Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
Chapter 12, Lesson 2: The Constitution (pp. 297-303)
I. "The Grand Convention"
B. Delegates did not agree on the number of representatives each state would have.
C. Delegates compromised by forming two houses, the Senate and House of Representatives.
D. Another set of compromises ended the conflict between the North and the South over slavery.
II. Checks and Balances
B. All three branches can check, or stop, one another.
C. Each branch of government has a different job.
D. The executive branch would have one person in charge.
B. Some people were against ratifying the Constitution because they were afraid the government would be too strong and that only rich men would be elected.
B. The first ten amendments are called the Bill of Rights.
C. The Bill of Rights protects important personal liberties.
Lesson at a Glance Outline
A. Delegates gathered in Philadelphia to organize the government.
A. The legislative, executive, and judicial branches are equal in power.
III. Ratification of the Constitution
A. Nine states had to accept the Constitution for it to become law.
IV. The Bill of Rights
A. Some states refused to ratify the Constitution until a bill of rights was added.
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