personal freedoms guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution
America is unique. To protect Individual Freedoms & Liberties, the U.S. Constitution limits the powers of the government body.
"Men of factious tempers... prejudices...sinister designs, may, by intrigue, by corruption...first obtain the [votes] then betray the...people." #10
Does the Constitution Give Citizens Their Rights?
No.
The Constitution does not give citizens their rights.
The People already had their rights before they created the Constitution.
It guarantees to protect them.
The Constitution defines & limits the powers of the government body.
(source: U.S. Congress. Constitution Sesquicentennial Commission, The Story of the U.S. Constitution, 1935)
The People Guard Their Constitutional Rights & Liberties
A Transparent Government
The Media's Responsibility to Ensure a Transparent Government
The 9th Amendment Protects the Rights of the People
A transparent government system is necessary for citizens to keep government accountable for doing their duties, and to know if government is creating regulations and laws which might infringe on their Constitutional Rights, Liberties and Freedoms.
The 9th Amendment Protects the Rights of the People
The Media's Responsibility to Ensure a Transparent Government
The 9th Amendment Protects the Rights of the People
The 9th Amendment states: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
The 10th Amendment -Power to the States & the People
The Media's Responsibility to Ensure a Transparent Government
The Media's Responsibility to Ensure a Transparent Government
The 10th Amendment states: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
The Media's Responsibility to Ensure a Transparent Government
The Media's Responsibility to Ensure a Transparent Government
The Media's Responsibility to Ensure a Transparent Government
The media - Investigative journalists are essential to bring forth unbiased information to the public to highlight transparency of government actions and policies, and to expose misdeeds by their representatives.
civil rights U.S. Constitution 101
America's Republic System
America's Self-government System was a Revolutionary Change from the Oppressive Rule Under a Tyrannical King
No longer Subjects of a King, the United States formed
a Constitutional Republic style government system.
Created by the People for the People.
Recognized names for the American Government System
include:
- Republic
- Constitution-based federal Republic
- Representative Democracy
(source: uscis.gov)
In America, the People have personal freedoms & liberties, which neither the State nor Federal government can encroach upon.
The Constitution limits the powers of government,
and binds the People together in this Republic system
of Self-governance.
The United States has a representative system of self-governance - Through the democratic process
citizens choose fellow citizens from their communities
and states to represent them in their government bodies
- to make laws; set policies to protect their
freedoms, liberties and general welfare.
* * *
U.S. Constitution Article VI: The Senators and Representatives . . . and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States
and of the several States,
shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation,
to support this Constitution . . .
The Democratic Process is How We the People Elect Representatives to Office
In order to control their government and protect their
life, liberty and pursuit of happiness,
each citizen must be
actively involved through
direct participation as a leader/member,
and/or in the voting process for their local, state and federal governments.
- A Citizen's responsibility is to learn:
the pros and cons of each representative's
political ideology; their voting record
if they previously served in civil service,
and then vote into office a person qualified
to serve on their behalf.
Over the centuries, the Federal & State
government's powers have grown.
The fear of the government becoming
oppressive rulers
was well documented by the States (Colonies)
and was a focus of many debates
when deciding to join together
as a Union, under U.S. Constitution.
*
It is up to an active, participating citizenship
to keep Federal & State powers in check
and stop a tyrannical government system
from developing.
* * *
U.S. Economic System
In support of an individual's Rights, Liberties & Pursuit of Happiness, Americans have a Free-Market Economic System.
There are two standard terms to describe
America's Economic System:
Capitalism and Free-Market
This American economic system is
based on the market-system of supply and demand
of goods and services.
The basic structure: Rather than the government controlling what to produce and who to produce it,
private citizens, as entrepreneurs* own businesses as a method of financial support and creating wealth.
Entrepreneurs in
the "free" market system try to determine which products & services people want and need (demand).
Entrepreneurs produce (supply) products or services to meet those needs & wants.
* An Entrepreneur is one who
assumes financial
& other risks
to undertake a private
business venture.
United States Federal Government 101
By the Numbers: Executive Branch, Judicial Branch & Legislative Branch
Federal Government includes:
Executive Branch:
- 1 President
- 1 Vice President
- Cabinet - 15 Executive Departments
Judicial Branch:
- Supreme Court Justices: 9
- (9 since 1869)
- Courts of Appeal: 13
- District Courts: 94
- Bankruptcy Courts: 90
Legislative Branch:
U.S. Senate - Each state
has two representatives.
- 100 Senators
U.S. House of Representatives
Each state has a number of representatives commensurate
with their state’s population.
- 435 House of Representatives
Article IV, Section IV Guarantees America's Republic & Protection
The Executive Branch - Law Enforcement Powers
The President is the sole leader
of the Executive Branch.
The President is Commander
in Chief of the Army and Navy
of the United States.
The Constitution states:
"he shall take Care that
the Laws
be faithfully executed . . ."
