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Nature and Features of the US Constitution GapFill

Target Level
C
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0
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Firstly, the US Constitution is  debatedcodifiedclearstrict. This means that everything is written down in one place, in contrast to the British Constitution. Therefore, the US Constitution is the  sourcecentredebatedoverview of political power in the USA. The Constitution is also  legaljusticiableuncodifiedjustifiable. Over time, this has led to the Supreme Court  clearingpoliticisingrewritinginterpreting the Constitution as it alone decides whether or not actions and laws are constitutional.

Secondly, the Constitution is  entrenchedwrittenunimpeachableclear. This means that it is very difficult to amend the Constitution, which, itself, is protected by Article  VIIIVVII, which states that the Constitution can be amended only with two thirds of Congress or state conventions voting in favour of a proposed amendment and then either three fourths of state legislatures or state conventions ratifying the amendment. This process ensures that US Constitution is protected from any populist and short-term emotional amendments, such as the  Right to Bear ArmsProhibitionEqualityCongressional Pay Amendment, which was later repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment. As it stands, the Constitution has been amended  28292627 times, with  910811 amendments being passed at the same time in 1791.

Thirdly, the US Constitution is both specific and vague. Its vagueness is exemplified in the  poignantstretchedelasticspecific clause which gives the Federal Government the authority to stretch its powers beyond the  debatedconcurrentimplicitenumerated powers within the Constitution. However, its specificity is shown within the  TenthSeventhSixthFirst Amendment, which states that  reservedimpliedstretchedgiven powers are powers which are reserved for the states if not explicitly given to the US Constitution.

Fourthly, there a number of  reasonedenumeratedconcurrentquestioned powers as the framers of the Constitution were very keen to ensure that power was not held by one branch of government only.

Finally, as if to confuse things further, Article VI contains the  PrimacyPowerOverarchingSupremacy Clause, which asserts that legitimate national law takes precedence over any competing state law.  

This is your 1st attempt! You get 3 marks for each one you get right. Good luck!

Pass Mark
72%