THE BASICS. THE CONSTITUTION
IS THE HIGHEST LAW IN THE UNITED
STATES. ALL OTHER LAWS COME
FROM THE CONSTITUTION. IT SAYS
HOW THE GOVERNMENT WORKS. IT CREATES
THE PRESIDENCY, IT CREATES THE
CONGRESS, IT CREATES THE SUPREME
COURT. EACH STATE ALSO
HAS A CONSTITUTION. THE
CONSTITUTIONS OF THE STATES ARE THEIR
HIGHEST LAW FOR THAT STATE. BUT THE
UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION IS
HIGHER. THE CONSTITUTION CAN
BE CHANGED. THE CONSTITUTION
IS CHANGED BY AN AMENDMENT. AMONG
THE AMENDMENTS IS A LIST OF THE RIGHTS OF
THE PEOPLE. BY LISTING THESE
RIGHTS. THEY ARE MADE SPECIAL.
IT IS ILLEGAL FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO VIOLATE
THOSE RIGHTS. AS
OF 2006, THERE ARE
27 AMENDMENTS. NOT
ALL OF THEM INVOLVED RIGHTS, BUT MANY
DO. THE 1ST 10 AMENDMENTS
ARE SPECIAL. THEY ARE CALLED THE BILL
OF RIGHTS HISTORY.
THE CONSTITUTION WAS WRITTEN IN
1787. YES,
IT IS OVER 200 YEARS
OLD. WE ACTUALLY HAVE OLD
COPIES OF WHAT WAS CREATED. THE
MASTER COPIES ARE STORED AT THE NATIONAL
ARCHIVES IN WASHINGTON, D. C. WE
ALSO HAVE PICTURES OF THE CONSTITUTION
ON THIS SITE FROM MAY TO
SEPTEMBER 1787. A GROUP
OF MEN KNOWN AS THE FRAMERS MET. THE
FRAMERS TALKED ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE IN THE
CONSTITUTION. THE UNITED STATES
WAS A BRAND NEW COUNTRY. THE UNITED
STATES HAD A GOVERNMENT THAT DID NOT WORK
VERY WELL. FRAMERS MET TO
FIND A NEW WAY OF RUNNING THE COUNTRY.
THIS MEETING IS CALLED THE CONVENTION.
SOME OF THE FRAMERS ARE FAMOUS TO US
TODAY. THEY INCLUDE JAMES,
MADISON, BEN FRANKLIN AND
GEORGE WASHINGTON AT THAT TIME.
THERE WERE ONLY 13 STATES.
THE MEN CAME FROM ALL THE STATES
EXCEPT RHODE ISLAND. EACH
STATE HAD IDEAS FOR THE NEW GOVERNMENT.
THE FRAMERS HAD MANY DEBATES.
THEY TALKED A LOT, THEY MAKE A
LOT OF SPEECHES BY TALKING
ABOUT IT. THEY CAME UP WITH A PLAN THAT
EVERYONE COULD AGREE WITH. THEY HAD
TO HAVE A LOT OF COMPROMISES ONLY
BY AGREEING COULD ALL THE ARGUMENTS BE
WORKED OUT. BEN FRANKLIN SAID
THAT HE WAS NOT SURE IF THE PLAN WAS
PERFECT. HE SAID THAT IT WAS PROBABLY
AS PERFECT AS IT COULD BE. AFTER
THE CONVENTION, THE CONSTITUTION
HAD TO BE APPROVED ACTUAL.
ONLY NINE STATES HAD TO AGREE TO
OR RATIFIED THE CONSTITUTION,
BUT EVERYONE WANTED ALL 13
STATES TO AGREE TO STATES
TOOK A LONG TIME TO DECIDE TO AGREE.
THESE STATES WERE RHODE ISLAND AND NORTH
CAROLINA. IN THE END, THEY
DID AGREE ONCE THE FIRST NINE
STATES AGREED, WE SAY THE
CONSTITUTION WAS RATIFIED.
