US Constitution Topic
30th August 2017
US CONSTITUTION TOPIC
Our resources will support you in teaching either of the specifications for the new politics A level.
In order to cover the topic of the US constitution comprehensively for both specifications, use our lesson powerpoints in conjunction with the activities, handouts and articles.
| AQA requirements | PEPED |
| The nature and significance of the US Constitution | Yes |
| · The significance of constitutional principles | Yes |
| · Framework of government laid down in the US Constitution | Yes |
| · Federal system of government | Yes |
| · Federal state relations | Yes |
| · Amendment process | Yes |
| · Debates concerning the importance of the US Constitution to the working of contemporary US government | Yes |
| · Protection of civil liberties and rights under the US Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Supreme Court rulings | Yes |
| Edexcel requirements | PEPED |
| The nature of the US Constitution | Yes |
| Vagueness of the document, codification and entrenchment. | Yes |
| The constitutional framework (powers) of the US branches of government. | Yes |
| The amendment process, including advantages and disadvantages of the formal process. | Yes |
| The principles of the US Constitution (as listed below) and an evaluation of their effectiveness today
· Federalism. · Separation of powers and checks and balances. · Bipartisanship. · Limited government. |
Yes |
| The main characteristics of US federalism. • The nature of the federal system of government and its relationship with the states | Yes |
| Interpretations and debates around the extent to which the USA remains federal today. | Yes |
| The extent of democracy within the US Constitution, its strengths and weaknesses and its impact on the US government today. | Yes |
Scheme of Work
Below is an example scheme of work, complete with flipped learning homework tasks to encourage independence and engagement with the content of the following lessons. This scheme of work would meet all criteria for either examination board.
| Key Question: How far does the US Constitution create a system of effective government? | ||
| Lesson | Objectives/Outcomes | Assessment Opportunities |
| 1. How significant is the US constitution? | • To understand the history of the American revolution
• To explain why the Articles of Confederation failed • To analyse the impact of the constitutional convention |
Application Task:
N/A Flipped Learning Preparation Task: Reading and Note Taking: Nature of the US Constitution Stretch & Challenge Task |
| 2. What type of government framework does the constitution establish? | • To analyse the US Constitution to discover the framework of the government it established
• To identify and exemplify the fundamental concepts the constitution is based on • To explore the areas of debate surrounding these fundamental concepts |
Application Task:
N/A Flipped Learning Preparation Task: Reading and Note Taking: Principles of the US Constitution and their effectiveness today (Edexcel Politics for AS & A Level, Pearson p327-330) Stretch & Challenge Task |
| 3. What principles are embedded in the constitution? | • To explain the key features of the US Constitution
• To analyse the principles of: • Separation of powers • Checks and balances • Federalism |
Application Task:
Explain the key principles of the US Constitution. (15) Flipped Learning Preparation Task: Reading and Note Taking: Characteristics of federalism (Edexcel Politics for AS & A Level, Pearson p330-332) Stretch & Challenge Task |
| 4. How does the federal-state relationship work? | • To understand the constitutional basis of federalism and the powers of the federal and state governments
• To explain the relationship between the federal government and the states • To examine examples of the impact of federalism |
Application Task:
How and why is federalism enshrined in the Constitution? (15) Flipped Learning Preparation Task: Reading and Note Taking: Extent of democracy within the Constitution (Pearson p332-334) Stretch & Challenge Task |
| INDEPENDENT STUDY: FEDERALISM
Learning Outcomes · To examine the origins of federalism · To identify the role of federalism in the constitution · To establish the significance of federalism in US government · To understand the changing relationship between the federal and state governments · To identify and explain the different phases of federalism · To examine how accurate “The era of big government is over” is as a description of federalism under Clinton · To examine to what extent “The era of big government is over” returned under George W Bush · To examine the impact for federalism under Barack Obama · To identify and explain the consequences of federalism |
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| 5. Why was the Bill of Rights added to the constitution? | • To understand the reasons why the Bill of Rights was added to the constitution
• To explain the consequences of the Bill of Rights being include • To analyse the extent to which there is debate over the nature of the Bill of the Rights |
Application Task:
What is the separation of powers, and does it help or hinder the US system of government? (15) Flipped Learning Preparation Task: The Amendment Process (Pearson p324-327) Stretch & Challenge Task What Rights Does the Constitution Protect? Our Constitution (p20-27) [5e.] |
| 6. How is the constitution amended? | • To explain the amendment processes
• To analyse the advantages and disadvantages of these processes • To evaluate the extent to which interpretative and practical amendments can also change the constitution |
Application Task:
How difficult is it to amend the US constitution? (15) OR Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the process of amending the Constitution. (15) Flipped Learning Preparation Task: The Adaptive Constitution (McKay p53-60) Stretch & Challenge Task Article: What is the scope of the Bill of Rights? |
| 7. How far are the rights contained within the constitution an effective guarantee of freedom?
|
• To explain the freedoms that are protected by the constitution
• To examine the balance between liberty and security • To evaluate how well these freedoms are protected |
Application Task:
To what extent is there disagreement about how effectively the Constitution protects freedom? (45) Flipped Learning Preparation Task: The American Constitution (McKay p44-53) Stretch & Challenge Task The Right of Privacy |
| 8. How much impact does the constitution have on contemporary US government? | • To explain how the constitution can create ‘gridlock’
• To debate the extent to which the constitution still influences contemporary government • To evaluate how far the constitution is in need of reform |
Application Task:
To what extent is the constitutional system of checks and balances an obstacle to effective government? (45) Flipped Learning Preparation Task: Strengths and weaknesses of the constitution (Pearson p334-336) Stretch & Challenge Task Article: America’s Fragile Constitution |
| 9. How far is the constitution anti-democratic? | • To identify and explain the strengths and weaknesses of the US constitution
• To assess how far the constitution is anti-democratic |
Application Task:
To what extent is the US constitution anti-democratic? (45) Flipped Learning Preparation Task: Revise for end of topic test Stretch & Challenge Task Make revision materials (e.g. mind map, revision cards) for the constitution topic |
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