Article II, Sections 1 – 4
include the following:
1. Term of office
2. By whom chosen
3. Voting & Electors
4. Oath of Office
5. Salary
6. Powers & Duties
7. Vacancies
The Judicial Branch - Power to Review Constitutionality & Equity of Laws & Treaties
Article III, Section 1 - 3 of the U.S. Constitution includes:
1. Where Vested: Supreme Court & Inferior Courts
2. How Appointed: President & Senate
3. Oath of Office
4. Tenure of Office
5. How Removable
6. Salary
7. Jurisdiction: Limitations, Original, Appellate
"shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour,
. . . The Judicial Power shall extend
to all Cases,
in Law and Equity, arising
under this Constitution,
the Laws of the United States,
and
Treaties made, or which
shall be made,
under their Authority . . ."
Legislative Branch - The Law-making Power of the United States Government
A Bicameral System
(the prefix bi is derived from Latin
and means two;
Latin cameralis refers to chamber)
Congress has two chambers (bodies):
the Senate and the
House of Representatives.
Both chambers are
required to make laws.
Neither chamber
of Congress
acting separately
can enact a law.
According to the US. Constitution: Congress
cannot delegate
its power
to make laws
to an executive department
or to an administrative
officer, nor can any department
or officer repeal,
extend,
or modify an act of Congress.
Article I, Sections
1 – 10 include the following:
The Senate
1. How Senate is composed
2. Eligibility Requirements
3. Tenure of office
4. By whom chosen
5. When chosen/How classed
6.Duties/Procedures
7. Vacancies
8. Vote
9. Presiding officer
10. Law Making Powers
The House of Representatives
1. Proportion
2. Apportionment
3. Eligibility Requirements
4. Term of office
5. By whom chosen
6. Duties/Procedures
7. Vacancies
8. Census
9. Law Making Powers
American Principles & Traditions
Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence
"WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable* Rights,
that among these are
Life, Liberty, and
the Pursuit of Happiness.
Governments are instituted
among Men,
deriving their
just Powers from
the Consent of the Governed,
that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends,
it is the
Right of the People to
alter or to abolish it, and
to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles . . .
We mutually Pledge to each other,
Our Lives, Our Fortunes and
Our Sacred Honor . . ."
July 4, 1776
* Unalienable - Permanent; cannot be removed
Basic Rights of Citizens
Right to Life
Right to Liberty
Right to Pursuit of Happiness
Right to Equality under the law
* * *
The people had all their rights and liberties before they created the Constitution.
The Constitution was formed, among other purposes, to make the people's liberties secure - secure not only as against foreign attack but against oppression by their own government.
They set specific limits upon their national government and upon the States, and
reserved to themselves all powers
that they did not grant.
(source: U.S. Constitution Sesquicentennial Commission, established by a
Joint Resolution of the Congress of
the United States,
approved August 23, 1935).
A Citizen's Responsibilities
The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
- Loyalty - to the United States and the words and spirit of the Constitution
- Obey - the laws of the United States
- Vote – Learn about your representatives and determine who will represent your interests best and the interests of America.
- Jury Duty – Participate in the court system as a juror to decide facts in legal cases involving peers in your community.
* * *
Allegiance to the Republic
U.S. Constitution, Article IV, Section 4:
The United States shall guarantee to every
State in this Union
a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion;
and . . . against domestic Violence.
The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
We, the people of the United States,
1. In order to form a more perfect union;
2. Establish justice;
3. Insure domestic tranquility;
4. Provide for the common defense;
5. Promote the general welfare; and,
6. Secure the blessing of liberty to
ourselves and our posterity,
do ordain and establish
this Constitution for the
United States of America.
The American Flag
The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
The Pledge of Allegiance
(Pictured above is original flag with 13 stars representing the 13 colonies)
Today, the 50 white stars on a blue field represent the 50 states.
The colors on the flag represent:
- Red: valor and bravery
- White: purity and innocence
- Blue: vigilance, perseverance
and justice
- Stripes: The flag’s 13 alternating red and white stripes represent the original colonies
The Pledge of Allegiance
The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
The Pledge of Allegiance
"I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the
United States of America,
and
to the republic
for which it stands,
one nation
under God,
indivisible,
with liberty
and
justice for all."
Basic Terms & Structure - United States Civics 101
We the People Rule
The People’s United States government is referred to in several ways:
- Central government
- National government
- Federal government.
The U.S. Constitution
states the powers granted and
the powers prohibited to
each branch of U.S. government.
*
10th Amendment The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the People.
The Supreme Law of The Land
The Supreme Law of the Land is:
1. The Constitution of
the United States
2. All laws made in
pursuance thereof
3. All Treaties made, or
which shall be made,
under the
authority
of the United States
4. All judges in every
State shall be bound
thereby, notwithstanding
anything in the
constitution or laws
of any State to
the contrary.