NEW HAMPSHIRE WAS THE NINTH STATE TO
RATIFY AMENDMENTS. WHEN
THE
WAS WRITTEN, THE FRAMERS KNEW THEIR
CREATION WAS NOT PERFECT. THEY
KNEW THAT OTHER PEOPLE WOULD HAVE GOOD IDEAS
FOR THE CONSTITUTION. THEY WANTED
TO BE SURE THAT IT WASN'T TOO HARD TO MAKE
CHANGES. THEY ALSO WANTED
TO BE SURE THAT IT WASN'T TOO EASY.
THE FRAMERS ADDED AN AMENDMENT
PROCESS. AN AMENDMENT TO THE
CONSTITUTION IS A CHANGE THAT CONNECT TO
THE CONSTITUTION OR CHANGE AN OLDER PART
OF IT. ORIGINALLY, SOME PEOPLE
DID NOT WANT TO RATIFY THE
ONE BIG REASON WAS THAT IT DID NOT HAVE A BILL
OF RIGHTS. A BILL OF RIGHTS
IS A LIST OF RIGHTS THAT BELONG TO THE PEOPLE.
THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT ALLOWED TO BREAK THESE
RIGHTS. SOME OF THESE RIGHTS
MIGHT SOUND FAMILIAR. THE RIGHT OF FREE
SPEECH, THE RIGHT TO PRACTICE YOUR
OWN RELIGION, THE RIGHT TO BE SILENT
IF YOU ARE ARRESTED. THE ORIGINAL
CONSTITUTION HAD NO BILL OF RIGHTS.
MANY OF THE FRAMERS DID NOT THINK IT WAS
NEEDED, BUT MANY PEOPLE WANTED
ONE. SO PROMISES WERE
MADE TO ADD ONE USING THE AMENDMENT
PROCESS. SOON THE NEW
GOVERNMENT STARTED MEETING, CONGRESS
PROPOSED THE BILL OF RIGHTS. A
LIST OF 12 CHANGES WAS SENT TO
THE STATES IN
1791, 10 OF THOSE
CHANGE WERE AGREED TO BY THE STATES.
THE 10 CHANGES WERE ADDED TO THE
CONSTITUTION. THESE 10
CHANGES ARE CALLED THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
OTHER CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION ARE
DISCUSSED BELOW. THE LAST CHANGE
TO THE CONSTITUTION WAS MADE IN
1992. THE
27TH AMENDMENT IS ACTUALLY
ONE OF THE TWO LEFTOVER AMENDMENTS
FROM 1791. IT
IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR AN AMENDMENT
TO TAKE THAT LONG TO BE ACCEPTED, BUT
IT IS POSSIBLE SOME LIKE
THE 26TH AMENDMENT ARE ACCEPTED
VERY QUICKLY IN JUST 100
DAYS. MOST THOUGH,
TAKE A LITTLE OVER A YEAR TO BE
RATIFIED SLAVERY
IN 1787, MOST
OF THE BLACK PEOPLE IN AMERICA WERE
SLAVES AS SLAVE IS SOMEONE
WHO IS OWNED BY SOMEONE ELSE.
TODAY THERE ARE NO LEGAL SLAVES
IN AMERICA. IT WAS COMMON IN 17
87. AS TIME WENT BY,
MORE PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT SLAVERY WAS
WRONG. MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED
TO END SLAVERY WERE FROM THE STATES
IN THE NORTH. THEY WERE CALLED
ABOLITIONISTS. MOST OF
THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO KEEP SLAVERY.
WE'RE FROM THE STATES IN THE SOUTH.
SLAVERY WAS IMPORTANT IN THE SOUTH.
A LOT OF HOW THE PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH MADE
MONEY INVOLVED SLAVES.
SLAVES WERE WORTH MONEY. SLAVES
PICKED THEIR CROPS LIKE COTTON
AND TOBACCO. THE PEOPLE IN THE NORTH
WANTED TO END SLAVERY. THEY
SAID IT WAS AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR AMERICA.
THE PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH WERE AFRAID OF
LOSING SLAVERY. THEY WERE AFRAID
OF LOSING BUSINESS. THEY THOUGHT
THAT HAVING SLAVERY WAS IMPORTANT FOR
EACH STATE CHOOSE ON ITS OWN.
