Judicial Branch

    George gave a great presentation on the First Amendment which led into a discussion about Elder Cook's talk on "How to Defend Religious Freedom". 

1st Amendment- PRASP

Petition

Religion

Assemble

Speech

Press

In our Candy Election Butterfinger candy bar won the electoral college, but what if the Electoral College is tied?

"In questions of power, then let no more be said of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution."  Thomas Jefferson

The Judicial Branch

Homework:  

1. Continue to read The Great Little Madison
2. Opinion Paper: Have the Supreme Court rulings helped or hindered our nation? Explain 

Presentation:  Lilly 2nd Amendment

Executive Branch

"..and will to the best of my judgment and power, preserve, protect, and defend, the Constitution of the United States."

What are the Executive powers of the President of the United States according to the Constitution?

Execute or carry out the laws made by Congress
Commander in Chief of the military
Pardoning power
Diplomatic power-handling foreign relations
Chief Executive Officer of the whole executive branch of the government

No more...no less! 
Is it the Presidents responsibility to make sure Americans have employment? Assign billions of dollars to educating youth? Provide federal relief for victims of natural disasters?

Electoral College

The Founders felt it was unwise for the people to vote directly for president. "The job requirements of the President spelled out in the Constitution are duties such as Commander-in-Chief of the military and chief executive; not something the common man is typically familiar with. It would be the same as if a truck driver tried to interview a doctor for a job at a hospital."1 

If the system were working today as originally intended, the people would vote for the electors and the electors would vote for the president. Today electors are chosen by their political party leadership and perform more of a token duty of voting for the candidate with the popular vote in their state.



Homework:

1. Power to declare war.  According to the Constitution, Congress has the power to declare war but for the last 60 years the President has declared war.  Which branch in your opinion should have the power-Legislative or Executive?
2. Read The Great Little Madison, by Jean Fritz.  Colloquium 4/4
3. Continue to write the Constitution in your own words.
4. Choose an ammendment for your presentation.

Presentation:  George

1 See A Guide for Learning and Teaching The Declaration of Independence and the U.S Constitution by Joseph Andrews. p.145

The Test

“… As we have inherited the spirit of liberty and the fire of patriotism from our fathers, so let them descend [unchanged] to our posterity.”   
                                                                                                                                                          ^{Elder Phineas Richards} 

Tips for writing Congress' powers in your own words:  

1. Identify and look up unfamiliar words in the Websters 1828 Dictionary or nccs.net
2. Read the clause 3 times aloud and write down key words (for larger clauses break it up into smaller sections).
3. Explain to someone what you think it means.  Write it down simply and with as few words as possible. 
4. OR finish this sentence in as few words as possible:  The people of the states empower Congress to...

Homework:

1. Write Article 1: Section 8  in your own words.  See tips above.
2. Opinion paper:  Does Congress have too much power or not enough?   If you have already written this paper concentrate on writing the Constitution in your own words.

Presentation: Gigi -Governor Morris

Devotional:  Jeremy

House Floor Simulation

" We enter mortality not to float with the moving currents of life but with the POWER to think, to reason, and to achieve."  Thomas S. Monson


 We learn from each other!

     Our Scholars  wrote their own bills and debated them in our simulated House Floor Proceedings. The Honorable Nellie Hill was designated speaker of the House pro tempore for the day with Courtney Davies as House reading clerk.  Our representatives wrote and presented their own legislation then The Floor was opened to 1 minute speeches/ debates. The most popular topics:  Cat overpopulation in Texas, mandatory chocolate in schools, and gun control.



                                                                 

We discussed the genius of the men
who created the Constitution  of
the United States.

Homework:  

1.  Catch up on opinion papers or write another bill.  ( You never know when the House will be in session!)
2. Start reading The Great Little Madison by Gene Fritz
3. Read Article 1 section 8:  Powers of Congress

Devotional: Brayden 

Presentation:  George

Legislative Process

What actually goes on in the House of Representatives?

We watched an exciting segment of  the House floor session  to find out!

How does a bill become a law?

                                                     Watch our skit!

Homework:

1.   Create your bill! You can propose legislation for MSA, the nation, our state or county. See sample format below.

2.  Opinion Paper:  Power to declare war.  According to the Constitution, Congress has the power to declare war but for the last 60 years the President has declared war.  Which branch in you opinion should have the power- Legislative or Executive?

