How to Understand the Constitution

The United States Constitution is one of the most amazing and enduring legal documents ever created. It was written in 1787. The Bill of Rights was added in 1791. Since the Bill of Rights was added the Constitution has been amended only 17 times. It is a document that has stood the test of time because the Founding Fathers wrote it in broad terms but also created enough structure in our governments to give America a sound foundation upon which to build. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Do not feel badly if the idea of understanding the Constitution seems overwhelming to you. Remember that Supreme Court justices debate and argue the meaning of words in the Constitution.

2. Take it slowly. If you really want to understand the Constitution and all its nuances, it will take a while.

3. Search on the Internet for resources regarding the Constitution. There is at least one site, listed below, geared toward teaching kids about the Constitution. It is a great resource for understanding the fundamentals of what's included in the Constitution, including the text of the document and a summary of the various sections.

4. Recognize that the Constitution has seven Articles. They concern: 1) the Legislative branch; 2) the Executive branch; 3) the Judiciary; 4) the States; 5) amending the Constitution; 6) debts of the government at the time the Constitution was written and supremacy of the Constitution as the law of the land; and 7) how many states needed to ratify the Constitution before it became law.

5. Recognize that each branch of government has checks and balances in order to apportion power among the three branches somewhat evenly. For example, Congress has the power to declare war, but the President is the Commander-in-Chief of the military. Congress has the power to create laws, but the judiciary interprets the laws and determines if laws are Constitutional. Congress has the power to investigate and impeach the President for malfeasance.

6. Understand that the Bill of Rights grew out of a compromise at the Constitutional Convention. Because the Constitution did not enumerate specific rights granted to the people, some delegates to the Convention would not agree to ratify the Constitution unless promises were made to include the Bill of Rights at a later time.

7. Know that many of our important freedoms are enumerated in the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights guarantees freedoms like freedom of religion, free speech, the right to be free from arbitrary search and seizure, the right to counsel and not to incriminate yourself when charged with a crime. The 9th Amendment also explains that just because a right isn't stated explicitly in the Bill of Rights does not mean that right does not exist.

8. Appreciate that the 13th Amendment abolished slavery and the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote.

9. Acknowledge that even the United States Supreme Court justices don't always agree what rights are enumerated in the Constitution and don't always agree what is included in the implicit privacy rights that exist in the Constitution.

10. Know that although our government has flaws, it is still an example of much that is right in governing a nation. Abraham Lincoln described our government as the "last, best hope" in his 1862 Annual Message to Congress. Even when the United States falters on its path, it is a symbol of hope to many nations and peoples around the world.

Tips & Warnings

• The Constitution's system of checks and balances is fundamental to the federalist system since the states also retained power despite the establishment of a strong central government under the Constitution.
• If you want to understand more about the right to privacy search the Internet for information about Supreme Court decisions that discuss this implicit right.