it; it didn’t hold much weight because New York and Virginia were both among the four final states that had yet to ratify it.
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
-The core group of supporters of ratification were mainly the framers of the Constitution, many of these men were delegates that attended the convention. This group came to be known as the Federalists because of their support of a strong, central, (federal) government. The Federalists were strong in the 9 states that had ratified the Constitution.
-The group that emerged in opposition to the Constitution was called the Anti-Federalists. This group believed that a strong central government had the potential to become dangerous and abusive in use of their power. The Anti-Federalists were strong in Virginia and New York, two states that were desperately needed to provide the young United States with legitimacy and strength.
-In order to convince the Anti-Federalists in New York and Virginia that the new government would not abuse its power over the people, the Federalists agreed to amend the Constitution by adding a list of basic rights guaranteed to the people. The Anti-Federalist approved of this idea and the Constitution was ratified in New York and Virginia. Less than a year and a half after all 13 states had ratified the Constitution, 10 Amendments were added to the Constitution that came to be known as The Bill of Rights.
-The new government decided to build a new capital city halfway between Massachusetts and Georgia to be called the District of Columbia. New York City was chosen as the temporary capital until the District of Columbia was finished being built.
-After the Constitution went into effect, a Congress was elected, and on March 4, 1789 Congress met for the first time.
George Washington was elected first President; John Adams was elected Vice President, both were sworn in on April 30,1789.
1. A bicameral legislature that features a lower house with proportional representation, and an upper house with equal representation. All tax and money bills would, by law, originate in the lower house.
2. A strong national executive featuring a President.
3. A national judicial system.
*Three-Fifths Compromise: This compromise came about when faced with the question of how to count slaves for proportional representation and for tax purposes. Each slave would be counted as 3/5ths of a person for both.
Ratifying the Constitution
-After all the compromises had been made, and after all the delegates agreed on the final draft of the Constitution it had to be ratified, or formally approved of by each of the states, before it became law in each state. The convention delegates agreed that the Constitution would not go into effect until at least 9 of the states ratified it.
-The first state to ratify the constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787.
-Pennsylvania was second to ratify the Constitution on December 12, 1787.
-The 9th state to ratify the Constitution and officially put it into effect was New Hampshire on June 21, 1788.
-The last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution was Rhode Island on May 29, 1790.
-The last state to ratify the Constitution was Hawaii on March 18, 1959.
-Although the Constitution officially went into effect when New Hampshire ratified it; it didn’t hold much weight because New York and Virginia were both among the four final states that had yet to ratify it.
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
-The core group of supporters of ratification were mainly the framers of the Constitution, many of these men were delegates that attended the convention. This group came to be known as the Federalists because of their support of a strong, central, (federal) government. The Federalists were strong in the 9 states that had ratified the Constitution.
-The group that emerged in opposition to the Constitution was called the Anti-Federalists. This group believed that a strong central government had the potential to become dangerous and abusive in use of their power. The Anti-Federalists were strong in Virginia and New York, two states that were desperately needed to provide the young United States with legitimacy and strength.
-In order to convince the Anti-Federalists in New York and Virginia that the new government would not abuse its power over the people, the Federalists agreed to amend the Constitution by adding a list of basic rights guaranteed to the people. The Anti-Federalist approved of this idea and the Constitution was ratified in New York and Virginia. Less than a year and a half after all 13 states had ratified the Constitution, 10 Amendments were added to the Constitution that came to be known as The Bill of Rights.
-The new government decided to build a new capital city halfway between Massachusetts and Georgia to be called the District of Columbia. New York City was chosen as the temporary capital until the District of Columbia was finished being built.
-After the Constitution went into effect, a Congress was elected, and on March 4, 1789 Congress met for the first time.
George Washington was elected first President; John Adams was elected Vice President, both were sworn in on April 30,1789.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Journal 3
View the following video and then answer the questions below.
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/video/2.aspx
-Regardless of your political affiliation, do you feel that America is ready for a female President? Why or why not?
-Do you think a female President would do things differently than a male? If so what do you think she'd do differently?
-Do you think the media, and Americans in general would view and treat a female President differently than they would a male? In what ways, and why?
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/video/2.aspx
-Regardless of your political affiliation, do you feel that America is ready for a female President? Why or why not?
-Do you think a female President would do things differently than a male? If so what do you think she'd do differently?
-Do you think the media, and Americans in general would view and treat a female President differently than they would a male? In what ways, and why?
October 5th
The Constitutional Convention
-In May of 1787 delegates from 12 of the 13 states (all but RI) met in Philadelphia to try to fix the problems caused by the ineffectiveness of the Articles of Confederation.
-The delegates of the convention unanimously chose George Washington to preside over all the meetings. They decided that each state would receive one vote on all questions that arose. They also decided that a simple majority vote was all that was needed for a proposal to pass.