WHEN PRESIDENT LINCOLN WAS ELECTED,
THE SOUTH GOT VERY ANGRY
LINCOLN HAD SAID HE DIDN'T LIKE
SLAVERY. MOST OF THE SOUTHERN
STATES DECIDED TO BREAK AWAY FROM
THE UNITED STATES. THEY
CREATED THEIR OWN COUNTRY. IT
WAS CALLED THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF
AMERICA. THE USA DID NOT
AGREE THAT THE STATES OF THE USA COULD
BREAK AWAY. THE CIVIL WAR
FOLLOWED. THE USA WON THAT
WAR. IT WAS A TERRIBLE WAR.
MANY PEOPLE DIED. MANY
BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED,
SOMETHING GOOD DID HAPPEN THOUGH,
SLAVERY ENDED WITH THE 13TH
AMENDMENT, SLAVERY WAS MADE ILLEGAL.
THE 14TH AMENDMENT SAID THAT EVERY
PERSON BORN IN THE UNITED STATES
WAS A FULL CITIZEN. EVEN FORMER
SLAVES WERE FULL CITIZENS. THE
15TH AMENDMENT MADE SURE THAT
BLACK PEOPLE COULD VOTE. THESE
CHANGES PROTECTED MANY FREEDOMS,
BUT IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO CHANGE PEOPLE'S
MINDS. MANY PEOPLE STILL
DID NOT LIKE BLACK PEOPLE. THEY
THOUGHT THAT WHITE PEOPLE WERE BETTER FOR
100 YEARS. SUMMER LAWS
REFLECTED THIS FEELING TODAY.
THESE LAWS ARE ALSO GONE.
MOST PEOPLE DO NOT THINK THAT ANYONE
IS BETTER THAN SOMEONE ELSE JUST BECAUSE
OF THEIR COLOR. WOMEN AT
THE BEGINNING, WE TALKED ABOUT THE MEN
WHO WERE THE FRAMERS FOR A LONG
TIME. MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO SHAPED
THE COUNTRY WERE MEN. THIS IS
NOT BECAUSE WOMEN COULD NOT HELP. IT
IS NOT BECAUSE WOMEN DID NOT WANT TO HELP.
INSTEAD, MEN HELD ALL THE POSITIONS
OF POWER. MEN WERE THE PRESIDENT'S
MEN WERE THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
MEN WERE THE MAYOR'S MEN
WERE THE OWNERS OF COMPANIES. WOMEN
HAD VERY LITTLE CHANCE TO ADVANCE
IN LIFE TODAY. MANY
WOMEN LIKE TAKING CARE OF THE HOME
TODAY THOUGH, THIS IS A
CHOICE BEFORE THIS
WAS THE ONLY OPTION FOR A WOMAN.
WOMEN HAD NO ROLE IN GOVERNMENT.
THEY HAD NO ROLE IN POLITICS.
THEY WERE HOMEMAKERS. THEY TOOK
CARE OF THEIR HUSBANDS OR FAR OTHERS. THEY
TOOK CARE OF KIDS. MOST
MEN DID NOT FEEL THAT WOMEN SHOULD VOTE.
THERE WERE ACTUALLY LAWS THAT SAID WOMEN
COULD NOT VOTE. MANY PEOPLE
DECIDED THIS WAS WRONG AND MANY WOMEN
AND SOME MEN FOUGHT AGAINST IT.
FINALLY, IN 1920, THE
19TH AMENDMENT WAS PASSED,
IT SAYS THAT WOMEN CAN VOTE IN ALL
ELECTIONS TODAY. WOMEN
ARE ACTIVE IN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS.
BEING ABLE TO VOTE IS A BIG PART OF THAT.
WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO VOTE. WOMEN
HAD NO VOICE WITHOUT A VOICE.
THERE WAS NO REASON FOR POLITICIANS TO
CARE WHAT WOMEN THINK. THEY DID
NOT CARE ABOUT ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT
TO WOMEN. ONCE WOMEN COULD VOTE,
SOME GOT VERY INTERESTED IN
POLITICS, SOME WOMEN RAN
FOR OFFICE. THERE HAVE NOT YET BEEN
ANY WOMEN AS PRESIDENT.
