1.

Do you think the constitution was meant to support national and state
and government?
Yes the constitution has supporters of both a federal and state because we support
the ideas of freedom. We support both state and federal government because we
wanted to make everyone equal. By doing this, the idea of federalism was supported.
Federalism is having a strong federal and state government.
Before the constitution was even considered an option, the colonies were split
between 2 different types of people. They were split into the Federalists and the AntiFederalists. The Anti-Federalists wanted the states to have more power over the
national government. They wanted this because they were afraid of the government
becoming into another monarchy, and they wanted a bill of rights. When the
constitution was written, what the Anti-Federalists wanted was written. In Article 4, it
states that the documents in one state are good in another state, people can travel from
state to state, congress has the power to admit new states, and the U.S. government
promises to protect the states. This gave the states their own sense of power. In
Amendment 10, it also states that powers that are not given to the federal government
are given to the states, which is called reserved power. They also got a bill of rights
which allowed certain rights to the citizens. This allowed for the Anti-Federalists to get
their own say in what was happening in the states so that they could feel equal in
comparison to the federal government.
The Federalists wanted a strong central government. They supported the idea of a
constitution. They thought a constitution would provide protection, maintain order,
regulate trade, and guarantee their rights as citizens. They were unhappy with the time
when the articles were in place, otherwise called the critical period. When the
constitution was written, the Federalists were happy with what it brought. In articles
one through three, it mentions how leadership is brought and distributed into the three
branches. In article one it explains how the legislative branch is divided into the House
of Representatives and the senate. It goes onto explain their terms and qualifications
for a more organized sense of government. It also goes onto say about what powers
Congress has and doesnt have, and what powers the states are given. In article two, it
explains the how the executive branch is divided between the President and the Vice
President and their terms and qualifications. It also goes onto explain the powers that
the President has, his duties, and the reasons to be impeached and removed from office.
When federalism is brought into play, it must be divided into 3 different groups.
Some powers are given to just the federal government. These powers are called
enumerated powers. Example of these powers are coining money, declaring war, making
treaties, creating a military, and regulating trade. Some powers are given just to the
state government. These powers are called reserved powers. Some examples of these
powers are having a license to get married or to go hunting or fishing, and education.
The other way power is given is both to the state and federal government. These

powers are called concurrent powers. Examples of these powers are taxing,
commencing with trials, enforcing laws, making laws, and borrowing money.
Conclusion
2. Do you think flexibility makes the Constitution stronger?
Flexibility is strength to the Constitution because it allows the Constitution to change
as we change. Flexibility is the ability for our Constitution to change as we change.
There are three ways that our government can be flexible. There is the necessary and
proper clause, adding amendments, and interpretation.
The first way flexibility occurs is by the Necessary and Proper Clause. This implies
that congress can make any law that they feels is needed. This is a power stated in
Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution. This is important to help the Constitution be
flexible because making laws that are adapted to society may help citizens function
better in their daily lives.
The next way flexibility occurs is by adding amendments. Adding amendments to the
Constitution has been done 17 times (Amendments 13, 14, 15, 19, 18, and 21). This
power is stated in Article 5. This is important to help with flexibility because by adding
amendments it may help society along with the way the government function and what
it may and may not do.
The final way flexibility occurs is by interpretation. This is when courts interpret
cases and laws. In the 1870 case, Plessy v Ferguson, they decided that they were
separate but equal, which is called segregation. In the 1954 case, Brown v Education,
they decided that separate isnt equal.
Conclusion
3. Do you think the Constitution limits powers and also protects rights?
Yes I do believe that our constitution does limit power and protect our rights. It does
this in 5 different ways. These ways are separation of powers, popular sovereignty,
federalism, checks and balances, and the bill of rights. Separation of Powers is to divide
the power of government up. Popular sovereignty is to let the people rule. Federalism
is having a strong federal and state government. Flexibility is the ability for out
constitution to change as we change. Checks and balances is the way in which each
branch can watch over the other branches and stop them from getting too much power.
Separation of powers is to divide the power of government up. It is divided into two
ways. These ways are between the three branches (legislative, executive and judicial)
and between the three levels of government (federal, state, and local). It divides the
power up into the three branches to equal out the power that is distributed to each part
of the government. It limits power between the three levels of government to make
sure that not one level is given to little or too much power.

Popular sovereignty is to let the people rule. This limits power by allowing people to
vote and choose officials, allowing people to run for office, and setting up the House of
Representatives so that is looks like our country in a sense that each state is assigned so
many representatives based on population. Each of these things allows the people to
have a say in what goes on in the government around them and so they may play a role
in helping themselves and others.
Federalism is having a strong federal and state government and when it is brought
into play, it must be divided into 3 different groups. Some powers are given to just the
federal government. These powers are called enumerated powers. Some powers are
given just to the state government. These powers are called reserved powers. The
other way power is given is both to the state and federal government. These powers are
called concurrent powers. Each of these divisions helps to limit power in a similar way;
by giving the federal government and the state government and equal amount of power
so that not one part of government can over rule the other.
Flexibility is also another way to limit and protect out rights. Flexibility is the ability
for our Constitution to change as we change. The first way flexibility occurs is by the
Necessary and Proper Clause. This implies that congress can make any law that they
feels is needed. This is a power stated in Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution. The
next way flexibility occurs is by adding amendments. Adding amendments to the
Constitution has been done 17 times (Amendments 13, 14, 15, 19, 18, and 21). This
power is stated in Article 5. The final way flexibility occurs is by interpretation. This is
when courts interpret cases and laws. These all help limit power in a sense that as our
society changes and as our government changes we can always incorporate laws or
changes laws into helping a new sense adapt.
The next way that the Constitution limits and protects our rights is by the checks and
balances system. The checks and balances system is a way that each branch can watch
over each other and stop one branch from getting to much power. This limits power by
making sure that not one branch of government gets to much power over the others.
The final way that the Constitution limits and protects our rights is by the Bill of
Rights. The Bill of Rights consists of the first ten amendments of the Constitution.
These include things such as: Freedom of religion and speech, rights to bear arms, no
quartering of troops, no illegal searches and seizures, rights of the accused, rights of
trial, rights to a jury in a civil trial, rights that are not written down, and reserved
powers. These help to limit power because they help society adapt to how laws function
in our everyday lives. It is one of the main factors in why our government works as well
as it does.