The Florida ConstitutionWhat’s in it?

While exploring the PowerPoint complete

the focused notes activity!

• _____ identify the purposes of a

constitution (provides a framework

for government, limits government

authority, protects the rights of the

people).

• _____ recognize the basic outline of

the U.S. and Florida constitutions

(both have articles, amendments,

and preambles).

• _____ compare the amendment

process of the U.S. and Florida

constitutions.

• _____recognize the U.S.

Constitution as the supreme law of

the land.

****At the end of this lesson, I will be able to do the following:

Before we start…

amendment

article

constitution

Florida Declaration of

Rights

preamble

suffrage

Define these terms….

Purpose…….What is the purpose of the

Florida Constitution?

• Provides a framework of

government

• Limits government authority

(cannot become too powerful)

• Protects the rights of the people

Introduction of the Florida Constitution

Preamble:We, the people of the State of

Florida, being grateful to

Almighty God for our

constitutional liberty, in

order to secure its benefits,

perfect our government,

insure domestic tranquility,

maintain public order, and

guarantee equal civil and

political rights to all, do

ordain and establish this

constitution.

Does the US Constitution

have a preamble?

https://www.youtube.com/w

atch?v=mKPmobWNJaU

Refresher…….

Popular sovereignty is the principle that the

authority of the

government is created

and sustained by the

consent of its people,

through their elected

representatives, who are

the source of all political

power.

“We the people”

Both get power from the

people!

Sections of the Florida State Constitution

ARTICLES

• Twelve Articles

• Individual sections

that deal with

different subjects

• Together they

outline the state

government and

citizens' rights

Articles in Florida

Constitution …

There are 12

articles in

the Florida

Constitution

The United States

Constitution

has only 7 articles!

Article I – Declaration of RightsSome of Florida's Bill

of Rights

• Freedom of speech

• Freedom of the press

• Equal protection of the laws

• Right of a jury trial

• Right to bear arms

• Freedom of worship

• Other traditional American liberties.

The Declaration of Rights is the

part of the Florida Constitution

that lists the basic rights

guaranteed to all citizens who

live in the state

Article II — General Provisions

• Creates the state's boundaries

• Describes three branches of government

• Authorizes a state seal and flag

• Makes Tallahassee the state capital

• Includes code of ethics

• Makes English the official language in Florida

• Protects and conserves Florida's natural resources and beauty.

Article III — Legislative

• Establishes a House

and a Senate

• Requires that states

budget and plan how

to spend their money

• Requires a budget

stabilization or

"rainy day" fund for

emergencies

Article IV — Executive• Governor and Lieutenant

Governor

• Creates Florida's Elected Cabinet…Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Agriculture

• Authorizes up to 25 executive departments

• Requires the establishment of:– the Fish and Wildlife

Conservation Commission

– Department of Veteran Affairs

– Department of Elderly Affairs

Article V — Judiciary

• Establishes four levels of state courts

• Tells how judges will be chosen

• Provides for election of clerks of Circuit Courts, state attorneys, and public defenders

• This Article is where the state courts derive (get) their power from.

Article VI — Suffrage and Election

• Specifies dates of general elections and qualifications to vote

• Disqualifies convicted felons and the mentally incompetent from voting

• Provides the form of an oath administered to persons registering to vote

• Limits certain state officials terms

Article VII — Finance and Taxation

• All taxes and appropriations to be provided by the Legislature

• Taxing authority and exemptions

• Restricts annual increases in state revenues

• Prohibits state personal income tax and limits inheritance taxes

Article VIII — Local Government

• Creates state authority to establish, abolish or change counties and municipalities

• Specifies their powers and requires that county officials include:– County commissioners

and a separately elected clerk, sheriff

– Tax appraiser

– Tax collector

– Supervisor of elections

Article IX — Education

• Establishes a system of public schools, institutions of higher learning and other public education programs

• The Board of Education, appointed by the governor, supervises this system

• Specifies one school district per county and district leadership.

Article X — Miscellaneous

Carries 27 sections including:

• Authority to have a state militia

• Protection from court seizure of one's home

• State lottery

• Public ownership of lands under navigable waters

• Workplaces without tobacco smoke

• Prohibition of medical licenses after repeated medical malpractice

Article XI — Amendments• Creates five ways to

amend Florida's

Constitution

• Establishes a Tax

and Budget Reform

Commission

• Reviews the state's

tax and budget laws

• How does this differ

from how we amend

the US Constitution?

FIVE Ways to Amend the Florida Constitution….

Can you remember the US Constitution Amendment

process?

IMPORTANT: “We the People” do not directly vote on new

amendments, and the President does not vote on or veto any

amendment.

Article XII - Schedule

This article explains

the complex process

for moving from the

1885 Florida

Constitution to the

1968 (the latest)

Florida

Constitution.

Remember… Supremacy Clause

United States Constitution: Article VI: “This Constitution, and the laws of the United

States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall

be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the

land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution

or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.”

Federal

Law is

supreme

over

state law!

Compare the Florida and US Constitution…United States Constitution Florida Constitution

Drafted in 1787

Begins with “We the People”….

Shows that the federal government

gets its power from the citizens.

Shorter than the Florida

Constitution

Seven articles

1 (large) page

Contains a Bill of Rights

27 Amendments

Written as a “living document” to be

interpreted over time

Contains the Supremacy Clause

which says that the Constitution is

the highest law of the land.

Originally written in 1838

Starts with “We, the people of the

State of Florida”

Current constitution ratified in

1968 (must be reviewed every 20

years)

Longer than the US Constitution

12 articles

80 pages

Contains the Florida Declaration of

Rights

Written as a “living document” to be

interpreted and changed

LOTS of Amendments

Addressed public education, motor

vehicles and elections

Deals with day to day issues that

impact state residents

How are the Florida

Constitution and the

United States

Constitution alike?

How are they

different?

Compare and

Contrast

Practice Question #1

Which part of the Florida Constitution

protects individual rights?

A. Declaration of Rights

B. Bill of Rights

C. Amendments

D. Preamble

Practice Question #2The Venn diagram below compares some features of the U.S.

and Florida Constitutions?

A. created property taxes

B. established a zoning board

C. required a balanced budget

D. guaranteed individual freedoms

Which feature

completes the

Venn diagram?

Practice Question 3The headline below describes an action by citizens.

What conclusion

can be drawn

from the

headline?

A. Citizens can be involved in policy making through their

representatives.

B. Citizens can be directly involved in policy making.

C. Only elected officials may change constitutions.

D. Only elected officials make policy.