Understanding the Constitution

The constitution is the most important law of the United States.

That is what we mean when we say the constitution is the supreme law of the US.

Practice saying “The Constitution” because you will need to say it for many of the questions and answers 😊

What is the supreme law of the land? –> The Constitution

The Constitution has the idea of self-government in the first three words.

Self-government means a government by the people, of the people, and for the people.

It means we have a democracy, and we elect representatives.

The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? –> We the people

Before the Constitution, the US didn’t have a clear system. States did not agree about important things like money, the military, or elections.

The Constitution was a plan to set up the government. It explains the system of government.

What does the Constitution do? –> It sets up the government.

The founding fathers were leaders who started the United States. They met in 1787 to write a new constitution for the US.

(We will learn more about the history of the founding fathers later 🤗)

How can you remember this year? For example, can you remember something that happened in 1987?

When was the Constitution written? –> 1787

This meeting was called the “Constitutional Convention.” During the Constitutional Convention, the founding fathers wrote the constitution.

We also say that at the Constitutional Convention, the constitution was written.

What happened at the Constitutional Convention? –>The founding fathers wrote the constitution / The Constitution was written.

After the constitution was written, every state voted to agree or disagree with it.

Alexander Hamilton wrote the Federalist Papers. They explained why the US needed this constitution.

There is only one question about the Federalist Papers. When you hear “Federalist Papers,” you can think about this song:

The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers. –> Alexander Hamilton / John Jay / James Madison

1. What is the supreme law of the land?
2. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?
3. What does the Constitution do?
4. When was the Constitution written?
5. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
6. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.