Omar Bennett
The US Constitution is a set of rules that explains how the government works. It is the highest form of law in the country and is over 200 years old! It is very important because it protects the citizens of the United States and guarantees their basic rights. The Constitution can be changed, but it is hard to do so. These changes are called 'amendments'. The first set of amendments are called the 'Bill of Rights' and they give us lots of freedom, like the freedom to say what we want and believe in what we want.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Aims to create a government that can run the country | Create a powerful government |
| Shares power with state governments | Shares power with state governments |
| Lists key rights | Rights are protected and made special |
| Can be changed | Changed by an amendment |
| Highest law in the country | Highest law in the country |
| Forms a federal system | Forms a federal system |
| Creates branches of government | Creates branches of government |
| Protects citizens | Protects citizens |
| First 10 amendments added in 1791 | First 10 amendments added in 1791 |
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What You'll Learn
What is a Constitution?
A constitution is a set of rules that guides how a country is run. It is like a rule book that is used to make sure the country is looked after in a fair way. The rules are there to make sure the country is run properly, and that the people who live there are treated fairly. The first people to have a constitution were the ancient Greeks. They decided that some people should be able to have a say in how their country was run. This was called democracy.
The United States Constitution was first written in 1787. Before that, the United States had a set of rules called the Articles of Confederation. However, these rules did not work very well. The army was not being paid, and the government had no money. So, a group of people called the Framers met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to write a new set of rules. They wanted to make sure that the government was strong enough to run the country, but that it also respected the rights of the people and the states. This new set of rules was called the Constitution.
The Constitution is the most important set of rules in the United States. All other rules come from the Constitution. It says what the different parts of the government are, like the President, Congress, and the Supreme Court. It also says what powers each part has, and how they should work. The Constitution also lists the rights of the people, like the right to speak freely and to gather in public. These rights are very important and make sure that people are treated fairly.
The Constitution can be changed, but it is not easy to do so. Changes are called amendments and they are very rare. The first set of amendments, called the Bill of Rights, were added in 1791. These amendments listed the rights of the people and made them extra special and safe. Since then, only 17 more amendments have been added. The last one was added in 1992.
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The US Constitution and its history
The US Constitution is like a rule book that explains how the government works. It is the highest form of law in the country and belongs to all Americans. The Constitution is very important because it explains how the government is set up and what each part of the government can do. It also protects the citizens of the United States and guarantees their basic rights.
The Constitution has three parts: the Congress, the President, and the Courts. The Congress makes laws and its members are elected by the people. The President enforces the laws, and the Courts decide what the laws mean and check that the other two parts are doing their jobs properly.
The Constitution has been changed, or amended, 18 times since it was written. This is hard to do because a lot of people have to agree. The first changes were called the Bill of Rights, and they are very important. They protect your right to say what you want, to think for yourself, to believe in God if you want, and to gather with your friends to talk. They also give rules for the police and protect your home.
The Constitution was written a long time ago, in 1787, by a group of men called the Framers. They met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, because they didn't like the way the country was going, and they wanted to make it better. They had a lot of arguments, but in the end, they agreed on the words in the Constitution. After it was written, they asked all the states to approve it, and it took some time, but they all did.
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The Bill of Rights
The Constitution is the highest form of law in the United States. It is like a set of rules that explains how the government works. The Constitution is very important because it protects the citizens of the United States and guarantees their basic rights.
The Constitution has been changed, or amended, many times since it was first written. These changes are called amendments. The first ten amendments to the Constitution are called the Bill of Rights. These amendments are very important because they protect the important rights and freedoms that people have.
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How the US Constitution affects people's lives
The US Constitution is like a rule book that explains how the government works. It is the highest form of law in the country and is the oldest written constitution still used today. It is very important because it affects the lives of people in the United States.
The Constitution is made up of seven parts, called Articles, and it lists some very important rights. These rights are things that all people should be able to do, just because they are alive. The rights are special and help keep Americans safe. One right is the freedom to say what you want. Another right is the freedom to think for yourself. There is also a right that lets you believe in God if you want to. No one can tell you not to. Another right is that you can meet up with your friends to talk about whatever you like. The Constitution also protects your home.
The Constitution is also important because it created a stronger government that shares power among three groups. These are called the Executive (which is the President), the Legislative (which is Congress), and the Judicial (which is the Supreme Court). This is called the Separation of Powers and it is important because it stops one person or group from having too much power.
The Constitution has also changed the way that other countries run their governments. Many countries around the world have used the US Constitution as an example when creating their own rules.
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How to change the Constitution
The Constitution is the highest law in the United States. It is a set of rules that explains how the government works. The Constitution is very important because it helps keep everyone safe and happy. It also makes sure that the government does not have too much power.
The Constitution has been changed, or amended, 27 times since it was written. The first 10 changes are called the Bill of Rights and they are very important. The Bill of Rights protects your right to say what you want, to think for yourself, and to believe in God if you want to. It also gives rules for the police and helps keep Americans safe.
The Constitution can be changed by adding something called an amendment. An amendment is a way to make changes to the Constitution when there is something important that needs to be added or improved. It is hard to add an amendment because a lot of people have to agree on the change. First, two-thirds of the people in Congress have to agree on the change and then three-fourths of the states have to agree too. This is because the Constitution belongs to all Americans and everyone should have a say in how it is changed.
Lots of people have ideas for new amendments but it is hard to get everyone to agree. The last time the Constitution was changed was a long time ago, in 1992.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution is a set of rules that explains what the government can and cannot do. It is the highest form of law in the country.
A group of men called the Framers wrote the Constitution. They did not like the way the country was going and wanted to make a new set of rules. Some of the Framers are very famous, like George Washington and Ben Franklin.
Yes, the Constitution can be changed. Changes to the Constitution are called amendments. There have been 18 amendments since it was written, and it is hard to add a new one because a lot of people have to agree.
