States is not merely the frame-work provided by the Constitution, but is in every part a very extensive and minutely organized system suited to the needs of the Nation. One other thing should be clearly understood before beginning this study. From 1776 to 1789, each state governed itself. By adopting this Constitution, the states gave up to the central Government certain of the powers which they had previously possessed. In the exercise of these powers, the United States Government has absolute control, and no state can interfere with it. In the exercise of those powers not given to the Nation, but retained by the states, each state has absolute control and may do. just as it pleases without interference from the central Government or from any other state. Thus it happens that everybody is governed in some respects by the state, and in some other respects by the United States. The purpose of studying the government of the United States is to learn how the work of governing is done and how it affects individuals. It is scarcely necessary to call attention to the manner of referring to the Constitution. The three numbers refer respectively to article, section, and clause; as I. iii. 1, for Art. I., Sec. iii., clause 1. 1 QUESTIONS. PURPOSE OF THE CONSTITUTION: PREAMBLE. Define Constitution' and 'Preamble'. Dictionary. Who is said by the Preamble to establish What name is given to our Nation by the Commit the Preamble. THE DIVISIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION. How many articles? How many amend ments? To what subjects does each of the first three articles refer? Of what subjects do articles V and VII Which amendments were first added, and To which branch of the Government does the When was it adopted? See note 1, page 213. Give the time of adoption and subject matter of the 12th amendment. 13th. 14th. 15th. See notes to the amendments. 1 The Articles of Confederation, which served as a sort of Constitution to the states from 1781 to 1788, gave the same name. AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION. What article provides a method of amending the constitution?1 See Amendments, article V. How may amendments be proposed? V. i. How many legislatures would it take in 1898 to secure a convention for the amendment of the Constitution? V. i. How large a vote of Congress is necessary to pass a resolution proposing an amendment? V. i. How is an amendment ratified? V. i. Who specifies which mode of amendment shall be used? V. i. Of the two provisos at the end of article V, to what subject does the first refer? Concerning what subject are amendments forbidden? V.i. How are amendments proclaimed ?? 2 THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. What is the work of this part of the govern- Compare the departments of the United Are these three departments ever combined?3 1 The Articles of Confederation contained no provision for amending them. 2 Proclamations of the Arst eleven amendments consisted merely of communications of the President to Congress. The 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th were regularly proclaimed by the secretary of state. 3 In England, the legislative and executive are practically combined. In Russia, all three departments are really combined in the Czar. In the first form of territory in the United States, that of the Northwest Territory, 1787, the legislative and judicial were combined. Give the names of the two houses. I. i. How did these names happen to be used?? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having two houses instead of one? Notice expense, promptness, responsibility, judgment, etc. THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. How often and by whom are the members of the House chosen? I. i. 1. Is the manner of choosing members of the House uniform in all the states? I. i. 1. Is there a special meaning in the expression "by the people of the several states"? Why could it not have been written "by the several states "? Compare I. ii. 1 and I. iii. 1. Who regulates the "time, place, and manner What are the meanings of the word elector? Give the meaning of 'qualifications'. See What are the qualifications "for electors of 4 1 By the Articles of Confederation, Congress had only one house. 2 Nearly all the existing state constitutions in 1787 provided two houses in the legislatures of the states. In seven, the name "senate" was used for the upper house, and in four the name "house of representatives was used for the lower. " 3 The meaning here is simply "voter." 4 The differences in qualifications for members of the lower house in the various states are very slight, although each state fixes the quali fications as it chooses. What qualifications must a representative have? I. ii. 2. Compare XIV. iii., Amendments. Do you find anything in the constitution as to how long a congressman must have been an inhabitant of the state from which he is elected? Study in the dictionary the difference between 'inhabitant' and 'resident'.' Define the word 'apportion'. Dictionary. What would be the relative number of representatives in the case of two states having respectively 500,000 and 2,000,000 inhabitants? What is the meaning of "those bound to ser- What is meant by "all other persons?" how often since then have others been 1 In England the members of the House of Commons do not have to be residents or inhabitants of the districts for which they are elected. In this country there have been a few instances of the election of a man who did not live in the district which he was elected to represent. But such cases are rare. 2 When the constitution was made in 1787, part of the states had slaves. The delegates of these states in the convention which made the constitution, claimed representation for the slaves. They wished the constitution so written that under the new government slaves would count as much as other persons in the number of representatives a state would have in Congress. The convention compromised and allowed slaves to be counted for three-fifths of their number. After the civil war, 1861-1865, the provision about "all other persons" was not needed. See Amendments, XIV. ii. 3 The first census of the United States began in August, 1790, and the Marshals of the judicial districts, under whose direction the work was done, were given nine months to complete their work. A new census has been taken every ten years, in 1800, 1810, 1820, etc. The eleventh one was, therefore, in 1890, |