NAME    DATE    CLASS 

Guided Reading netw rks

The Constitution

Lesson 2  Government and the People

ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How do new ideas change the
way people live?

The Federal Government

Answering Questions  As you read the section, answer the

questions below.

1. Explaining  Explain the primary function of each of the

branches of the federal government.
Legislative- Make laws Executive- Enforce laws Judicial- Evaluate laws

2. Analyzing  Why did the Framers give different duties to

each branch?
The Framers feared entrusting one section of government with the majority of the
power so they created the separation of powers

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3. Describing  What are the purposes of the laws Congress
passes?
To carry out the process of keeping America and its citizens safe and in place

4. Naming  Which branch of the legislature is made up of 100

members, 2 from each state?
The Senate
NAME    DATE    CLASS 

Guided Reading  Cont. netw rks

The Constitution

5. Describing  In addition to the president's main job of

administering the laws passed by Congress, what other
duties does the president have?
Negotiate trade, direct foreign policies, and name ambassadors

6. Defining  What is the power of judicial review?

It is the power to decide if a law is unconstitutional.

7. Explaining  How many courts does the Constitution

create? Where do the other federal courts come from?
The Constitution only creates the Supreme Court although other federal courts
come from

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NAME    DATE    CLASS 

Guided Reading  Cont. netw rks

The Constitution

What It Means to Be a Citizen

Determining Cause and Effect  Citizens have rights but

they also have duties and responsibilities. Fill in the chart to
define duties and responsibilities. Then consider what might
happen to our government and communities if citizens did not
fulfill some basic duties and responsibilities.

DUTIES: RESPONSIBILITIES:
What would What would
Duty happen if you Responsibility happen if you
didn’t? didn’t?
Follow laws too many people disobey Vote chosen by small group,
laws, no order in society

Sit on a no juries would affect Respect rights others might not respect
jury right to a trial by jury, fair of others your rights
trial

Pay taxes Wouldnt be enough Educate You will not know how to
money for projects yourself on make good choices when
programs, as building you vote
government

2. Explaining  What is due process? What might happen if

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the Constitution did not guarantee this right?
Constitutional protection against unfair governmental actions and laws. If the
Constitution didn't guarantee this, the government could virtually pass anything
they wanted.

3. Listing  List the three main categories of rights that

citizens enjoy.
1) the right to be protected from unfair actions of government, 2) to have equal
treatment under the law, and 3) to have basic freedoms.