The United
States
Government
People
Rule!
Hi my name is Marcy. As 11 year olds go, I’m pretty
normal. My dad, on the other hand, is not. Yesterday he
called my mom to say that he was coming home with some big
announcement. I didn’t think anything of it because he has
announcements all of the time. Last week for instance, he
gathered all of us together to let us know that our car now
runs on vegetable oil. Now we smell like French fries
everywhere we go!
I was brushing my cat, Velcro, when dad bounced through the
door for this new announcement. My two brothers were late
as usual and my dad was getting restless. “This is big.”
he said as he danced around with mom. Kevin and Tommy
finally came in and almost walked out again when they saw
the scene. Dad told us to sit down and pay careful
attention.
“We are moving” “WHAT?!?” The word escaped
our lips all at once.
“The President called me today to ask if I would set up a
new government on the planet Zorb.”
Now he had gone far
enough. It was one thing to smell like fries, quite
another to leave all of my friends for some stupid new
planet.
Kevin, the brains of the family, asked so many questions at
once that my ears started to ring. “Will it be a democracy
like here? Will you be the new President? When do we leave?
Do we get our own spaceship?” Dad told Kevin to calm down.
I thought I was going to faint.
“I hope that all of you will want to help,” Dad said, “as
it is an important job”. I could tell that both Mom and Dad
were very happy. I was proud of my dad and I do want to
help, but what do I know about government?
With all
upstairs
course.
life was
of the excitement no one noticed when I slipped
to my room. Velcro was right by my side, of
I climbed up into my bed and thought about what my
going to be like on Zorb. The next thing I knew
Velcro was talking! “Marcy, you may not know this but my
grandfather was the White House cat and I know a whole lot
about the government.”
“Stick with me and I’ll explain everything.” Velcro purred.
This Programmed Learning Sequence is designed to
help you understand our government. If you would
like to listen along while you read, play the CDROM attached and begin with Track 1.
Each page in this program is called a frame. On one
side of the frame, the information is presented and
a question is asked. Mark your answer on the frame
with the wipe-off marker and then flip the page
over to see if your response was correct. If it
was, move on to the next page. If it was incorrect,
study the frame again to find out why. It is
important to understand your mistake before you go
ahead.
Velcro, the cat, will be your guide throughout the
program.
Here are some vocabulary words that you will use.
Constitution - The system of laws and principles that
describes the nature, functions, and limits of a
government or another institution.
Preamble – a clause at the beginning of a constitution
or statute that explains the reasons for its passage.
Amendments – The process of formally changing or
adding to a document or record.
Union – an act or instance of joining two or more
things into one .
Frame 1
In the Beginning, there were colonies.
13 to be exact: New York, New Jersey,
Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania,
and Delaware.
They were unhappy with how the British King
ruled the colonies. Representatives from the
colonies called delegates met in Philadelphia
and wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Why did the delegates write the Declaration
of Independence?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answer
The delegates wrote the Declaration of Independence
because they were unhappy with how the British King
ruled the colonies.
Frame 2
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most
important documents in the history of the United
States. It represents the official first step
toward the separation of the 13 colonies from the
control of Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson wrote
the document in 17 days, during the Second
Continental Congress.
Although the Declaration of Independence was not
officially signed until August 1, 1776, Congress
voted to approve the Declaration of Independence on
July 4, 1776. This is why we celebrate July 4 th as
Independence Day.
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
________________
Answer:
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of
Independence.
Frame 3
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was
written to the King of England.
Basically, Mr. Jefferson wrote the
reasons why the colonies wanted to be
a separate nation with a separate
government.
The colonists wanted the right to make
their own laws. They were angry with
the King and the British for imposing
taxes and limiting the colonist’s
rights to own land and businesses.
They didn’t know what the king would
do or if they could actually win the
American Revolutionary War.
Why were the colonists angry with the King and the
British?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answer:
The colonists were angry with the King and the
British for imposing taxes and limiting the
colonist’s rights to own land and businesses.
