The Congress passed a law organizing the national courts. President Washington appointed the judges. The Senate approved them.

The Congress placed a tax on goods coming into the United States from other countries. The tax money helped the new Government to meet its expenses. The Congress no longer had to ask the States for money to carry on the work of the Nation.

BASIC IDEAS OF GROUP LIFE WHICH WE FIND IN THE

CONSTITUTION

The Fathers of the Constitution wrote the basic ideas of all group life into the Constitution. Let us examine the Constitution and see whether we can find them.

(1) The Constitution says that the final authority belongs to the people. But the people have delegated some of their authority to the National Government. For example, the Congress is given authority to make certain laws. The President is given authority to carry out the laws. The national courts are given certain authority which we shall study in another chapter.

(2) The Constitution tells the purposes of the National Government. The purposes are listed in the opening sentence of the Constitution. The people wanted to form "a more perfect union" and to do certain other things.

(3) The Constitution says how the National Government is to be organized. It tells how the Members of the Congress are to be elected. It gives the way in which the President and the judges of the national courts are to be chosen.

(4) The Constitution divides the authority to govern between the National Government and the State governments. Both the National Government and the State governments are to continue. Neither can put an end to the other. The Constitution, therefore, tells how the two are to work together. It explains how the three branches of the National Government are to get along together. It says what they must do when they cannot agree. It tells how quarrels among the States are to be settled.

BASIC PRINCIPLES IN THE NEW CONSTITUTION

The Constitution was built upon certain basic principles. Certain things were understood. The Fathers of the Constitution did not quarrel about them.

(1) It was understood that all of the States would be equal. What one State may do, every State may do. The National Government cannot give special favors to one State.

(2) It was agreed that there should be three branches of the Government. There would be one branch to make the laws, another to enforce the laws, and a third to settle questions of law that might come up.

(3) It was understood that all persons are equal before the law. Every person, whether rich or poor, can demand that the law protect him in the exercise of his rights under the law.

(4) The new Government was to be a government of laws and not of men. No person was to be above the law. This means that no officer of the Government can use any authority unless the Constitution or law permits it.

(5) It was understood that the people could change the authority of the Government by changing the Constitution. The Fathers of the Constitution set up the way by which it may be done. For example, the people changed the Constitution to say that Senators shall be elected by a direct vote of the people.

(6) It was agreed that the Constitution, the laws, and the treaties of the United States are law. They are the highest law of the land. A State constitution or a State law that does not agree with them cannot be enforced in the national courts.

It was also understood that the new National Government would be a government of the people and not of the States alone. The government under the Articles of Confederation was a government of the States. The Government under the Constitution is a government of the people and of the States.

THINGS TO DO

Put the correct word in each open space:

1. The Fathers of the Constitution sent it to the States for a vote and in each State the vote was taken in a of delegates. The Constitution went into ef

fect when it was accepted by

vention in the State of

cept the Constitution.

States. The conwas the first to ac

2. The Constitution says that the Congress shall be made

3. The Constitution says that the

ity belongs to the people. The people have

It says that
Our first

author

some of their authority to the National Government.

4. The opening sentence of the Constitution tells the of the Constitution and the National GovernThe Constitution tells how the National Government is to be

ment.

5. Under the Constitution all of the States are The Fathers of the Constitution agreed that there should branches in the National Government.

be

Questions to ask and answer in your study group:

1. Can you name a group you know in which the authority belongs to a number of persons? Do you know a group in which all of the authority belongs to one person ?

2. Has authority been passed along to you in any of the groups to which you belong? Do you lead in any of your groups? Why must we have wise persons to lead in a democracy?

3. Why should every good citizen in this country know something about his Government groups? Make a list of the basic principles on which the citizens agree. Name the basic principles about which the Fathers of the Constitution did not quarrel. Give examples of some of them.

CHAPTER VI

Early Changes in the Constitution and Government

"The American Government is often spoken of as a government based on faith in majorities.

...

But the Government is never handed over to the absolute [complete] control of the majority."

-Thomas M. Cooley.

No constitution or government can remain without changes for 165 years. Time brings new needs. The wants of the people change. The Fathers of the Constitution intended that it should be used for many years. But they knew that changes would be necessary.

THE WAYS OF CHANGING THE CONSTITUTION

The Constitution sets out two ways by which changes may be suggested. It also sets out two ways by which suggested changes may be approved by the people. These are listed in Article V of the Constitution.

A change or amendment must be suggested. It must be written out in good form. It must be prepared for a vote. Either House of the Congress may suggest an amendment. But two-thirds of the Members in each House must approve it.

The Constitution was prepared by a convention. The people may prefer that a suggested amendment be prepared in a convention. The Constitution says, therefore, that amendments may be prepared in that way. If the legislatures of two-thirds of the States request it, the Congress must call a national convention to prepare a suggested amendment. Thus far, no amendment has been prepared by a national convention.

After a suggested amendment has been passed by the Congress, it must be ratified (accepted) by the States.