3. The Constitution, Federalism & Rights

The Constitution (1787) is the supreme law of the land. It opens with the Preamble ('We the People...'), sets up the three branches, and explains how power is divided and limited.

A central design is federalism — power shared between the national government and the states:

• Federal powers: print money, declare war, regulate trade between states, run the postal service.
• State powers: run schools, hold elections, issue licenses, set up local governments.
• Shared powers: collect taxes, build roads, make and enforce laws.

The Constitution can be amended (changed). The first ten amendments are the Bill of Rights, protecting freedoms such as speech, religion, and the press (1st), the right to a fair trial, and protection from unreasonable searches (4th). Later amendments expanded rights — ending slavery (13th) and protecting voting rights (15th, 19th, 26th).

⚠️ Common misconception: amending the Constitution is hard on purpose. It takes a two-thirds vote of Congress and approval by three-fourths of the states.

💡 Tip: 'Bill of Rights = first 10 amendments' and 'federalism = shared national/state power' are two of the most tested facts.