US-POLITICAL SYS.pptVIP

A Survey of the United States of America 4. Political System Political System The Constitution The Three Branches of Government Congress President Supreme Court Political Parties Election Process The predecessor of the US Constitution The Articles of Confederation was the first governing constitution of the United States of America. The Articles were created in 1777 (approved in 1781) by the chosen representatives of the states in the Second Continental Congress out of a perceived need to have a plan of confederacy for securing the freedom, sovereignty, and independence of the United States. The Constitution(p16-易中天书) The Constitutional Convention convened in Philadelphia in 1787. The delegates decided to start over and draft a new constitution. Despite differences, the delegates managed to agree on the most fundamental issues and designed a new form of government for the new nation. The plan for the government was written in very simple language in a document called the Constitution of the United States. American constitution is called “a living constitution”(易中天-p160), in that amendments can be added to it. It has been in function without major changes for over 200 years. 27 amendments have been added to the US constitution, the famous of which include: the first ten amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, 13th which abolished slavery, 17th Which stipulates the direction election of senators, 19th amendment which gave voting rights to women; ~ Quiz: The US Constitution The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America; the Federal Government of the United States; and all the State and local governments and Territorial Administrative bodies contained therein. It provides the framework for the organization of the United States Government. The document defines the three main branches of the gover