-There were two major plans for government that were proposed during the convention:
*The Virginia Plan: James Madison, who eventually came to be known as the father of the constitution, wrote this plan. Madison’s plan was based on 3 main principles.
1. A strong national legislature with 2 chambers. The lower chamber would be elected by the people; each state’s representation would be proportional to the state’s population. The upper chamber would be chosen by the lower house.
2. A strong national executive who would be elected by the legislature.
3. A national judiciary to be appointed by the legislature.
*The New Jersey Plan: William Patterson wrote this plan. Patterson rejected Madison’s plan because he believed that the confederation should be preserved. He believed that a strong national legislature based on proportional representation would only benefit the larger states; states like New Jersey with small populations would lose the equal say in government that they enjoyed under the Articles of Confederation. The 4 main principles of the New Jersey Plan are as follows:
1. The major features of the Articles of Confederation would be left in place, most importantly the principle of a unicameral legislature with equal representation would be preserved.
2. Congress would be given the power to regulate trade and levy taxes.
3. A weak executive board would be elected by the legislature.
4. A national legislature with limited power would be appointed by the executive board.
-There were problems with both plans. The states with large populations rejected the New Jersey Plan, and the states with small populations rejected the Virginia Plan. Roger Sherman of Connecticut came up with a plan that pleased both the large states and the small states.
-In May of 1787 delegates from 12 of the 13 states (all but RI) met in Philadelphia to try to fix the problems caused by the ineffectiveness of the Articles of Confederation.
-The delegates of the convention unanimously chose George Washington to preside over all the meetings. They decided that each state would receive one vote on all questions that arose. They also decided that a simple majority vote was all that was needed for a proposal to pass.
-There were two major plans for government that were proposed during the convention:
*The Virginia Plan: James Madison, who eventually came to be known as the father of the constitution, wrote this plan. Madison’s plan was based on 3 main principles.
1. A strong national legislature with 2 chambers. The lower chamber would be elected by the people; each state’s representation would be proportional to the state’s population. The upper chamber would be chosen by the lower house.
2. A strong national executive who would be elected by the legislature.
3. A national judiciary to be appointed by the legislature.
*The New Jersey Plan: William Patterson wrote this plan. Patterson rejected Madison’s plan because he believed that the confederation should be preserved. He believed that a strong national legislature based on proportional representation would only benefit the larger states; states like New Jersey with small populations would lose the equal say in government that they enjoyed under the Articles of Confederation. The 4 main principles of the New Jersey Plan are as follows:
1. The major features of the Articles of Confederation would be left in place, most importantly the principle of a unicameral legislature with equal representation would be preserved.
2. Congress would be given the power to regulate trade and levy taxes.
3. A weak executive board would be elected by the legislature.
4. A national legislature with limited power would be appointed by the executive board.
-There were problems with both plans. The states with large populations rejected the New Jersey Plan, and the states with small populations rejected the Virginia Plan. Roger Sherman of Connecticut came up with a plan that pleased both the large states and the small states.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
October 2nd
The Articles of Confederation
*After the United States formally seceded from Britain, the new nation needed to come up with a plan for a new government. In 1777 the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to devise such a plan. The plan devised was called The Articles of Confederation; it was ratified and went into effect in March 1781.
-The goal of the Articles of Confederation was to create a league of friendship and cooperation between 13 newly created, sovereign states. The structure of government created by the Articles of Confederation was as follows:
*A unicameral legislature called congress
*There was to be no executive to lead the government, Congress would collectively make all decisions for the Confederation.
*There was to be no judiciary. Each state would have its own, independent court system. Disputes between the individual states that required legal remedy would be decided by Congress.
*Each state had equal representation in Congress regardless of population; each was entitled to one congressional vote.
*The Articles could be amended, but only with the approval of all 13 states.
-Congress was the focal point of this new system of government. The Articles of Confederation gave Congress the following ten powers:
1. The power to make war and negotiate peace.
2. The power to send and receive ambassadors to and from other nations.
3. The power to enter into treaties.
4. The power to raise and equip a navy.
5. The power to maintain an army by requesting troops from the states.
6. The power to appoint senior military officers.
7. The power to set the standards for weights and
measurements.
8. The power to regulate Indian affairs.
9. The power to establish and maintain post offices.
10. The power to settle disputes between the states.
-The Articles of Confederation accomplished what it set out to accomplish, a loose league of cooperation and friendship between the states. The Articles were, however, weak. The states were constantly embattled in legal disputes with each other; and the direction in which the states were going were rendering the Articles largely ineffective. There were 7 major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation that led to their demise. These weaknesses were:
1. Congress had no power to levy or collect taxes. The government was usually always broke.
2. Congress had no power to regulate interstate or foreign trade; this led to financial quarrels between the states over tariffs and import/export regulations.
