1. What is a Constitution?

 

 

    Key choices:  Who makes the laws? (legislative power)

                          Who puts the laws into effect and enforces them? (executive power)

                          Who settles disputes over the laws? (judicial power)

                          What is government not permitted to do to its citizens? (civil liberties)

 

 

 

2. Who wrote the Constitution and why?

 

 

    Politicians wrote the Constitution for politicians to use

 

 

 

   Who was James Madison?

 

 

 

    Madison's political tactics for the Constitutional Convention: The Virginia Plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. What did the Revolution teach Americans about government?

 

 

    The States managed public policy  in 1787

 

 

 

    But they could not deal with the nation's mounting problems

       

        State rivalries

 

        Rhode Island & Shays's rebellion

      

        Foreign threats

 

 

 

    The Confederation government was very weak

 

 

 

  Madison's dilemma:

    

        How do you give citizens control of the government
 

               & still make sure that the government makes good laws and protects basic rights?

 

   

 

     The Convention then played out as an unexpected series of compromises that no one anticipated.