Some music videos about the independence of the USA

Here you have some musical videos that explain the USA independence process:

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR

- From Schoolhouse Rock, No More King!: 

USA CONSTITUTION

This song explains the Preamble of the Constitution:

Another song about the Preamble, called We The People:

A rap that explains the content of the Constitution:

 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION 

- A school version of Taylor Swift's song Shake it off that explains the Bill of Rights: 

The Bill of Rights in hip hop style:

The Bill of Rights rap:

- Another very funny school project from McAlpine Elementary School in Charlotte Mecklenburg, North Carolina, USA:

This is another song by another crazy history teacher, which explains why the Bill of Rights was included in the Constitution:

The 27 amendments to the USA Constitution.

Amendments to the USA Constitution

Source: http://cyfair3.schoolwires.net/194820511192225410/lib/194820511192225410/_files/Amending.jpg

As we studied last Friday, the USA Constitution written in 1787 continues to be in force. This is an important difference between Spain, where we´ve had seven different Constitutions and two more projects along history. But this doesn´t mean that the USA Constitution hasn´t been modified several times. This is what we call "amendments". Twenty-seven amendments have been included in the USA Constitution since 1787. The first ten amendments formed the Bill of Rights, which recognizes rights such as freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly and petition, the right to keep and bear weapons, the right to have a fair trial and not to declare if this could incriminate oneself. Other transcendental amendments were. 

- the 13th Amendment (1865), which abolished slavery and servitude 

- the 15th Amendment (1870), which gave the right to vote to non-white people 

- the 18th Amendment (1919), which established Prohibition of producing, buying and selling alcohol. This one was abolished with the 21st Amendment in 1933

- the 19th Amendment (1920), which gave women the right to vote

- the 26th Amendment established the right to vote for those aged 18 or more.

Many of these amendments referred to suffrage, because the USA don´t have a national electoral law. Every State has different laws for elections and that´s why they had to include general rules that have to be applied everywhere. 

Since 1787 more than 9,000 amendments to the Constitution have been proposed, but only 27 have been accepted. The last one (the 27th) was made in 1992.

Here you have a complete list of the 27 amendments: 

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights.html

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_amendments_11-27.html

This is the process to amend the Constitution: 

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/usconstitution/a/constamend.htm

And here you have another link to the proposed amendments that haven´t been ratified for different reasons: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constitution

Finally, here you have two videos made to learn the amendments: 

- the first one was made by two boys who create songs about different school topics. They are called Smart Songs and this is their video about the Bill of Rights: 

- And this one was made by a student called Mike Simmons. You can read the lyrics below the video on Youtube: 

Would you dare to do something similar about a different topic?

The checks and balances system in the USA Constitution

Source: http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/lesson_13_notes.htm

Here you have some additional information to learn more about the system of checks and balances designed in the USA Constitution to prevent abuse of power. This short video explains how every branch of power controls the other ones and how there is also a balance between the power of the Federal Government and the power of the States: 

And this is a more extended document: 

http://americanhistory.about.com/od/usconstitution/a/checks_balances.htm

Update: Reform of the Constitution

Source: http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/mora010911.html

Last Friday a majority of  deputies of the Congress voted for the reform of the Spanish Constitution. The majority parties (PSOE and PP) reached an agreement to reform Article 135. This article referred to the debt and loans the State can get. The new writing of the article includes a limit to the possibility of the State and Autonomous Communities of getting into debt and obtaining loans. The limit (debt ceiling) will be established in a  subsequent Organic Law. The majority parties have decided that the deficit of the Spanish administrations can´t be more than 0.4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This loans and public debt limit tries to satisfy the demands of austerity and deficit control of the EU and to appease the so-called markets (investors for some, speculators for others). 

This reform has been very controversial, because limiting the possibility of getting debts can mean the restriction of public investments and social expenses. The way the reform has been made has also caused a lot of protests. Two deputies of the PSOE voted against the reform and the minority parties consider that the constitutional consent has been broken, because the majority parties have decided the reform by themselves and very urgently. These parties criticize that there won´t be a referendum to ask the population for their opinion about the reform. 

Here you have the text of article in English before the reform:

http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sp00000_.html#A135_

And this is the new article in Spanish: 

http://politica.elpais.com/politica/2011/08/26/actualidad/1314314619_582841.html

The reform has to pass in the Senate as well. 

Challenge number 14

Source: http://valdeperrillos.com/lacebolla/palabras-constituciones

This week you will have to research on the constitutional history of Spain. The questions you will have to answer will refer to Constitutions and Statutes of Autonomy. 

QUESTION 1

What was the first Constitution of Spain´s history? What popular name did it receive? Why?

QUESTION 2

How many Constitutions has Spain until present? Name them. 