3. Congress had the power to pass laws but lacked any power to enforce the laws they had passed. The government was dependent on the states to enforce the laws, but the states often ignored the laws.
4. Nine of the thirteen states, or a seven-tenths majority, had to vote in favor of laws for them to pass. This made it extremely difficult for Congress to get anything accomplished.
5. Thirteen of the thirteen states had to vote in favor of amending the Articles of Confederation, this made changing the structure and purpose of government nearly impossible.
6. The lack of an executive branch created a power struggle for control over congress between 13 states, each wanting to be seen as the strongest and most influential state. Strong leadership was sorely missed in the confederation.
7. The lack of a national judiciary made it nearly impossible for any disputes between the states to be fairly decided by congress. Politics played a much too important role in how each state voted when voting to settle interstate disputes.
*The Articles of Confederation were failing the states. In May 1787 representatives of 12 of the 13 states (every state but Rhode Island) met in Philadelphia to decide how to fix the problems created by the Articles of Confederation. This meeting eventually came to be known as The Constitutional Convention.
*After the United States formally seceded from Britain, the new nation needed to come up with a plan for a new government. In 1777 the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to devise such a plan. The plan devised was called The Articles of Confederation; it was ratified and went into effect in March 1781.
-The goal of the Articles of Confederation was to create a league of friendship and cooperation between 13 newly created, sovereign states. The structure of government created by the Articles of Confederation was as follows:
*A unicameral legislature called congress
*There was to be no executive to lead the government, Congress would collectively make all decisions for the Confederation.
*There was to be no judiciary. Each state would have its own, independent court system. Disputes between the individual states that required legal remedy would be decided by Congress.
*Each state had equal representation in Congress regardless of population; each was entitled to one congressional vote.
*The Articles could be amended, but only with the approval of all 13 states.
-Congress was the focal point of this new system of government. The Articles of Confederation gave Congress the following ten powers:
1. The power to make war and negotiate peace.
2. The power to send and receive ambassadors to and from other nations.
3. The power to enter into treaties.
4. The power to raise and equip a navy.
5. The power to maintain an army by requesting troops from the states.
6. The power to appoint senior military officers.
7. The power to set the standards for weights and
measurements.
8. The power to regulate Indian affairs.
9. The power to establish and maintain post offices.
10. The power to settle disputes between the states.
-The Articles of Confederation accomplished what it set out to accomplish, a loose league of cooperation and friendship between the states. The Articles were, however, weak. The states were constantly embattled in legal disputes with each other; and the direction in which the states were going were rendering the Articles largely ineffective. There were 7 major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation that led to their demise. These weaknesses were:
1. Congress had no power to levy or collect taxes. The government was usually always broke.
2. Congress had no power to regulate interstate or foreign trade; this led to financial quarrels between the states over tariffs and import/export regulations.
3. Congress had the power to pass laws but lacked any power to enforce the laws they had passed. The government was dependent on the states to enforce the laws, but the states often ignored the laws.
4. Nine of the thirteen states, or a seven-tenths majority, had to vote in favor of laws for them to pass. This made it extremely difficult for Congress to get anything accomplished.
5. Thirteen of the thirteen states had to vote in favor of amending the Articles of Confederation, this made changing the structure and purpose of government nearly impossible.
6. The lack of an executive branch created a power struggle for control over congress between 13 states, each wanting to be seen as the strongest and most influential state. Strong leadership was sorely missed in the confederation.
7. The lack of a national judiciary made it nearly impossible for any disputes between the states to be fairly decided by congress. Politics played a much too important role in how each state voted when voting to settle interstate disputes.
*The Articles of Confederation were failing the states. In May 1787 representatives of 12 of the 13 states (every state but Rhode Island) met in Philadelphia to decide how to fix the problems created by the Articles of Confederation. This meeting eventually came to be known as The Constitutional Convention.
Spetember 25th Notes
The Birth of American Government
*Most citizens of Britain’s North American colonies happily considered themselves British first, and Pennsylvanians, Virginians, Georgians, etc, second. These colonists were proud of their British heritage and loyal to the British monarchy.
-Between 1754 and 1763 a war was fought between the French and the British in North America over control of land in Western Pennsylvania, and what is today Ohio. This war was known as the French & Indian War. The colonists fought loyally on the side of the British and the British went on to win this war. This war was long and drawn out, and even though the British won, it cost them many lives and an awful lot of money.
-British citizens back in Britain were expected to pay for this war by paying higher taxes. Taxes were raised so high that many British citizens could not afford to pay them. In an effort to pay the high war debt, Parliament decided to levy taxes for the first time on the colonies.
-In 1765 Parliament imposed the Stamp Act, this law taxed all paper goods bought and sold in the colonies. Parliament later expanded the Stamp Act by taxing sugar and glass as well.