Tea anyone? At the Boston Tea Party
colonists protested the tax on tea by throwing
the tea shipment into Boston Harbor.
Frame 4
The Articles of Confederation
During the Revolutionary War, the Continental
Congress decided that the colonies needed a
government. They were fighting a war against the
King and their old government.
Many people were fearful of creating a powerful
government just like the one they were fighting
against.
The Continental Congress wrote the Articles of
Confederation, which became our first system of
Government.
The Articles of Confederation gave most of the
power to the individual states rather than a strong
central government that the states had to obey.
What was the first system of U.S. government known
as?
Answer:
The first system of U.S. government was known as
the Articles of Confederation.
Frame 5
The Articles of Confederation were a good first
start for a government. But as time went on there
were problems.
Some of the Articles and the problems that they
created were:
• 9 of the 13 states had to approve any decision
made in order for it to become a law. (Because
of this, decisions took a long time to make.)
• Each state had one vote no matter how large its
population.
(States with a large population
had needs that were different than states with
fewer people.)
• Each state printed its own money (It was
difficult to know what your money was worth
when you went to a different sate to buy
something.)
What was one of the problems with the Articles of
Confederation?
___________________________________________________
_
Answer
One of the problems that they created were that:
• 9 of the 13 states had to approve any decision
made in order for it to become a law. Because
of this, decisions took a long time to make.
OR
• Each state had one vote no matter how large its
population.
States with a large population
had needs that were different than states with
fewer people.
OR
• Each state printed its own money. It was
difficult to know what your money was worth
when you went to a different state to buy
something.
New York
money is
worth
more!
Sorry,
Connecticut
money is worth
way more!
Money made by each state was confusing.
Frame 6
Constitution: Delegates to the
Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention of May 1787 was held
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where delegates from
12 of the 13 states were present. The delegates
worked for 4 months behind closed doors of the
State House to draft a new document known later as
the "Constitution."
These delegates were selected by their states.
Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate. This
group is sometimes called the "Founding Fathers."
What were the “Founding Fathers” drafting?
___________________________________________________
__
Answer:
The “Founding Fathers” were drafting a new document
known later as the "Constitution".
I
wonder
if I’ll
be
famous?
Let’s Review what you have learned so far with
a Pick-a-Hole activity
Frame 7
The Constitution of the United States is the
cornerstone of our American government. The
Constitution is known as a "living document"
because it can be changed or amended.
Since its ratification, it has only been changed
(amended) 27 times. The Constitution is a strong
document, at the same time; it is flexible enough
to allow for freedom and changes in America.
Why is the Constitution called a “living
document”?
Answer:
The Constitution called a “living document”
because it can be amended or changed.
Ha-ha, that
tickles!
Frame 8
The Constitution is organized into three parts:
• Preamble: Describes the purpose of the document
and government.
• Articles: Establish how the government is
structured and how the Constitution can be
changed. There are seven articles.
• Amendments: Changes to the Constitution; the
first ten are called the Bill of Rights.
What are the three parts that make up the
Constitution?
________________________________________________
Answer:
The three parts that make up the Constitution are
The Preamble, the Articles and the Amendments.
In the beginning, there
is the Preamble
We are last and
always welcome new
members
Frame 9
The Preamble
The Preamble describes the purpose of the document
and government.
We, the People of the United States, in
Order to form a more perfect Union,
establish Justice, insure domestic
Tranquility, provide for the common defence,
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.
The Preamble tells us the Who, What, Where and Why
of this document. The “why” explains the reasons
for the government.
Use the activity on the following page to help you
understand the Preamble.
Lift the flaps to reveal the meaning of each
section of the Preamble to the Constitution.
Frame 10
The main body of the Constitution is made up of
seven articles. The articles explain how the
government works. They also carefully describe the
rules for electing government officials, like
Senators and the President.
The Constitution is based on the separation of
powers. It divides power among the three separate
branches of the government. They are the
legislative, judicial, and executive branches.
