The+Constitution

**Unit: The Constitution**
 * AP United States Government and Politics**        **Mr. O'Reilly**

//Click the Link Below for the Class Power Point on The Constitution//       wilson_ch02.ppt //Class Documents, Handouts and Articles for The Constitution Unit// Confederation to Constitution.ppt

//Articles//      The Constitution of the United States from the National Archives       The government's site on the U.S. Constitution provided by the National Archives. Philisophical Underpinnings of U.S. Government      Here you will find all of the key writings of political philosophers and framers of the Constitution that lay the basis for republican government as set forth by the United States Constitution. James Madison, Founder of the Constitution      Excellent background on the "Godfather of the Constitution." Holy Sheet: The Evolution of the Constitution from Dubious Document to American Bible.      An interesting perspective on the Constitution before it was considered legitimate. //Videos//      The Constitution: Fixed or Flexible?       This program examines the search for balance between the original Constitution and the need to interpret and adjust it to meet the needs of changing times. It explains the original Jeffersonian-Madisonian debate, the concept of checks and balances, and the stringent procedures for amending the Constitution. montesquieu.rm Michael Oreskes, executive editor of the International Herald Tribune (IHT) and co-author of the book, "The Genius of America: How The Constitution Saved Our Country and Why It Can Again," explains how baron de Montesquieu’s views of democracy influenced the framers of the U.S. Constitution. **Discussion Questions**        • Who was baron de Montesquieu? What impact did he have on the development of the U.S. Constitution? • What is democracy? Which form of democracy is outlined in the U.S. Constitution? Explain Montesquieu’s vision of democracy. • How did the framers of the Constitution like James Madison, go “beyond Montesquieu?” According to Mr. Oreskes, why did Madison believe including a Bill of Rights in the Constitution was unnecessary? • After the framers completed the Constitution in 1787, how did people react to the document? What did Madison and the other framers do in response?