-The colonists were not upset that they had to pay taxes; they realized that taxes were an unavoidable fact of life. What truly angered the colonists was that they were being taxed by a legislature that in no way allowed the colonies to be represented. Colonists started using the slogan “taxation without representation is tyranny.”
-In a sign of colonial unity, colonists in all 13 colonies protested these new taxes by imposing a boycott on all British goods. Eventually the boycott worked and Parliament was forced to repeal the Stamp Act.
-The British still needed colonial tax dollars so they replaced the Stamp Act by levying taxes on other goods, most notably tea.
-Parliament enacted a series of laws called the Intolerable Acts that were designed to punish the colonies for the boycott. These laws stripped some of the colonies of their tradition of self-government, disrupted trade in some of the colonies, and positioned troops in some of the larger colonial cities, Boston being one of them.
*The First Continental Congress: Representatives from all 13 colonies met in Philadelphia in September 1774 to discuss what to do about the new taxes and the Intolerable Acts. What was decided was for the colonies to enact an embargo. All trade with Great Britain was to completely cease, and no one was to buy any British products.
-King George’s, and Parliament’s reaction to the First Continental Congress was to declare the colonies to be in an active state of rebellion. On April 19,1775 British troops clashed with colonists in Lexington and in Concord Massachusetts; the Revolutionary war had begun.
*The Second Continental Congress: In April 1775 representatives from all 13 colonies again met in Philadelphia, this time they decided to issue colonial money, form an army and a navy, and name George Washington the commander of the new colonial military.
-Before all this took place there were many whispers of independence in the colonies, these whispers turned into screams, people actively campaigned for independence. The best selling book in the colonies was Common Sense by Thomas Paine; this pamphlet gave compelling arguments in favor of independence.
-Finally, in June of 1776 the Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence. A panel of 3 members, (Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson) were appointed by the Congress to draw up a formal declaration. Franklin and Adams left the writing of the declaration to Jefferson.
*Most citizens of Britain’s North American colonies happily considered themselves British first, and Pennsylvanians, Virginians, Georgians, etc, second. These colonists were proud of their British heritage and loyal to the British monarchy.
-Between 1754 and 1763 a war was fought between the French and the British in North America over control of land in Western Pennsylvania, and what is today Ohio. This war was known as the French & Indian War. The colonists fought loyally on the side of the British and the British went on to win this war. This war was long and drawn out, and even though the British won, it cost them many lives and an awful lot of money.
-British citizens back in Britain were expected to pay for this war by paying higher taxes. Taxes were raised so high that many British citizens could not afford to pay them. In an effort to pay the high war debt, Parliament decided to levy taxes for the first time on the colonies.
-In 1765 Parliament imposed the Stamp Act, this law taxed all paper goods bought and sold in the colonies. Parliament later expanded the Stamp Act by taxing sugar and glass as well.
-The colonists were not upset that they had to pay taxes; they realized that taxes were an unavoidable fact of life. What truly angered the colonists was that they were being taxed by a legislature that in no way allowed the colonies to be represented. Colonists started using the slogan “taxation without representation is tyranny.”
-In a sign of colonial unity, colonists in all 13 colonies protested these new taxes by imposing a boycott on all British goods. Eventually the boycott worked and Parliament was forced to repeal the Stamp Act.
-The British still needed colonial tax dollars so they replaced the Stamp Act by levying taxes on other goods, most notably tea.
-Parliament enacted a series of laws called the Intolerable Acts that were designed to punish the colonies for the boycott. These laws stripped some of the colonies of their tradition of self-government, disrupted trade in some of the colonies, and positioned troops in some of the larger colonial cities, Boston being one of them.
*The First Continental Congress: Representatives from all 13 colonies met in Philadelphia in September 1774 to discuss what to do about the new taxes and the Intolerable Acts. What was decided was for the colonies to enact an embargo. All trade with Great Britain was to completely cease, and no one was to buy any British products.
-King George’s, and Parliament’s reaction to the First Continental Congress was to declare the colonies to be in an active state of rebellion. On April 19,1775 British troops clashed with colonists in Lexington and in Concord Massachusetts; the Revolutionary war had begun.
*The Second Continental Congress: In April 1775 representatives from all 13 colonies again met in Philadelphia, this time they decided to issue colonial money, form an army and a navy, and name George Washington the commander of the new colonial military.
-Before all this took place there were many whispers of independence in the colonies, these whispers turned into screams, people actively campaigned for independence. The best selling book in the colonies was Common Sense by Thomas Paine; this pamphlet gave compelling arguments in favor of independence.
-Finally, in June of 1776 the Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence. A panel of 3 members, (Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson) were appointed by the Congress to draw up a formal declaration. Franklin and Adams left the writing of the declaration to Jefferson.
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