What are the three separate branches of the
government?
Answer:
The three separate branches of the government are
the legislative, judicial, and executive branches.
Frame 11
The Legislatative Branch
The Legislative Branch is headed by Congress, which
includes the House of Representatives and the
Senate.
The main task of these two bodies is to make the
laws.
Its powers include passing laws, originating
spending bills (House), impeaching officials
(Senate), and approving treaties (Senate)
The main task of the Legislative Branch is
_____________________________
Answer
The main task of the Legislative Branch is to make
the laws.
There’s a lot
to do before
I become a
law!
Frame 12
The Legislative Branch: House of
Representatives
In the House, representation is based on the number
of people living in each state. There are a total
of 435 representatives in the House. Each member
represents an area of the state, known as a
congressional district.
The number of representatives is based on the
population. Therefore, states with larger
populations have more representation than states
with smaller populations. Each state has at least
one representative in the House.
Representatives must:
*
*
*
Be at least 25 years old.
Be a U.S. citizen for the past 7 years.
Live in the state they represent.
How is the number of representatives from each
state determined?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Answer:
The state’s population determines the number of
representatives from each state.
Frame 13
The Legislative Branch: The Senate
Our country's legislative branch, or Congress,
includes another lawmaking body called the Senate.
Each of the 50 states elects 2 people to the
Senate, so there are a total of 100 senators. This
means that each state has equal representation in
the Senate.
Each senator serves a term of 6 years. When their
6-year term is over, the people from that state may
choose to elect a new senator or keep the same one.
There is no limit on the number of terms a senator
can serve.
Senators must:
*
*
*
Be at least 30 years old.
Be a U.S. citizen for the past 9 years.
Live in the state they represent.
How many Senators are elected from each state?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Answer:
Two senators are elected from each state.
Live from New
York ...its
Hillary
Clinton &
Chuck Schumer
Frame 14
The Judicial Branch
The judicial branch of government is made up of the
court system. The Supreme Court is the highest
court in the land. Article III of the Constitution
established this court. Congress created all other
Federal courts.
The Supreme Court decides arguments about the
meaning of laws, how they are applied, and whether
they break the rules of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court is made up of nine Justices. One
of these is the Chief Justice. They are appointed
by the President and must be approved by the
Senate. Justices have their jobs for life, unless
they resign, retire, or are impeached by the House
and convicted by the Senate (the removal process as
described by the Constitution).
What does the Supreme Court decide?
Answer:
The Supreme Court decides arguments about the
meaning of laws, how they are applied, and whether
they break the rules of the Constitution.
We decide the
meaning of
laws, that ‘s
an important
job!
Frame 15
The Executive Branch
The executive branch of government makes sure that
the laws of the United States are obeyed.
The President of the United States is the head of
the executive branch of government. This branch is
very large so the President gets help from the Vice
President, department heads (Cabinet members), and
heads of independent agencies.
When elected, the President serves a term of four
years. The most one President can serve is two
terms, for a total of eight years.
In order to be elected President a person:
• Must be at least 35 years old.
• Must be a natural-born U.S. citizen and
• Must have lived in the U.S. for at least 14
years.
Who is the head of the executive branch of the
government?
___________________________________________________
___
Answer:
The President of the United States is the
head of the executive branch of government.
To find out just
what I do all
day, go to the
next page.
Frame 16
The Job of the President
The President’s job is to review the laws that
Congress creates. When the Senate and the House
approve a bill, they send it to the President. If
he agrees with the law, he signs it and the law
goes into effect. BUT…
If the President does not like a bill, he can
refuse to sign it. When he does this, it is called
a veto. If the President vetoes a bill, it can
still become a law if two-thirds of the Senate and
two-thirds of the House then vote in favor of the
bill.
The President has several other duties. He serves
as the American Head of State, meaning that he
meets with the leaders of other countries and is
also the Chief of the Government and the Armed
Forces. That means that he is technically the boss
of every government worker and everyone in the
Army, Navy, Air force and Marines.
