Constitution Detectives



Investigating the Constitution

Constitution Detective: ______________________

Briefing Room: You are a detective that will be responsible for

investigating the meaning of the Constitution. You will be answering many

questions about the events that led up to its creation, the document itself,

and key vocabulary words.

For your investigation, you will need:

▪ A copy of the Constitution

▪ A dictionary or other resource

▪ The attached question sheet

Constitution Detective Mission 1: K-W-L Chart

Fill out the first two columns of the K-W-L chart below about the U.S. Constitution.

|K |W |L |

|What you Know |What you want to know |What you learned |

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Constitution Detective Mission 2: The Constitution

Briefing Room: You need to investigate the Constitution. Make sure to use complete sentences.

1. What events led up to the creation of the United States Constitution? Include at least three events.

2. Investigate and define the following vocabulary words:

| | |

|Amendment | |

| | |

|Preamble | |

| | |

|Democracy | |

| | |

|Republic | |

| | |

|Federal System | |

3. What were three reasons that the People created the Constitution (as mentioned in the Preamble of the Constitution)?

1)

2)

3)

Constitution Detective Mission 3: The Legislative Branch

Briefing Room: Time to investigate Article I of the Constitution. Please make sure to use complete sentences.

Article I. THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Section 1: The Congress

Who has the power to make laws?

Section 2: The House of Representatives

How are these members elected? How long is their term of office?

Section 3: The Senate

How long is a Senator’s term?

Section 8: Powers Granted to Congress

Congress has the power to (please list at least 5):

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Section 9: Powers Denied to Congress

What powers does Congress not have?

1.

2.

3.

4.

Section 10: Powers Denied to the States

State governments do not have the power to:

1.

2.

3.

Constitution Detective Mission 4: The Executive Branch

Briefing Room: You need to investigate Article II of the Constitution. Please make sure to use complete sentences.

Article II. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Section 1: Office of the President and Vice President

What power does the President have? How long is the President’s term in office?

How is the President chosen?

What are the requirements to become President?

1.

2.

3.

Section 2: Powers Granted to the President

What are some powers that the President has?

1.

2.

3.

Section 3: Duties of the President

What is the State of the Union address?

What are some other duties of the President?

1.

2.

Section 4: Removal from Office

How can a President be removed from office?

Constitution Detective Mission 5: The Judicial Branch

Briefing Room: Time to investigate Article III of the Constitution.

Article III: THE JUDICIAL BRANCH

Section 1: Federal Courts

Who has the power to make decisions in courts of law?

Section 2: Power of Federal Courts

Federal Courts have the legal authority over:

1.

2.

3.

Section3: The Crime of Treason

What is treason as defined by the Constitution?

Who decides on the punishment for treason?

Constitution Detective Mission 6: Relations among the States

Briefing Room: Investigate Article IV of the Constitution.

Article IV: RELATIONS AMONG THE STATES

Section 2: Rights of Citizens

What are all citizens guaranteed when visiting other states?

If a person is charged with a crime and flees to another state what happens if that person is caught?

Section 3: Treatment of New States and Territories

Who lets new states become part of the United States?

Section 4: Guarantees to the States

What does the federal government guarantee to the states?

Constitution Detective Mission 7: Amending the Constitution

Briefing Room: You need to investigate Article V of the Constitution. Keep it up! You’ve almost completed your investigation.

Article V: AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION

What are the two ways to make amendments to the Constitution?

1.

2.

What is the process?

Constitution Detective Mission 8: Debts and Others

Briefing Room: You need to investigate Article VI of the Constitution.

Article VI: DEBTS, FEDERAL SUPREMACY, OATHS OF OFFICE

Who is responsible to pay back all debts?

What document is the “Supreme Law of the Land?”

What do all officials have to promise when taking office?

Constitution Detective Mission 9: Ratification

Briefing Room: Your last mission is to investigate Article VII of the Constitution.

Article VII: RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION

How many states have to approve the Constitution for it to become law?

What date was this document approved by the Constitutional Convention?

List at least 5 people (and the states they represented) who signed the Constitution:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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We the People of the United States…

We the People of the United States…

For some extra credit, write down as many Presidents as you can…

Who wrote the Constitution? Where was it written?

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