9.The us Constitution

The members of the Constitutional Convention signed the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Constitutional Convention convened in response to dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation and the need for a strong centralized government. After four months of secret debate and many compromises, the proposed Constitution was submitted to the states for approval. Although the vote was close in some states, the Constitution was eventually ratified and the new Federal government came into existence in 1789. The Constitution established the U.S. government as it exists today. The C. sets up a strong division of powers, classifying governmental powers as executive, legislative and judicial. It consists of the preamble, 7 articles, and 26 amendments. The Preamble establishes the fact that the federal government has no authority outside of what follows the preamble, as amended. "We the people", is one of the most-quoted sections of the Constitution. Amending the Constitution is a two-part process: amendments must be proposed and then they must be ratified. Amendments can be proposed one of two ways. The only way that has been used to date is through a two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Congress. Unlike many other constitutions, amendments to the U.S. constitution are appended to the existing body of the text without altering or removing what already exists. The Constitution has a total of 27 amendments. The first ten, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously. The following seventeen were ratified separately. The amendments that became the Bill of Rights address the rights of freedom of religion freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of petition,

prohibit the government from using private homes as quarters for soldiers during peacetime without the consent of the owners, guard against searches, arrests, and seizures of property without a specific warrant or a "probable cause" to believe a crime has been committed, the protection against ‘cruel’ punishments. The constitution and the Bill struck a balance between 2 conflicting aspects of Am. politics – the need for a strong efficient central authority and the need to ensure individual liberties.

10.The Southwest. 4 states: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. The Southwest is drier than the adjoining Midwest in weather. The population is less dense and, with strong Spanish-American and Native-American components, more ethnically varied than neighboring areas. Outside the cities, the region is a land of open spaces, much of which is desert. The magnificent Grand Canyon is located in this region, as is Monument Valley. Arkansas. The early French explorers of the state gave it its name. Joined the Union in 1836, was the 25th state. Arkansas is a beautiful land of mountains and valleys, thick forests and fertile plains. The Ozark and Ouachita mountain ranges in northern and western Arkansas are known as the Highlands; the southern and eastern parts of Arkansas are called the Lowlands. Arkansas' mineral and hot spring waters are well-known. Agriculture: Poultry and eggs, soybeans, sorghum, cattle, cotton, rice, hogs, milk. Industry: Food processing, electric equipment, fabricated metal products, machinery, paper products, bromine, vanadium. Louisiana, named in honor of the French King Louis XIV. It was admitted to the Union as the 18th state in 1812. A strong French influence is still evident throughout the state. Situated in the Deep South, Louisiana lies where the mighty Mississippi empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Tourists visit New Orleans for the city's festive Mardi Gras, the old French Quarter and the city's jazz clubs. Oklahoma. In 1889, Congress opened up 2 million acres for white settlement (it was previously open only to Native Americans who were forced to leave their homelands), and the first of a number of land runs began. In 1907, Oklahoma became the 46th state in the Union. Oklahoma is a major fuel and food-producing state. Thousands of oil and natural gas wells dot the Oklahoma landscape. Millions of white-faced beef cattle graze on Oklahoma's flat plain and low hills. Fertile fields produce vast crops of wheat.  The name Texas is a Spanish name, which comes from an Indian word meaning "friends" or "allies." The Republic of Texas achieved its independence from Mexico in 1836. It became the 28th state in 1845. Texas is the second largest state. Today Texas is a major producer of oil. Cowboys with their 10-gallon hats have long been a symbol of the state. Agriculture: Cattle, cotton, dairy products, nursery stock, poultry, sorghum, corn, wheat. Industry: Chemical products, petroleum and natural gas, food processing, electric equipment, machinery, mining, tourism.

12. The Midwest. The Great Lakes Industrial Belt. The Midwest is known as the nation's "breadbasket." The fertile soil of the region makes it possible for farmers to produce abundant harvests of cereal crops such as wheat, oats, and corn. 5 states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The Great Lakes region is distinguished for significant contributions in natural resources, political economy, technology and culture. The lakes hold almost one fifth of the world's surface freshwater. Illinois. "Land of Lincoln," because it's where the 16th president was raised. Became the 21st state in 1818. At the northern edge of the state on Lake Michigan lies Chicago, the nation's third largest city. The rest of the population lives in the smaller cities and on the farms that dot the state's gently rolling plains. Indiana. "land of the Indians." It joined the Union in 1816 as the 19th state. A state of mostly small towns and midsize cities. Its largest city and capital is Indianapolis, where the nation's most famous auto race, the Indianapolis 500, is held each year. Indiana has broad, fertile plains and is a part of the Corn Belt. Agriculture: Corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle, dairy products, eggs. Industry: Steel, electric equipment, transportation equipment, chemical products, petroleum and coal products, machinery. Michigan "large lake." in 1837, Michigan became the 26th state in the Union. One of the nation's leading manufacturing states and it leads in the production of automobiles. Detroit, Michigan's largest city, is called the Automobile Capital of the World or Motor City. M. touches four of the five Great Lakes - Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior. Ohio, a major producer of machines, tools, and other products, is one of the leading industrial states. O. is an Iroquois word meaning "great water." As part of the Midwestern Corn Belt, agriculture also plays an important role in the state's economy. Wisconsin. The state's name is an English version of a French adaptation of an Indian name said to mean "the place where we live." In 1634, Frenchman Jean Nicolet became Wisconsin's first European explorer. The French controlled the area until 1763, when it was ceded to the British. In 1848, Wisconsin was admitted as the 30th state. Clean lakes, rolling hills, quiet valleys, deep forests and cool, pine-scented breezes. Wisconsin is first in the country in the production of milk, cheese, and butter.