United States Constitution

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/united-states-constitution

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the location of original document?National Archives Museum, Washington, D.C
2. What is the year of constitutional convention?1787
3. What is the U.S. Constitution?The Constitution is the rulebook that explains how the United States is run. It was written in 1787 and signed on September 17, 1787. It sets up a federal system with three branches of government.
4. Why did the Constitution replace the Articles of Confederation?The Articles of Confederation were too weak, causing economic problems and disputes between states. The Constitution created a stronger national government to fix those issues. It helped the country run more smoothly.

Federalism: A system of government where power is divided between a national government and state governments.
Checks and Balances: A system where each branch of government has some authority over the others to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
Judicial Review: The power of the courts to review laws and actions of the government to determine if they are constitutional.
Supremacy Clause: Article VI of the Constitution states that the Constitution and federal laws are the supreme law of the land.