3-16 The U.S. Constitution

After the Revolutionary War, when the thirteen colonies had won their independence from Great Britain, a plan for the new nation was needed.  In 1787, fifty-five delegates, or leaders, met at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to write the U.S. Constitution.  The writers of the Constitution wanted to make sure that the new nation and its citizens would be free and independent.

The Constitution is a written document that tells about the rights and freedoms of the American people.  The U.S. Constitution tells how the United States government works.  It is the rule book of America.

The introduction, or beginning words, of the U.S. Constitution are called the Preamble.  It tells the reasons why the Constitution was written.  The Preamble begins with the words, "We the people..."

The Constitution states that the U.S. government shall have three branches, or parts.  The three branches of government in the United States are the President, Congress, and the Supreme Court.  They work together to run the country.

The Constitution also has a Bill of Rights, which are the first ten amendments in the Constitution.  The Bill of Rights protect the rights of all U.S. citizens.  Freedom of speech is one of these protected rights.

The men who wrote the U.S. Constitution are sometimes called the "Founding Fathers".  Some of these men were George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and James Madison.  The original Constitution is kept in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Use the above information to complete the following statements.

1.  The U.S. was written in 1787.

2.  The Constitution was written in , Pennsylvania.

3.  The writers of the Constitution wanted to make sure the new nation and its citizens would be and independent.

4.  The Constitution tells how the United States works.

5.  The Preamble or beginning of the Constitution begins with the words, " the ."

6.  The Constitution states that the U.S. Government will be run by the President, , and the Supreme Court.

7.  The Bill of Rights protects the of all U.S. citizens.

8.  The men who wrote the Constitution are the called the " ."