HOWEVER, IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME
BEFORE THE FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT IS
ELECTED. THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
WE ALREADY TALK ABOUT THE BILL OF
RIGHTS. IT WAS PASSED BECAUSE
SOME PEOPLE WERE AFRAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT
WOULD HAVE TOO MUCH POWER. THEY WERE AFRAID
THAT SOME IMPORTANT THINGS COULD BE MADE
ILLEGAL. THEY WANTED TO BE SURE
TO KEEP THOSE THINGS LEGAL. FOR
EXAMPLE, YOU CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU
WANT ABOUT THE PRESIDENT, YOU CAN
SAY THAT YOU DON'T LIKE HIS HAIR, YOU
CAN SAY YOU DON'T LIKE HIS VOICE,
YOU CAN SAY YOU DON'T LIKE THE WAR IN
IRAQ. YOU CAN SAY YOU DON'T
LIKE HIS TAX IDEAS. IT'S
SEEMS NORMAL TO US TO BE ABLE TO SAY
THESE THINGS. WE CAN
CRITICIZE THE PRESIDENT, WE
CAN CRITICIZE A MEMBER OF CONGRESS,
WE CAN CRITICIZE THE MAYOR, WE
CAN SAY WHAT THINGS THEY DO THAT WE DON'T
LIKE THIS IS ONLY POSSIBLE
BECAUSE OF THE RIGHTS OF FREE SPEECH.
THE BILL OF RIGHTS PROTECTS FREE
SPEECH. IMAGINE IF THERE WAS
NO RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH, A
LAW COULD BE PASSED. THAT SAYS THAT IF YOU
CRITICIZE THE PRESIDENT'S HAIR, YOU
CAN SPEND A DAY IN JAIL OR
WORSE CRITICIZING THE PRESIDENT'S
TAXES CAN GET YOU A YEAR IN JAIL.
THESE ARE THE KINDS OF LAWS THAT THE FRAMERS
WERE AFRAID OF. THE BILL OF RIGHTS
PROTECTS US FROM SUCH LAWS.
WE CANNOT BE PUT IN JAIL BECAUSE OF OUR
OPINIONS. THE BILL OF RIGHTS
PROTECTS A LOT OF OTHER FREEDOMS. FOR
EXAMPLE, YOU CAN BELIEVE IN ANY RELIGION
YOU WANT. THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT
FORCE YOU TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING,
YOU CANNOT BE FORCED TO HOUSE SOLDIERS
IN YOUR HOME. THE POLICE CANNOT
COME INTO YOUR HOME WITHOUT A GOOD REASON.
THE POLICE MAY NOT TAKE YOUR PAPERS
WITHOUT REASON. THE POLICE CANNOT
FORCE YOU TESTIFY AGAINST YOURSELF
IN COURT. IN FACT, THE POLICE
CANNOT FORCE YOU TO TELL THEM ANYTHING AT
ALL. THIS IS CALLED THE RIGHT
TO REMAIN SILENT AND YOU
CANNOT BE GIVEN UNUSUAL
PUNISHMENTS. YOU CANNOT BE
GIVEN 20 YEARS IN JAIL FOR
SPEEDING, HOW IT ALL WORKS. THE
CONSTITUTION SETS UP THE GOVERNMENT.
IT IS SPLIT INTO THREE BRANCHES.
THE FIRST IS THE LEGISLATIVE. THE
SECOND IS THE EXECUTIVE. THE
THIRD IS THE JUDICIARY. EACH
ONE HAS ITS OWN ROLE IN HOW THE LAW
IS MADE AND USED THE
LEGISLATURE MAKES THE LAW,
THE LEGISLATURE IS CALLED THE CONGRESS.
IT IS SPLIT INTO TWO PARTS.
