TITLE: CONSTITUTIONAL SCAVENGER HUNT
AUTHOR: Betty Haile, Central Mid-High; Norman, OK
GRADE LEVEL: 9
MATERIALS:
1 copy of the exercise for each student
American History text
Constitution
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
There are a number of ways to use this exercise:
1. Individual - Each person answers the questions
alone
2. Group - A good number is between 3 and 5 members
a. Each group divides the exercise into an
equal number of questions for each member,
OR
b. Each member works on the whole exercise and
collaborates on the answers
c. One answer sheet for each participant,
OR
d. One answer sheet for the whole group
(cuts down on grading)
e. Bonus points may be awarded to the first
group(s) to finish
3. When helping a group/individual, give only the
Article, Section, Clause
4. For remedial readers, page numbers and/or the
Article, Section, Clause may be inserted on the
question sheet
CONSTITUTIONAL SCAVENGER HUNT
Look up the following information as quickly as
possible:
1. Who is the "father of the Constitution"?
2. The essays urging ratification during the New York
ratification debates were known
as:________________________
3. Name two authors of "The Federalist Papers".
4. How many states were required to ratify the
Constitution before it could go into effect?
5. Which were the last two states to ratify (after
the new government had already begun to function)?
6. How often is the number of congressional districts
per state determined?
7. According to Article I, Section 2, of the
Constitution, how were slaves to be counted when
determining the number of congressional districts
per state?
8. Who has the sole power of impeachment?
9. Who has the sole power to try officials who have
been impeached?
10. When the president of the U.S. is tried for
impeachment, who presides at the trial?
11. According to the Constitution, a writ of habeas
corpus may not be suspended except under what
conditions?
12. The first article of the Constitution places
limits on the states. Name one.
13. Name two congressional limits on the President
according to the Constitution.
14. Which article of the Constitution defines the
powers of the President?
15. For what office mentioned in the Constitution must
a person be a natural-born citizen?
16. Name three powers of the President as stated in
the Constitution.
17. Which branch(es) of the federal government is
responsible for establishing lower federal courts?
18. What is the Vice-President's only constitutional
responsibility?
19. What is the only condition specified by the
Constitution concerning the nature of state
governments?
20. What is the only crime defined by the
Constitution?
21. What does the Constitution require to convict a
person of treason?
22. How does Article VI of the Constitution resolve
possible conflicts between state laws and federal
laws?
23. What does Article VI say about administering
religious tests to candidates for public office?
24. When is it possible for a constitutional
convention such as the Convention of 1789 to
occur?
25. Can the president introduce, ratify, or veto a
constitutional amendment?
26. What are the first ten amendments to the
Constitution called?
27. There are five basic rights mentioned in the First
Amendment. Name three.
28. Name five of the rights guaranteed to all citizens
in the Bill of Rights.
29. What does the tenth amendment say about the
delegation of powers to the states?
30. Which amendment established the federal income
tax?
31. The Nineteenth Amendment, which gave women the
right to vote, passed in what year?
32. People who fought for the passage of the
Nineteenth Amendment were called
______________________.
33. According to the Twentieth Amendment, if the
President-elect dies before the beginning of
his/her term, who becomes President?
34. Name the only amendment that specifically repeals
another amendment?
35. What was the purpose of the most recent amendment
to the Constitution?
36. The argument that "anyone old enough to fight for
his country, is old enough to vote" secured
passage of what amendment?
37. What is the term (number of years) served by a
member of the House of Representatives?
38. What is the term served by a member of the Senate?
39. What is the minimum age for a Representative?
40. What is the minimum age for a Senator?
41. What is the minimum age for a President?
42. Name the amendments that banned slavery, declared
all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. to be
citizens, established due process and equal
protection under the law, and established suffrage
for black Americans.
43. What is the exception to the Thirteenth
Amendment's abolition of involuntary servitude?
44. The Twenty-fifth Amendment says a president unable
to discharge the powers of his/her office must
declare this in writing to two people. Who are
they?
45. Which branch of government is given constitutional
responsibility for regulation of trade?
CONSTITUTIONAL SCAVENGER HUNT -- ANSWER KEY
1. Text: James Madison
2. Text: The Federalist Papers
3. Text: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay
4. Text: 9
5. Text: Virginia, New York (North Carolina, Rhode
Island)
6. ArtI, Section 2, Clause 3: Every 10 years
7. 3/5
8. Article I, Section 2, Clause 5: House of
Representatives
9. Article I, Section 3, Clause 6: Senate
10. Article I, Section 3, Clause 6: Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court
11. Article I, Section 3, Clause 2: rebellion or
invasion
12. Article i, Section 10: no treaties, no coining of
money, etc.
13. Article I, Section 9, Clause 7; Section 7, Clause
3: impeachment; amount of money to run
government; 2/3 vote overrules veto, etc.
14. Article II, Section 2
15. Article II, Section 2, Clause 5: President
16. Article II, Section 2: Military, treaties &
appointments, filling vacancies
17. Article III, Section 1: Congress (Legislature)
18. Article I, Section 3, Clause 4: President of the
Senate
19. Article IV, Section 4: republican form of
government
20. Article II, Section 3: treason
21. Article II, Section 3, Clause 2: 2 witnesses to
same act or a confession in public court
22. Article VI, Section 2: federal laws are the
supreme law of the land
23. Article VI, Section 3: there shall be no test
24. Article V: 2/3 of both houses, 2/3 of the state
legislatures
25. Article V: No; no; no
26. Bill of Rights
27. Religion, speech, press, assembly, redress of
grievances
28. To keep and bear arms; no quartering of troops,
freedom from search and seizure, double jeopardy,
trial by jury, speedy trial, no cruel or unusual
punishment
29. Powers not delegated to the U.S. nor prohibited
too the states, are reserved to the states.
30. 16
31. 1920
32. Text: Suffragettes
33. Section 3: Vice President Elect
34. 21 repeals 18
35. Amendment 27: Compensation of Legislature
36. 26
37. Article I, Section 2, Clause 1: 2
38. Article I, Section 3, Clause 1: 6
39. Article I, Section 2, Clause 2: 25
40. Article I, Section 3, Clause 3: 30
41. Article II, Section 1, Clause 5: 35
42. 13; 14; 5; 15
43. Punishment for crime, after conviction
44. President Pro-Tem of the Senate; Speaker of the
House of Representatives
45. Article I, Section 8, Clause 3: Congress
(Legislature)
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