The Federal Government has 3 branches: Legislative, Executive and Judicial
The Federal Government has 3 branches: Legislative, Executive and Judicial
Each department, or branch is equal to the other and they act as a “check” on the other branch's powers and have rules to keep their own branch in check and balanced.
“Checks and balances”
Ensures that no one branch of government
or all three, combine power
and become tyrannical
with the immense powers
the People entrust in their care.
FEDERALISM
Refers to the system of dual powers - the State's & the Federal Union's.
Each State has their own Constitution which addresses their state's interests, policies, procedures and laws. There are separate powers belonging to each state and to the federal government, and there are shared powers. These powers are explicit and implicit in the U.S. Constitution.
The old world brought thousands of years of normalized oppression to the U.S. & change took time, blood & bravery
1500s Spain classified racial lineage
1600 - English Colony classifications
Colonial punishment - Stocks
Public humiliation was common.
Indentured Servants - Advertisement
White slaves for a specified time period.
Native Americans
Advertisement
Slaves - Human trafficking
Public punishment - humiliation as a deterrent brought from the old world.
Many came to America in search
of religious freedom
British subjects
Restless for Freedom
King George Proclamation against Rebellious & Seditious Colonists
British loyalist & tax agents
were tarred and feathered
as public humiliation
and intimidation.
Message of warning by colonist to King- Rattler is deadly when provoked.
Although many were illiterate,
printed news spread the word
through public town square &
private aloud readings.
After Declaration was signed, statue of King George III was toppled.
A true Patriot, George Washington was the United States 1st President.
Map of U.S. 1750
Founders - Debating the
foundation of the Republic
"Out of Many, One"
New York - From 1892 to 1924, Ellis Island was America's largest and most active immigration station, where over 12 million immigrants were processed.
Ellis Island Immigration in New York.
Doctor conducts health check.
Law & Order comes to "Wild West"
20th Century Immigrants
Assimilation & allegiance to US, while holding to their old county's traditions.
2nd generation immigrants reap
the benefits of a free education
to take advantage of many
opportunities in American society.
21st Century American
Education cures poverty
Prepare for the New U.S. Citizen Civics test
A Study Guide
The Oath of Allegiance to U.S.
This website, US Civics Guide provides necessary information for early U.S. history questions on Civics test.
Please see Legislative, Executive & Judicial pages to find current government branches.
Also,
the U.S. Government put together a study guide to help those who are going through the Naturalization process learn about the great Nation
This website, US Civics Guide provides necessary information for early U.S. history questions on Civics test.
Please see Legislative, Executive & Judicial pages to find current government branches.
Also,
the U.S. Government put together a study guide to help those who are going through the Naturalization process learn about the great Nation of America.
This guide will help you prepare for the Citizen Test.
The Oath of Allegiance to U.S.
The Oath of Allegiance to U.S.
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that
I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, for
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that
I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;
that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law;
that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion;
so help me God."
Practice for the Test
Practice for the Test
Below is a link to the U.S. Citizens & Immigration website & practice test questions.
This US Civics Guide website will help you learn the answers to these important questions.
God & The Golden Rules - The Foundation of Life & Law
The Golden Rules of a Civil Society
America was founded on the Judeo-Christian principles expressed in the
Ten Commandments.
Moses, as told in the Old Testament, brought the tablet of Commandments as stated by God, to all the People of the World to follow.
The Golden Rules
Throughout the ages, the Commandments V-X (5-10) have been accepted universally as the "Golden" Rules, which are the basic behaviors expected in a civil society, and are the foundation of many laws in America and throughout the world.
There are many religions and religious-sects practiced in the United States, and the First Amendment of the Constitution provides the People the guaranteed freedom to believe or not believe in a religion or God - without government interference. Also, no government body can establish a religion (or religious sect) which citizens must follow.
The First Amendment begins: "Congress shall make no laws respecting anEstablishment of religion, orProhibiting the free exercise thereof; Or Abridging the Freedom of speech . . ."
In God We Trust
"In God We Trust"
Following a 1955 law requiring “In God We Trust” on all currency, the motto first appeared on banknotes on series 1957. The message was meant to reiterate that the United States is a Christian nation. This saying does not refer to a particular Christian religious sect or a government body which might claim to rule by divine right or any other right.
* * *
As referenced in the Declaration of Independence, our Creator of life is responsible for our birth right to equal and unalienable rights; to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - Not a man or a government body.
The U.S. Declaration of Independence begins:
”We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness . . ."
Equality Under the Law
- In America, no one is above the Law.
Laws are created by State & Federal Legislatures.
"Justice is blind"
This motto refers to the Judicial system applying justice under the laws to everyone, equally, no matter their social, political or economic status.
E-Pluribus Unum
E-Pluribus Unum
Latin for "Out of Many, One."
E Pluribus Unum is a phrase found on American money.
Motto for U.S. seal was proposed by Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin & John Adams, and adopted June 20, 1782.