US constitution vs Colorado constitution essay

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You will now compose an essay in which you will report on the key similarities and differences between your state constitution and the U.S. Constitution. This comparison will focus on government structure and civil liberties protections.

four components of the essay:

  • Discuss general similarities and differences between your state constitution and the U.S. Constitution (in terms of government and document structure).
  • Report on whether your state constitution includes a statement or bill of rights. Summarize the kinds of rights that are protected. How do they compare with the protections in the U.S. Bill of Rights?
  • Drill down to the specific right to privacy. Why is the right to privacy important? Is it explicitly mentioned in your state constitution? What are the exact words? Evaluate the scope of privacy protection offered—does it provide more, or less, protection than the U.S Constitution’s implied right to privacy?
  • Assess the merit of explicit versus general constitutional language in the protection of rights. Is one more preferable than another? How does the language in your state constitution compare to the language in the U.S. Constitution?

tools: http://www.stateconstitutions.umd.edu/Search/Searc... (constitution searcher: look up COLORADO)

(outline example: you dont have to make an outline but you can if you want to plan the writing)

A detailed outline for this component could be structured this way:

  1. Discuss general similarities and differences between your state constitution and the U.S. Constitution
    1. Document Structure
      1. Similarities
        1. preambles in both
        2. articles in both
      2. Differences:
        1. state has more articles than U.S.
        2. state is much longer than U.S.
    2. Government Structure
      1. Similarities
        1. three branches
        2. bicameral legislatures
      2. Differences
        1. legislatures have different names
        2. jurisdiction of courts is different

Depending on your personal preference, you could write the outline and then write that component of the essay, or you could complete an outline for the entire prompt and then write all of the components at once.


I have attached the rubric, and attached a sample essay from a students comparing the US state constitution to Hawaii.


