Government: Constitution Study Guide

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Listed below in bold are the content statements from Ohios New Learning Standards for 4th grade social studies that we have covered. Below is information that students should know for the test. Additional explanations can be found in social studies notebook, articles in social studies folder and Mrs. Schrotes social studies webpage including Ohio as America online text Unit 2: Chapter 6, Scholastic Constitution link, and Study Stacks vocabulary practice. Effective Participants in a democratic society engage in compromise. We live in a democratic society. Compromise is an agreement in which both sides give up something they want. Law can protect rights, provide benefits and assign responsibilities. Laws are rules that govern a group of people. Know that a right is a protected freedom. Examples of Rights: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Press, Freedom of Religion, to vote Know that a responsibility is a duty that citizens have. Examples of responsibilities: jury duty, obey laws, and pay taxes, to vote Good citizens participate in rights and responsibilities. The U.S. Constitution establishes a system of limited government and protects citizens rights: five of these rights are addressed in the First Amendment. The First Amendment is the first amendment in the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights contain the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution that guarantee basic rights of citizens and limit the power of the federal government. The First Amendment includes 5 freedoms. Freedom of Speech allows citizens to voice their ideas. It can be spoken or in e-mail, artwork, clothing or hairstyle. Free speech has limits. For example, you shouldnt hurt or threaten others with your words.

Freedom of the Press allows Americans to publish factual information in places such as newspapers and websites without having the government censor or remove it. Freedom of Religion guarantees that Americans can practice any religion that they choose or none at all. Freedom of Assembly allows people to gather peacefully to express or defend their beliefs. This includes protesting by speaking out against things they dont agree with. Freedom to Petition the Government means to make a formal written request to the government by sending a letter or email to make a complaint or address a problem. A constitution is a written plan for government. Democratic constitutions provide framework for government in Ohio and the United States. A constitution is a written document for a government that states how it is organized and how its power is assigned. A democracy is a form of government in which political control is held by all the people either directly or through their elected representative. The United States and Ohio have democratic constitutions. Our constitutions limit the power of the government. The Ohio Constitution and the U.S. Constitution separate the major responsibilities of government among three branches. The reason that we have three branches of government is because the writers of the constitution did not want one person or group to have too much power so they separated the governments power into three parts or branches. This is called a system of checks and balances. Each branch has certain powers to check the other branch and make sure that the power is balanced among them. The Ohio Constitution is based on the U.S. Constitution.

Legislative Branch Makes/ Passes Laws

Executive Branch Carries Out and Enforces the Laws Ohio Governor

U.S. Congress

Ohio U.S. General Assembly President

Judicial Branch Interprets and Applies the Laws According to the Constitution U.S. Ohio Supreme Court