US History: Constitution & Bill of Rights: Standard Practice

Medium Level Guide Grade-level practice aligned to typical classroom expectations and unit assessments. Creating the Constitution After independence, the Articles of Confederation proved too weak. Delegates met in Philadelphia in 1787 to revise them and instead wrote a new Constitution. Compromises addressed representation (Great Compromise) and counting enslaved people (Three-Fifths Compromise). Principles of the Government Popular sovereignty means power comes from the people. Separation of powers divides authority among legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Checks and balances prevent any branch from dominating. Federalism splits power between national and state governments. The Bill of Rights The first ten amendments protect individual liberties. The First Amendment covers speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition. Others address due process, trials, and powers reserved to states and people. Anti-Federalists demanded these protections before ratification. Living Document The Constitution can be amended. Twenty-seven amendments have been added. The Supreme Court interprets how the Constitution applies to new situations. Civic participation keeps the system accountable.