Government Study Guide
Some key points we are aiming to quiz on next Tuesday or Wednesday.
Why are rules and laws important for societies?
What is The Constitution: an important historical document written by our
founding fathers in order to establish a plan for how our country would be
run. It establishes the three branches of government and describes their
roles. It describes how to admit a state to the union and the relationship
between states and the federal government. It is the highest law in the
country. It established the rights of citizens.
James Madison is the main author of The Constitution. He pushed for a
new plan of government to replace the Articles of Confederation after the
Revolutionary War because he thought they were too weak to hold the
country together.
Articles: The body of The Constitution is divided into sections called
Articles. One of the Articles describes how The Constitution can be
changed. The changes are called Amendments.
Amendments: The first ten amendments are known as The Bill of Rights.
Our government is divided into three branches so that there isn’t one
person or group of people making all of the decisions for our country like a
king would do.
The Legislative Branch: makes laws. This is Congress. It is divided into two
groups or houses: The House of Representatives and The Senate. This is a
large group of people elected by voters all over the USA.
The Executive Branch: makes sure the laws are followed. This is the
President and Vice President. They are elected by voters all over the USA
through a group called the Electoral College.
The Judicial Branch: makes sure the laws are Constitutional. This is the
Supreme Court. Once a judge is appointed by a President, they are able to
serve on the court for life unless they commit a crime.