Book Description One of the most revered, imitated, and controversial governmental documents in the world, the U.S. Constitution serves as the foundation for the American government and shapes the lives of Americans every day. Yet, how many of us know its history and the impact it has on guiding our ever evolving nation? Idiot's Guides: The U.S. Constitution, Second Edition , provides you a clear look at the one single document that defines America. Suitable supplemental reading for students in high school government/civics classes and college political science classes, this guide covers the birth of the Constitution and the history and details of its amendments. Show and hide more
Table of Contents
Cover Title Page Copyright Page Introduction Part 1: Constitutional Basics 1 The Founding Fathers and a New Form of Government The American Revolution Taxation Without Representation The Declaration of Independence The Founding Fathers Influential Women A New Framework The Articles of Confederation Insufficient Powers The Federalists 2 The Birth of the Constitution The Constitutional Convention Philadelphia, 1787 The Delegates Political Thought and Government Theory Society’s Agreement Back to the Magna Carta Washington’s Return Contentious Issues The Great Compromise The Preamble 3 Ratification and the Bill of Rights The Process of Ratification Signing the Constitution The States Vote Ratification! The Bill of Rights Considering Slaves and Native Americans Part 2: Balancing the Branches 4 Articles I Through III: Separation of Powers Article I: The Legislative Branch Section 1: Congress Section 2: The House of Representatives Section 3: The Senate Section 4: Elections and Sessions Section 5: Housekeeping Section 6: Pay and Privileges Section 7: Legislation Section 8: Enumerated Powers Section 9: Restrictions on Congress Section 10: Restrictions on the States Article II: The Executive Branch Section 1: President and Vice President Section 2: Presidential Powers Section 3: Executive Responsibility Section 4: Impeachment Article III: The Judicial Branch Section 1: Federal Courts Section 2: Jurisdiction and Judicial Review Section 3: Treason 5 Articles IV Through VII: Making the Federal System Work Article IV: Full Faith and Credit Section 1: Full Faith and Credit Section 2: Privileges and Immunities Section 3: The Equal Footing Clause Section 4: The Guarantee Clause Article V: Amending the Constitution Article VI: The Supreme Law of the Land Article VII: Ratification Part 3: Your Basic Rights 6 The First Amendment: Freedom of Expression The First Amendment Freedom of Religion Religious Practices Evolution Parochial Schools School Prayer Religious Displays Freedom of Speech Political Speech Clear and Present Danger Fighting Words Corporations as People Obscenity Freedom of the Press Censorship Libel Freedom of Assembly Freedom to Petition 7 The Second and Third Amendments: Arms and Armies Second Amendment: The Right to Bear Arms The Militia Clause The Right to Arms Clause Evolving Law on Guns The Third Amendment: Quartering Troops 8 The Fourth Amendment: Unreasonable Searches and Seizures The Fourth Amendment Foundations English History Early America Searches and Seizures The Exclusionary Rule Fruit of the Poisonous Tree The Legal Technicality Privacy Consent Good Faith Stop and Frisk To Knock or Not 9 The Fifth Amendment: Due Process The Fifth Amendment Grand Jury Indictments Double Jeopardy Self-Incrimination Confessions Taking the Fifth Immunity The Miranda Warning Due Process of Law Eminent Domain 10 The Sixth and Seventh Amendments: Fair Trials The Sixth Amendment: Juries in Criminal Trials The Speedy Trial Clause The Public Trial Clause The Impartial Jury Clause The Confrontation Clause The Compulsory Process Clause Assistance of Counsel The Seventh Amendment: Juries in Civil Trials 11 The Eighth Amendment: Bail and Punishment Excessive Bail and Fines Cruel and Unusual Punishment Three Strikes and You’re Out The Death Penalty 12 The Ninth Through Twelfth Amendments: The Political System The Ninth Amendment: Unenumerated Rights Privacy Birth Control and Abortion The Tenth Amendment: States’ Rights The Eleventh Amendment: Suing States The Twelfth Amendment: Picking the President 13 The Thirteenth Through Fifteenth Amendments: Civil Rights The Thirteenth Amendment: Abolishing Slavery The Civil War Reconstruction The Fourteenth Amendment: Due Process and Equal Protection Citizenship Civil Rights The Fifteenth Amendment: Voting Rights 14 The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Amendments: Taxes and Senators The Sixteenth Amendment The Federal Income Tax Law Tax Protests The Seventeenth Amendment 15 The Eighteenth and Twenty-First Amendments: Prohibition and Repeal The Eighteenth Amendment: Prohibition America and Alcohol The Volstead Act The Downside of Dry The Twenty-First Amendment: Repeal 16 The Nineteenth Amendment: Women’s Suffrage The Birth of a Movement Winning the Vote Ratification 17 The Twentieth, Twenty-Second, Through Twenty-Seventh Amendments The Twentieth Amendment: Lame Ducks The Twenty-Second Amendment: Presidential Term Limits The Twenty-Third Amendment: D.C. Voting The Twenty-Fourth Amendment: No Tax on Voting The Twenty-Fifth Amendment: Presidential Succession The Twenty-Sixth Amendment: Voting at Age 18 The Twenty-Seventh Amendment: Congressional Pay Part 4: Modifying the Government 18 The ERA and Other Failed Amendments Early Amendments Still Pending The Congressional Representation Amendment The Noble Title Amendment The Slavery Amendment The Child Labor Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment The D.C. Representation Amendment Amendments That Never Got Out of Congress The Balanced Budget Amendment The Flag Desecration Amendment 19 Future Constitutional Issues Expected Supreme Court Cases Abortion Crime and Punishment The Right to Petition Free Speech and National Security Presidential Power The Political Court Future Changes to the Constitution Suggested Amendments A Balanced Budget One Man, One Woman Elections Guns and Gun Control Eminent Domain A Constitutional Convention The Constitution: Our Continuing National Conversation Appendixes A Glossary B Resources C Petitioning the Government D The U.S. Constitution About the Author