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Comparing Hawaii’s State Constitution to the U.S. Constitution: A Comparative Analysis Sample Student Connections Academy Legislative language used to craft constitutional documents can be intentionally restrictive or open to interpretation to give governments parameters for interpreting laws to appropriately regulate society. State constitutions are generally more detailed than the U.S. Constitution. This is not to say that there are not similarities between what is contained in the state constitutions and the federal Constitution. For example, Hawaii’s constitution and the U.S. Constitution both include a preamble that lists general rights afforded to the people of Hawaii and, alternatively, the United States. Both constitutions contain articles specifying the powers of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. State constitutions tend to diverge from the federal Constitution in outlining the rights and responsibilities of local entities. Hawaii’s constitution has 18 articles compared to 7 in the U.S. Constitution. Within these articles are more detailed topics such as how the state deals with elections, taxation, local government, public health, and conservation policies. This comparative analysis will discuss the Hawaiian constitution to the U.S. Constitution in terms of the similarities and differences in their bill of rights and a comparison of their provisions for protection of privacy rights. The U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights and the Hawaii State Constitution’s Bill of rights are similar in their approach to outlining citizen’s protected rights. Like the U.S. Bill of Rights, Hawaiians are specifically guaranteed freedom of religion, speech, assembly, and petition. For example, in article 1.4 of the Hawaiian Bill of Rights, “No law shall be enacted respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” This is reflective of the article three of the U.S. Bill of Rights which declares that, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting © 2016 Connections Education LLC. All rights reserved. the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” As a second point of comparison, protections are guaranteed for due process for citizens accused of crimes in both bills of rights. For example, Hawaiians are protected against discrimination and are promised equal protection under the law. In article 1.5 of the Hawaii Bill of Rights it states, “No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor be denied the equal protection of the laws, nor be denied the enjoyment of the person's civil rights or be discriminated against in the exercise thereof because of race, religion, sex or ancestry.” This echoes article 7 of U.S. Bill of Rights which states, “No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury…nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law….” Hawaii, like many states adopted inalienable rights from the U.S. foundational documents, which proliferated the model of democracy for their societies. Yet, a key difference between Hawaiian foundational documents and the U.S. constitution is that the Hawaiian constitution goes into much more detail about civil liberties. Like the Declaration of Independence, but not directly stated in the U.S. Constitution, Hawaiians are guaranteed the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As noted in the previous paragraph, equal rights between the sexes are also guaranteed. This is not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution after the Equal Rights Amendment failed to gain approval from the necessary 38 states in the 1980s.(U.S. History, n.d.) Segregation is specifically outlawed in the Hawaiian constitution as is imprisonment for debt. Finally, the people of Hawaii are guaranteed access to records of © 2016 Connections Education LLC. All rights reserved. persons who committed certain crimes against children within its Bill of Rights. All-inall, the Hawaiian constitution goes into greater detail in terms of the rights afforded to its citizens (Hawaii State Constitution, article I). Another difference between the U.S foundational and Hawaiian foundational documents is the right to privacy, which is implied within the U.S. Constitution but stated explicitly in Hawaii’s. This right is important since it protects people against unnecessary interference from the government as long as they are following the law and not harming others. The right to privacy is stated in Article I, Section 6 of the Hawaiian state constitution: “The right of the people to privacy is recognized and shall not be infringed without the showing of a compelling state interest. The legislature shall take affirmative steps to implement this right (Hawaii State Constitution, article I, section 6).” The state is not only specific about privacy being a guaranteed right, but it also compels the state legislature to protect the right when necessary. In addition to listing privacy as a state right, the website on which Hawaii’s state constitution can be found lists examples of how the Hawaiian state court system has interpreted this section. This is different from the fourth amendment to the Constitution which abstractly implies the right to privacy by protecting citizens from “...unreasonable searches and seizures…” by providing protection for “…people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects….” These differences reflect the freedom of states within a federalist system to adopt the spirit or letter of U.S. Constitutional principles as determined necessary for their individual populations. Therefore, specific documents used to govern society harness legislative language to outline rights and limitations which are in some cases prescribed or open to interpretation © 2016 Connections Education LLC. All rights reserved. to evolve with the needs the people and historic times. Hawaii’s state constitution is clearly more specific and detailed than the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Constitution’s general language is necessary since there are fifty states that can get more specific about the rights of their citizens. Since the United States encompasses such a large amount of territory, certain states should be free to list out certain rights. Hawaii strikes a good middle ground in terms of privacy and general versus specific language. While it is mentioned as a right, the Hawaiian constitution does not get into excessive detail about what privacy rights entail. This is left to the court system. Therefore, Hawaii’s constitution does provide more comprehensive protections to the right of privacy as opposed to the U.S. Constitution, but also remains malleable to adapt and serve its citizens. © 2016 Connections Education LLC. All rights reserved. References Hawaii Bill of Rights, article I Hawaii State Constitution, article I. U.S. Bill of Rights, article VII U.S. Constitution, amendment I. U.S. History, 57c. The Equal Rights Amendment. Retrieved from http://www.ushistory.org/us/57c.asp © 2016 Connections Education LLC. All rights reserved. Sample Outline I. Legislative language used to craft constitutional documents can be intentionally restrictive or open to interpretation to give governments parameters for interpreting laws to appropriately regulate society. Discuss general