Ordain+and+Establish+the+Constitution

=do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.=

Reading
Read through the following three websites, making sure to click on each of the websites provided links to get a better understanding the basic functions of our government as it is explained in the Constitution.

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Watching
Below is a Prezi created for a Civics class by a high school teacher. It details the law-making process in Congress. When you start the Prezi, make sure you click to watch the short movie on the big screen.

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Learning
// Now it is time for your blog post. As you are writing your blog, remember the guidelines you agreed to in our netiquette discussion. Also, do not just answer the questions that are listed below. Use these questions as a guide for your thinking,**do not** just type the question and answer yes or no and // // try to go more in depth. // // You will have to go back and put more depth into your blog if just answer the questions with no extra thoughts. // // Remember this blog is not just for the eyes of your peers in the class, anyone in the world can access your blog and need to fully understand what you are talking about. This reflection is also how you show me that you completed your reading and watching assignments. Make connections to them in your blog and when you talk about them, create a hyperlink in your blog so your readers can see what you saw. Please see me if you need more guidance in posting a blog. //

The Constitution is a massive document. It is a very difficult read for the average high school student, but one of the most important documents in our lives as it details all aspects of our government and our rights as citizens of the United States of America. Taking everything you have learned about our government throughout the past six units, critically analyze the document and our government.
 * 1) Why do you think it has lasted for so long as a stand alone document?
 * 2) What do you think is a weak point in the document?
 * 3) What do you think is a strong point in the document?
 * 4) Should students be required to learn about the Constitution?
 * 5) What is going on in today's government that makes knowledge of the Constitution so critical?

Doing
Knowing the Constitution could not be a concrete document, it must be able to change with time; the framers put in place an amendment process. They detailed the process with Article V, you can read the full article below. Surprisingly, the Constitution has only been amended a total of twenty-seven times in its two hundred and twenty three years of existence. You can find a list of the amendments here. Read through each of the amendments. Taking what you learned about the government from your reading and watching assignments and your previous US History classes, decide which ones you believe are the top three amendments to the Constitution, based on the impact to society, human rights, or governmental policies. Create a new blog post and write an essay that:
 * 1) explain the amendment process
 * 2) the amendments you believe are the most important
 * 3) an explanation why they are the most important.

//Article V//
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.


 * To earn your credit for the government class, you need to return to the home page of the wiki and complete the final assessment.