3. Due to the number of students absent Thursday our colloquium on Fifty-Five Fathers will be this week 2/28.


Presentation :  Kaylee

Devotional:  George

Sample Bill Format

Italics = Directions (type Your Information or Delete)

109^th Congress

1st Session

Senate Bill # ____________

A Bill For An Act Entitled: Title of bill

or

An Amendment to the Constitution Entitled: Title of amendment

In the Senate

Write the date

Write: Senators Your names introduced the following resolution which was referred to the Committee on fill in this blank when you know the committee name.

Senate Proposal

Resolved by the U.S. Senate of the United States of America, that the following article is proposed as federal law under the jurisdiction of the Untied States of America, enforceable by Executive action.

For a bill: "Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that:"

For an Amendment: "Be it amended by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that:"

Section 1: Explanation of terminology- Which terms need to be defined in order to understand the bill?

Section 2: What is the act going to do? Who is going to be involved / impacted /

affected by the act

Section 3: Where? All of U.S. or a certain area / place in the U.S.?

Section 4: How is the act going to be funded? Who is going to enforce / administer

this act?(Which government agency will oversee the bill and its duties?)

Section 5: Penalties (if any) for non-compliance (not following the rules) of the act

Section 6: Enactment Date: When will the law go into effect?

END

In the Senate

109^th Congress

2nd Session

Senate Bill # ____________

A Bill For An Act Entitled:

In the Senate

Date:______________

Senators writing the bill: __________________________________________________________________ introduced the following resolution which was referred to the Committee on _________________.

Senate Proposal

Resolved by the U.S. Senate of the United States of America, that the following article is proposed as federal law under the jurisdiction of the United States of America, enforceable by Executive action.

1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled, that

2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Section 1: Explanation of Terminology

6. ______________________________________________________________________________________________

7.­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ ______________________________________________________________________________________________

8. ______________________________________________________________________________________________

9. ______________________________________________________________________________________________

10. Section 2 : Explanation of what the bill will provide for. . .

11. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_____________________________________________________________________________________________

12. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

13. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

14. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

15. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

16. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

17. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

18. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

19. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

20. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
21. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

22. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

23. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

24. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

25. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

26. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

27. Section 3: Where would this bill take effect:

28. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
29. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

30. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

31. Section 4: Governing body that will oversee the bill and its duties and how funded

32. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

33. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

34. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

35. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

36. Section 5. Penalty for non-compliance with the legislation:

37. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

38. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

39. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

40. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

41. Section 6: Enactment Date:

42. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

43. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________ President’s signature

Congress

Why is the legislative body divided into two branches, the House of Representatives and the Senate?



  "..the House of Representatives will be elected immediately by the people, and represent them and their personal rights individually; the Senate will be elected by the state legislatures, and represent the states in their political capacity; and thus each branch will form a proper and independent check on the other, and the legislative powers will be advantageously balanced."
                                                                                   C.C Pinckney

How has the 17th Amendment changed senators incentive to watch over their state?


Play the game How a bill becomes a law to prepare for our future study of how legislation is passed.






Homework:
  No paper due this week! We need to catch up on our Constitution studies.

1. Rewrite Article 1 Section 4 and 5 in your own words. 
2. Finish reading Fifty-five Fathers- Colloquium NEXT WEEK 2/21!
3. Continue memorizing Declaration of Independence if you have not already done so.

Presentation: Lilly -Roger Sherman

Devotional:  Tyler

"A primary object should be the education of our youth in the science of government.  In a republic, what species of knowledge can be equally important? And what duty more pressing ...than...communicating it to those who are to be the future guardians of the liberties of the country?"
                                                                                                          -George Washington

Constitution Studies
We were patient with ourselves as we practiced rewriting Article 1 Sections 1 and 2 in our own words. After our discussion we tested our knowledge in a short Constitution Bowl.  Take the  U.S.I.Q quiz to test your knowledge of the legislative branch.



Homework:

1. Opinion paper: Does Congress have too much power or not enough?
2. Read Fifty-Fathers by Selma R. Williams.To order Click Here.
3. Read Article 1 section 3. An online version with definitions is available at nccs.net

Presentation:  2/14 Tyler -Alexander Hamiliton   Gigi- Governor Morris

Devotional:  2/14 Kaylee Chapman