61625_C06_L01-L03 7/10/07 12:02 PM Page 72
Name
Date
CHAPTER 6, LESSON 3
Summary: The Constitution
A Plan for Government
In 1787, delegates from 12 states met in Philadelphia to
write the Constitution. The Constitution states that the
United States government is a democracy. In American
democracy, the people are the source of the government’s
authority. The Constitution divides the government into
three branches. The legislative branch, or Congress, makes
laws. Congress also raises money through taxes to pay for
services. The executive branch carries out the laws. The
President is the head of this branch. A President is elected
every four years. The judicial branch is made up of courts.
They decide what laws mean and whether they have been
followed. The Constitution limits the power of the
government. Everyone, including the government and its
officials, must follow the laws.
Limits on Government
The Constitution includes checks and balances. These keep
one branch from becoming too powerful. Congress makes
laws. The President can veto these laws. The courts can
decide whether a law follows the Constitution. A law that
is found unconstitutional is no longer in effect.
The Constitution also limits the national government by
only giving it certain powers, such as defending the country,
setting up a postal service, and controlling trade. Other
powers, including controlling public education and elections,
belong to state or local governments. The national and state
governments also share some powers.
The Constitution was written so that amendments can be
added as the country changes. The first ten amendments are
the Bill of Rights. They were written because people in the
United States did not think the Constitution protected the
rights of individuals well enough. The Bill of Rights clearly
protects rights, such as freedom of speech. The Bill of Rights
limits the power of the federal government.
Find and underline a form
of each vocabulary word.
constitution noun, a written
plan for government
democracy noun, a
government in which the
people have the power to
make political decisions
checks and balances noun,
a system in which each
branch of government
can limit the power of
the other two
veto verb, to reject
amendment noun, a change
to the Constitution
REVIEW What are the
major jobs of each branch
of the national government?
Circle the jobs of each
branch.
REVIEW What problem
did the Bill of Rights
solve for Americans?
Draw a box around the
sentence that tells what
function the Bill of Rights
serves for Americans.
Unit Resources
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
72
Use with North America Regions and People, pp. 162–165