This unit is about the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution is the document that says here is how the government will run. Without it's guidelines, the government would not function and the country would be in chaos. Most organizations have a constitution of one form or another. A constitution protects the rights and responsibilities of the employer and employees, or in the case of a country, it's citizens.

Although the checks and balances system promised that no one group would become too strong in the central government, many people remained concerned about individual rights. For this reason, the first Congress added 10 amendments - known as the Bill of Rights - to the Constitution. These amendments guarenteed the basic rights of U.S. citizens. These included the right to free speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of assembly.

The Constitution aslo specifies how a person can become a citizen of the United States and lists the responsibilities of citizenship. These responsibilities include obeying authority, paying taxes, serving on juries, and serving in the military. The most crucial allows citizens to vote and become politically involved in other ways.

By the time you finish with this unit you will be able to:

From here you must begin with the reading section. The reading will focus on information you can find in your book and also sources from the Internet. After you are finished, move on the the Activities section. Make sure you have completed all the necessary work, check the Rubric page to make sure you are done.