We The People: The United States Constitution Explored and Explained

Descripción

From the Publisher HELLO This book is an exploration of the Constitution. We hope it will help you understand what it’s all about, and give you an overview of the practical details and an understanding of the greater philosophy that the U.S. government was built on. We have divided it into the different sections that appear in the original document. You will find some of the actual text from each article and amendment of the Constitution, plus stories and facts about each one. Today is a major time of change in our country. We want more people to take action around the things they believe in. You can do this through community involvement, politics, activism, and so much more. We believe in the power of anger and optimism. Resistance and action. Critique, celebration, and raised expectations. Most of all, we believe that having a deeper understanding of our Constitution can inspire change. Anyone can understand how the government works, and every single person has the power to get involved and make a difference. WITH LOVE FOR OUR COUNTRY AND A COMMITMENT TO CHANGE, Evan Sargent ARTICLE 5: AMENDING Article 5 tells us that the Constitution can be amended (changed), and explains how. “The congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments..." The process is fairly simple. But don’t let the simplicity fool you—it’s very difficult to make an amendment. In order to amend the Constitution, many people with many different opinions need to agree. Hello, debates! HOW DO WE AMEND THE CONSTITUTION? It’s complicated. Ready? FIRST: An amendment is proposed. This can be done in two ways: EITHER: Two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate come together to propose an amendment. OR: Two-thirds of the states call a convention at which amendments are proposed (this method has never been used). THEN: It’s ratified. Again, this can be done in two ways: EITHER: Three-quarters of state legislatures (Senate and House) agree and decide “yes” on the amendment. OR: Three-quarters of the states agree and decide “yes” on the amendment at ratifying conventions. (Only one amendment, the 21st, was ratified in this way.) PHEW! No wonder the Constitution only has 27 amendments of the 1100 that have been proposed! SOME AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED BUT NEVER RATIFIED WOULD: Permit immigrants to become president (currently only American-born citizens can become president). Set term limits for Congress (like the two-term limit we have for the president). Change the country’s name from the United States of America to the United States of Earth. And many, many more! 15th Amendment Today, the fight for voting equality continues. There are still obstacles set in place by politicians that make it hard for some people to vote or make their votes count. This is called voter suppression. GERRYMANDERING Gerry who? This funny word for a not-funny practice is named after Elbridge Gerry, who was elected governor of Massachusetts in 1810. He signed a bill that supported creating a voting district in the shape of a salamander, which benefited his political party. Gerry + salamander = gerrymander! SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN? Gerrymandering is a type of voter suppression, when a political group changes the borders of a voting district in order to change the outcome of an election. Sometimes the district has a really awkward shape, like Gerry’s salamander-shaped district. It’s usually due to systemic racism. Borders are drawn to keep all Black votes in one district, so that they don’t influence the results of other districts. This limits their voting power, and it’s not clear if it’s legal or not. What do you think? STACEY ABRAMS AND THE FIGHT AGAINST VOTER SUPPRESSION In Georgia, politician and activist Stacey Abrams is leading the fight against voter suppression. In some states, if someone’s ID card has recently expired or has a misspelling, they can be turned away from the polls. Certain states also restrict people from voting if they owe a fine for having committed a crime. What do you think about this? Sometimes rules like these are examples of blatant voter suppression. It’s important to keep a close eye on rules that restrict voting, because voting is one of the greatest tools we have to make our voices heard and opinions count.

Especificaciones