THE FIRST IS THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES. THE SECOND
IS THE SENATE. EACH REPRESENTATIVE
COMES FROM A DISTRICT IN ONE OF THE
STATES. THAT PERSON'S
JOB IS TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE IN THAT
DISTRICT. THE PEOPLE ELECT THE
REPRESENTATIVE, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT
TO TELL HIM OR HER HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT
ISSUES. THERE ARE
REPRESENTATIVES. BIGGEST STATES
HAVE MORE REPRESENTATIVES. EVERY
STATE HAS AT LEAST ONE. THE SENATE
IS MADE UP OF 100 SENATORS.
THERE ARE TWO SENATORS FROM EACH STATE.
THE PEOPLE ELECT SENATORS,
SENATORS SHOULD REPRESENT THE INTERESTS
OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE. WHEN THE CONGRESS
WANTS TO PASS A LAW, BOTH THE HOUSE
AND THE SENATE MUST AGREE TO THE EXACT SAME
LAW. IF THEY CANNOT AGREE,
THEN THE LAW CANNOT PASS THE
ROLE OF THE EXECUTIVE IS MAINLY TO MAKE
SURE THE LAW IS CARRIED OUT. THE
PRESIDENT HEADS THE EXECUTIVE. THE
EXECUTIVE ALSO INCLUDES THE VICE
PRESIDENT. THE SECRETARIES OF
ALL THE DEPARTMENTS ARE ALSO IN THE
EXECUTIVE. ONE DEPARTMENT
IS THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY, ANOTHER IS THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND
ONE MORE IS THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE. BEFORE A LAW BECOMES
THE LAW, THE PRESIDENT MUST AGREE TO
IT. IF HE DOES NOT AGREE
HE REJECTS OR VETOES
THE LAW. WHEN HE VETOES A LAW,
HE SENDS IT BACK TO THE CONGRESS.
CONGRESS CAN THEN TRY TO PASS THE
LAW AGAIN. THE PRESIDENT
CAN ALSO REFUSE TO SIGN A LAW.
IF HE DOES, IT WILL BECOME A LAW
ANYWAY. THE GOVERNMENT HAS LOTS
OF CHECKS AND BALANCES. THIS
IS ONE EXAMPLE OF THE CHECKS AND
BALANCES. THE CONGRESS MUST
PASS LAWS. THE PRESIDENT WILL AGREE TO.
THE PRESIDENT IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS
DECISIONS REGARDING LAWS. THE
LAST BRANCHES THE JUDICIARY. THIS
INCLUDES ALL THE FEDERAL COURTS,
ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SUPREME COURT.
STATES HAVE THEIR OWN COURT SYSTEMS
TO THE STATE COURTS ARE
UNDER THE NATIONAL COURTS. THE
ROLE OF THE JUDICIARY IS TO
THE LAW. THE LAW MIGHT SAY
IT IS ILLEGAL TO BREAK INTO SOMEONE'S
HOME. IF SOMEONE IS CAUGHT
BREAKING INTO A HOME, THE COURTS WILL
ASK SEVERAL QUESTIONS
FIRST. CAN THE GOVERNMENT MAKE THIS
ILLEGAL? IF IT CANNOT, THE LAW
IS CALLED UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
SUCH LAWS ARE INVALID.
NEXT, THE COURT WILL ASK IF THE PERSON
IS ACTUALLY GUILTY. USUALLY
A JURY WILL FIND SOMEONE GUILTY
OR NOT GUILTY. SOMETIMES
JUST A JUDGE DECIDES THIS. A
TRIAL BY JURY IS RIGHT.
IT MEANS THAT OTHER PEOPLE FROM YOUR AREA
WILL DECIDE IF YOU BROKE THE LAW.
SOMETIMES JURIES AND COURTS
MAKE MISTAKES. IF SOMEONE
IS FOUND GUILTY, THEY CAN APPEAL.
THERE IS A SET OF SPECIAL COURTS SET UP
FOR APPEALS. THE LAST COURT
OF APPEAL IS THE SUPREME COURT.
WHATEVER THE SUPREME COURT SAYS, IT'S THE END,
THERE IS NO APPEALS COURT HIGHER THAN THE
SUPREME COURT