What happens when the President doesn’t like a
bill? What is this called?
Answer:
If the President does not like a bill, he can
refuse to sign it. When he does this, it is called
a veto.
I got the
POWER!
Time for another review
Frame 17
Amendments to the Constitution
When the Constitution was ratified in 1789, many
people were concerned that it did not protect
certain freedoms. They thought that the
Constitution should be changed or amended to
protect these freedoms.
On December 15, 1791, ten amendments were added to
the Constitution. These amendments guarantee
certain freedoms and rights, so they are known as
the Bill of Rights.
Some of the freedoms and rights protected in the
Bill of Rights include:
*
*
*
*
*
*
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Assembly
To Keep and Bear Arms
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of the Press
Protection for those Accused of Crimes
What are the first ten amendments to the
Constitution called?
Answer
The first ten amendments to the Constitution
are called
the Bill of Rights.
Frame 18
Amendments to the Constitution
Since the Bill of Rights, seventeen other
amendments have been added to the constitution.
There are a total of 27 amendments from the year
1789 to today. Each one is numbered from 1 to 27.
A recent example of a change to the Constitution
has to do with a woman’s right to vote. Women were
not allowed to vote when the Constitution was
adopted. Times had changed by 1920, and women
gained the right to vote with the passage of the
19th Amendment. The Constitution is flexible enough
to adapt.
Which amendment gave women the right to vote?
__________________________________________
Answer
Women gained the right to vote with the
passage of the
19th Amendment.
Yes to the
19th
Amendment!
Well, we have reached the end of our journey
or
is it just the beginning…
Welcome to the
planet Zorb, Velcro.
I hope that you can
help us with our new
government!
Team Learning
Team Learning
By creating three
delegates built a
the Constitution.
one branch of our
powerful.
branches of government, the
"check and balance" system into
This system was built so that no
government could become too
Each branch can be checked by the other two in
several ways. For example, the president may veto a
law passed by Congress. Congress can override that
veto with a vote of two-thirds of both houses.
Another example is that the Supreme Court may check
Congress by declaring a law unconstitutional. The
power is balanced by the fact that the president
appoints members of the Supreme Court. Those
appointments have to be approved by Congress.
What is the system called that was built so that no
one branch could become too powerful?
__________________ and ______________________
The system that was built so that no one branch
could become too powerful is called checks and
balances.
The arrows
show how each
branch checks
the other.
Team Learning
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Let's pretend the voters from Senator Jones' state
(constituents) want a law requiring seatbelts on
school buses. He and his staff write a bill, which
is a draft (early version) of the proposed law. The
bill is then passed out to each Senator. A Standing
Committee (a small, permanent group made up of
legislators who studies and reports on bills)
reviews the bill and does one of three things:
1. Sends the bill back with no changes.
2. Makes changes and sends it back.
3. Tables the bill -- In other words, they can do
nothing.
If the committee sends it back with no changes,
then the bill goes on the Senate's calendar to be
voted on. When that day comes, the bill is voted on
and over half of the senators (51 of 100) must vote
yes to pass it.
If the bill is passed by the Senate, it then moves
to the other branch of Congress, the House of
Representatives. The bill goes to a House
committee, which studies the bill, and then is
voted on by the representatives. Just as in the
Senate, over half of the representatives (218 of
435) must vote yes to pass the bill.
If the bill is passed in both the Senate and House,
the bill goes to the President of the United
States. If the president signs the bill, it then
becomes a law.
It may also become law if the president does not
sign it for 10 days. If the president rejects
(vetoes) the bill, it can still become a law if
two-thirds of the Senate and two-thirds of the
House then vote in favor of the bill.
A bill may begin in either the Senate or the House
of Representatives. So, Representative Smith could
introduce a bill of her own just like Senator
Jones. This bill would take the same steps only it
would begin in the House of Representatives instead
of the Senate.