- •We and the world community (student’s copy)
- •What is politics?
- •Active vocabulary
- •Political profile of a country
- •General knowledge quiz (State Structure of Great Britain, the usa and the Republic of Belarus)
- •Text 2 the state system of the united kingdom
- •Text 3 the usa political system
- •Definig democracy
- •Can one obama change everything?
- •Obama's victoiy: good news for russia?
- •The bill of rights
The bill of rights
The constitution written on 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 to rights of the individuals. The desired language 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 13th and 14th, which outlaw slavery and guarantee all citizens equal protection of the laws, and the 19th, 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.
1. Mark the statements as T (true) or F (false).
The Constitution of 1787 was ratified by the majority of citizens of the 13 US states.
The Bill of Rights guarantees the basic rights and freedoms for all American citizens.
All in all there 13 amendments to the Constitution in the Bill of Rights.
The Constitution can be amended on the initiative of the President on the USA.
Score 4
2. Choose the best alternative.
During the ratification of the Constitution many citizens got concerned …
… that no regulations of the rights and freedoms were included in the document.
… that the rights and freedoms were strongly restricted in the document.
… that the regulations on rights and freedoms were guaranteed only for men.
The Bill of Rights is a set of amendments which …
… regulates the relationships between the legislative and executive branches.
… guarantees the basic rights and freedoms for the citizens.
… guarantees the observance of law by the Constitution.
One of the most important amendment to the Constitution after the first 10 was that one …
… which outlaws slavery.
… which gave the right to own firearms.
… which guaranteed that no person could be searched with no good reason.
Women got the right to vote thanks to …
… the 17th amendment to the Constitution.
… the 14th amendment to the Constitution.
… the 19th amendment to the Constitution.
Score 4
Total score 46
GLOSSARY
WORD |
TRANSLATION |
WORD |
TRANSLATION |
A |
|
N |
|
acquire (v) adjudication (n)
amend (v) amendment (n) approve (v) assent (n) |
приобретать вынесение судебного решения вносить поправки поправка одобрять согласие |
natural-born citizen (n) |
уроженец |
B |
|
O |
|
bishop (n) bribery (n) |
епископ взятка |
outlaw (v)
|
объявлять вне закона |
C |
|
P |
|
chaplain (n) civil officer (n) commander-in-chief compile (v) complexity (n) concern (n,v)
consent (n) consider (v) constituency (n) conviction (n)
correlate (v) |
капеллан, священник госслужащий главнокомандующий составлять сложность забота, быть озабоченным согласие рассматривать избирательный округ убеждение, референдум соответствовать |
pray (v) preside (v) prorogue (v)
punishment (n)
|
молиться председательствовать назначать перерыв в работе парламента наказание |
D |
|
R |
|
deprive (v) dismiss (v) dissolve (v) |
лишать увольнять, распускать распускать |
resident (n) resign (v) |
постоянный житель уходить в отставку |
E |
|
S |
|
elaborate (v) empower (v)
enforce (v) |
разрабатывать облачать полномочиями проводить в жизнь |
search (v) slavery (n) statehood (n) submit (v) summon (v) |
обыскивать рабство государственность предоставлять созывать |
F |
|
T |
|
firearms (n) forbid (v) |
стрелковое оружие запрещать |
tax (n) therefore (conj) treason (n)
trial (n)
turnover (n) |
налог таким образом государственная измена судебное разбирательство товарооборот |
I |
|
U |
|
interpret (v)
impeachment (n)
imply (v) |
толковать, интерпретировать импичмент (вотум недоверия) воплощать |
uphold (v) |
поддерживать |
L |
|
V |
|
levy (v) |
облагать налогом |
vote (v)
|
голосовать |
M |
|
W |
|
misgiving (n)
mutual (adj) |
недоверие, недопонимание взаимный |
wag tongue(v) withdraw (n) witness (n) |
болтать языком отступать свидетель |