THE BILL OF RIGHTS

The constitution written in Philadelphia in 1787 could not go into effect until it was ratified by a majority of citizens in at least 9 of the 13 US states. During this ratification process, misgiving arose. Many citizens felt uneasy because the document failed to explicitly guarantee the rights of the individuals. The desired was added in 10 amendments to the Constitution, collectively known as the Bill of Rights.

The Bill of Rights guarantees Americans freedom of speech, of religion, and of press. They have the right to assemble in public places, to protest government actions, and to demand change. There is a right to own firearms. Because of the Bill of Rights, neither police officer nor soldiers can stop and search a person without good reason. Nor can they search a person’s home without permission of a court to do so. The Bill of Rights guarantees a speedy trial to anyone accused of a crime. The trial must be jury, if requested, and the accused person must be allowed representation by a lawyer and to call witnesses to speak for him or her. Cruel and unusual punishment is forbidden. With the addition of the Bill of Rights, the Constitution was ratified by all 13 states and went into effect in 1789.

Since then 17 other amendments have been added to the Constitution. Perhaps the most important of these are 13^th and 14^th, which outlaw slavery and guarantee all citizens equal protection of the laws, and the 19^th, which gives women the right to vote.

The Constitution can be amended in either two ways. Congress can propose amendment, provided that two-thirds of the members of both the House and the Senate vote in favor of it. Or the legislatures of two-thirds of the states can call a convention to propose amendments. (This second method has never been used) in either case a proposed amendment does not go into effect until ratified by three-fourth of the states.

IV.A. Mark the statements as T (true) or F (false).

1. The Constitution of 1787 was ratified by the majority of citizens of the 13 US states.

2. The Bill of Rights guarantees the basic rights and freedoms for all American citizens.

3. A police officer or soldiers can stop and search a person with a good reason.

4. All in all there are 13 amendments to the Constitution in the Bill of Rights.

5. The Constitution can be amended on the initiative of the President on the USA.

Score 5

IV.B. Choose the best alternative.

1. During the ratification of the Constitution many citizens got concerned …

a) … that no regulations of the rights and freedoms were included in the document.

b) … that the rights and freedoms were strongly restricted in the document.

c) … that the regulations on rights and freedoms were guaranteed only for men.

2. The Bill of Rights is a set of amendments which …

a) … regulates the relationships between the legislative and executive branches.

b) … guarantees the basic rights and freedoms for the citizens.

c) … guarantees the observance of law by the Constitution.

3. One of the most important amendment to the Constitution after the first 10 was that one

a) … which outlaws slavery.

b) … which gave the right to own firearms.

c) … which guaranteed that no person could be searched with no good reason.

4. Women got the right to vote thanks to …

a) … the 17^th amendment to the Constitution.

b) … the 14^th amendment to the Constitution.

c) … the 19^th amendment to the Constitution.

5. Congress can propose amendment, provided that …

a) … two-thirds of the members the Senate vote in favor of it.

b) … two-thirds of the members of the House and the Senate vote in favor of it.

c) … two-thirds of the members of the House vote in favor of it.

Score 5

Total score 30

• QUIZ SUPPLEMENT

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE QUIZ
(State Structure of Great Britain, the USA and the Republic of Belarus)

1. The Constitution of ... a) the United States; b) Great Britain; c) the Republic of Belarus ... grants all the legislative powers of the federal government to the Congress.

2. The only non-elected second chamber in the parliament in the world is ... a) the Council of the Republic of Belarus; b) the Senate; c) the House of Lords

3. a) The House of Representatives; b) the House of Lords; c) the Senate ... has 100 members.

4. One-third of ... a) the House of Lords; b) the Senate; c) the Council of the Republic of Belarus ... is elected every two years.

5. The Vice President is the presiding officer in the ... a) House of Representatives of the Congress; b) Senate; c) House of Commons.

6. The House of Commons is presided over by ... a) the Lord Chancellor; b) the Speaker; c) the Prime Minister

7. The executive power is exercised by the Council of Ministers in ... a) the Republic of Belarus; b) the USA; c) Great Britain

8. The Council of the Republic of Belarus consists of ... a) 110 deputies; b} 64 deputies; c) 435 deputies

9. The judicial branch in the USA is headed by ... a) the Constitutional Court; b) the Supreme Court; c) the federal court of appeal.

10. The judicial system is the most complicated in ... a) the Republic of Belarus; b) the USA; с) Great Britain.

11. "Front-benchers" are the leading members of ... a) the party in power; b) both parties; c) all existing parties ... in the House of Commons.

12. The President is elected for a term of four years and can be re-elected for another term but not longer in … a) the Republic of Belarus; b) the United States; c) Great Britain.

13. The absolute power of the British monarchy has been progressively reduced ... a) in the process of political evolution, b) in the Magna Carta; c) by the Constitution adopted by the Parliament.

14. The US Constitution was adopted in ... a) 1620; b) 1787; c) 1861

1. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party in ... a) Belarus, b) Great Britain; c) the USA.

16. There's no universal legal system in ... a) Belarus; b) Great Britain; c) the USA

17. The President is the chief executive in ... a) Belarus; b) Great Britain; c) the USA

18. The term of office of the Parliament members of different chambers is the same in ... a) Belarus; b) Great Britain; c) the USA

19. The Supreme Court determines whether the laws and official enactments correspond to the Constitution in ... a) Belarus; b) Great Britain; c) the USA

20. The upper chamber of Parliament isn't elected in ... a) Belarus; b) Great Britain; c) the USA

21. "Convention" means a set of rules and practices which are regarded as vital for the operation of the government in ... a) Belarus; b) Great Britain; c) the USA

22. "Convention" means the congress of the party's representatives to nominate the candidate for the highest post of the state in ... a) Belarus; b) Great Britain; c) the USA

23. The ... a) Labor; b) Liberal; c) Conservative party of Great Britain traces its origin back to the Whigs.

24. The Democratic Party was founded by ... a) George Washington; b) Thomas Jefferson; c) Abraham Lincoln.

25. Most of Belarusian electorate ... a) don't support any party; b) back the Communist party of Belarus; c) favor the Belarusian Popular Front.

26. "Union Jack" is the name of the national flag of ... a) Belarus; b) Great Britain; c) the USA

27. Each part of ... a) Belarus; b) Great Britain; c) the USA ... has its own patron saint and national emblem.

28. The flower of ... a) shamrock; b) leek; c) flax ... is used in the ornament of the Belarusian national emblem.

29. The "Stars and Stripes" was adopted as a national flag of the USA in ... a) 1782: b) 1777 c) 1864

Date: 2015-04-20; view: 1084