QUESTION 3

There were two projects of Constitution in the 19th century that didn´t come into force. Which ones?

QUESTION 4

What has been the Constitution in longest force in Spain´s history?

QUESTION 5

Who were the "fathers" of the present Constitution?

QUESTION 6

What was the first Statute of Autonomy approved in Spain? 

Some explanations that can help you to find the correct answers: 

- "To be in force" means "to be in effect, operative, working". In this context it means "to be in use".

- On question 6, don´t think only in the recent history of Spain. 

You can find the answers to all these questions in any good book of history about Spain. If you have elder sibligs, ask them. They may help you : )

Source: http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/averroes/centros-tic/21700368/helvia/bitacora/index.cgi?wIdPub=7

Some more articles of the Constitution

Source: http://angelodemonio.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/dia-de-la-constitucion-espanola/

There are some other articles of the Constitution that you may find interesting. It would be interesting that you analyze if what is written in the Constitution has a real translation in reality: 

ARTICLE 35 

1. All Spaniards have the duty to work and the right to work, to the free election of profession or office career, to advancement through work, and to a sufficient remuneration to satisfy their needs and those of their family, while in no case can there be discrimination for reasons of sex.

2. The law shall regulate a statute for workers.

ARTICLE 47

All Spaniards have the right to enjoy decent and adequate housing.  The public authorities shall promote the conditions necessary and establish the pertinent norms to make this right effective, regulating the use of land in accordance with the general interest to prevent speculation.

The community shall share in the increased values generated by urban activities of public bodies.

 If you want to read other articles of the Constitution, here you have the complete text both in English and Spanish: 

http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/sp00000_.html

http://www.tuabogadodefensor.com/01ecd193df1195501/01ecd193df1296d13.html

Languages in the Spanish Constitution

Spanish official; spoken all over the country   Catalan/Valencian, co-official   Basque, co-official   Galician, co-official

Aranese, co-official (dialect of Occitan)   Asturian andLeonese, recognised   Aragonese, recognised   Extremaduran, unofficial   Fala, unofficial

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Spain

Today we have talked about some features of the Spanish State and the present Constitution. We have had an interesting debate about the different languages spoken in the country. Here you have the article of the Constitution about languages, which reflects the reality of the country and establishes that all the languages spoken in the country are official:

ARTICLE 3

1. Castilian is the official language of the State. All the Spanish people have the duty to know it and the right to use it.

2. The other languages of Spain will also be official in the Autonomous Communities according to their Statutes.

3. The richness of the different languages of Spain is a cultural heritage that will have to be respected and protected. 

The different Statutes of the Autonomous Communities have been written taking the Constitution into account and they have been approved by the citizens. Galician, Catalan and Basque are official languages in the respective Autonomous Communities and this variety of languages reflects a rich cultural background inherited from the different peoples who lived in the Iberian Peninsula. 

Here you have some data about the number of speakers of the different languages of Spain: 

Catalan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalan_language

Galician

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galician_language

Basque 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_language

Asturian /Bable

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asturian_language

Aranese

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aranese_language

And here you have some links to learn the different languages of Spain on line: 

Catalan

http://www.parla.cat/pres_catalaenlinia/AppPHP/login/index.php

http://www.parlacatala.org/

Galician

http://e-galego.cesga.es/inicio.htm

Basque

http://www.euskalkultura.com/euskera?language_sync=1

http://www.gazteaukera.euskadi.net/r58-2243/es/contenidos/informacion/xtra_euskara_aprende/es_1844/xtra_euskara_aprende_c.html#internet

Challenge number 12

As we have been studying this week, some of the features of democracies are the practice of universal suffrage and a supreme law called Constitution, that includes the rights and duties of citizens and the explanation of the organization of the State and its insitutions. This week´s research will be focused on suffrage and Constitutions. 

QUESTION 1
How do we call the limited suffrage, reserved only to the people who have a specific economic status?


QUESTION 2

What was the first Spain´s Constitution to include universal male suffrage?

When was universal male suffrage definitively established in Spain?

QUESTION 3

When were women allowed to vote in Spain? Who was the deputy responsible for defending women right to vote in Spain? 

What happened during  Franco´s dictatorship with the women right to vote?

QUESTION 4

Here you have a scene of Mary Poppins, a film you may have seen many times. Watch it and answer the question below: 

What´s a suffragette?

QUESTION 5

What was the first written Constitution of the world? What type of suffrage did it include?

QUESTION 6

Amendements are corrections or changes made to the Constitution of a country. Here you have a cartoon that reflects the first 10 amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America. 

Source: http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips/bor.html

What have been the most important amendments made in the Constitution of the USA related to voting? Explain them.