similarities and differences between your state constitution and the U.S. Constitution A. Document structure 1. Similarities a. preambles in both – Yes, U.S. Constitution has 6 specific parts of the Preamble; HI also has a Preamble w/ state motto – 4 main phrases (We reserve the right to control our destiny, to nurture the integrity of our people and culture, and to preserve the quality of life that we desire. We reaffirm our belief in a government of the people, by the people and for the people…) b. articles in both – All 3 branches (but appear in different places – I, II, III vs. III, V, VI) 2. Differences: a. State has more articles than U.S. (18 in HI vs. 7 in U.S.) b. State is much longer than U.S. (Bill of Rights directly in articles, elections, taxation, local government, public health, conservation policies) B. Government structure 1. Similarities a. Three branches C. Thesis statement: This comparative analysis will discuss the Hawaiian constitution to the U.S. Constitution in terms of the similarities and differences in their bill of rights and a comparison of their provisions for protection of privacy rights. II. U.S. Bill of Rights compared to the Hawaii Bill of Rights – Protection of citizen rights A. Article I (Bill of Rights) B. Similarities: freedom of religion, speech, assembly, petition, press, due process rights, unreasonable searches and seizures, grand juries, probable © 2016 Connections Education LLC. All rights reserved. cause, double jeopardy, excessive bail, speedy trial, bear arms/state militia, eminent domain, III. Civil liberties in the in Hawaii vs. U.S. foundational documents Differences: life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, equality between the sexes, no segregation, must be $5,000 for trial by jury, no imprisonment of debt, marriage, public access to persons who committed offenses vs. children and other sexual offenses IV. The Right to Privacy A. Importance: As long as people are following laws and are not harming anyone else, they should be free to pursue their interests and make their own choices without interference from the government. B. Article I, Section 6 of HI constitution: The right of the people to privacy is recognized and shall not be infringed without the showing of a compelling state interest. The legislature shall take affirmative steps to implement this right. C. Article I, Section 7: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches, seizures and invasions of privacy shall not be violated V. Explicit vs. general constitutional language & conclusion A. Hawaii’s constitution is clearly more specific than the Constitution B. Constitution’s general language is necessary since there are 50 states that can get into more detail based on their region of the country and culture. C. Hawaii has a good middle ground in terms of privacy. While it is specifically mentioned as a right, the HI Constitution does not get into detail about what rights are guaranteed vs. which ones are not, allowing the court system to interpret. a. Hawaii’s constitution does provide a more specific protection of privacy rights, though not necessarily “comprehensive” © 2016 Connections Education LLC. All rights reserved. Name Date Comparing State and U.S. Constitutions Portfolio Rubric Directions: Use the rubric below as a guide in writing and revising your essay. Criteria (Weight) Ideas/Purpose (× 2) Excellent (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor (1) The comparison between the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution is clearly stated for each element of the prompt. The comparison between the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution is stated for each element of the prompt. The comparison between the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution may be unclear for one element of the prompt. The response strongly supports the comparison with specifics from the documents (articles, amendments, etc.). The response mostly supports the comparison with specifics from the documents (articles, amendments, etc.). The response provides basic support for the comparison with specifics from the documents (articles, amendments, etc.). The comparison between the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution is unclear for more than one element of the prompt. © 2016 Connections Education LLC. All rights reserved. The response has little or no support for the comparison with specifics from the documents (articles, amendments, etc.). Points Awarded Criteria (Weight) Analysis (×2) Excellent (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor (1) The response contains a clear and fully developed analysis of the similarities and differences between the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution in terms of government structure, document structure, bill of rights, privacy, and language. The response contains an adequate analysis of the similarities and differences between the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution in terms of government structure, document structure, bill of rights, privacy, and language. The response contains a basic or weak analysis of the similarities and differences between the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution in terms of government structure, document structure, bill of rights, privacy, and language. The response contains a limited analysis of the similarities and differences between the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution in terms of government structure, document structure, bill of rights, privacy, and language. Comprehension (×2) The response shows a strong understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution. The response shows an adequate understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution. The response shows a basic understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution. The response shows a limited understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution. © 2016 Connections Education LLC. All rights reserved. Points Awarded 2 Criteria (Weight) Word Choice (×2) Organization (× 1) Excellent (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor (1) The vocabulary is clearly appropriate for the audience and purpose. The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the audience and purpose. The vocabulary is somewhat appropriate for the audience and purpose. The vocabulary may not be appropriate for the audience or purpose. Words are used effectively. Most words are used effectively. Writing is rich with a variety of academic and domain-specific words. Writing shows an adequate use of academic and domain-specific words. The word choice is weak or ineffective. There are multiple errors in word choice. Writing shows a weak use of academic and domain-specific words. Writing shows limited or no use of academic or domainspecific words. There is a clear and effective organizational structure. There is an organizational structure. The organizational structure is inconsistent. There is little or no organizational structure. The introduction and conclusion are effective. Ideas are organized logically. The introduction and conclusion are adequate. Ideas are organized logically, though a few ideas may be out of place. The introduction and conclusion are weak or not present. Points Awarded There is no introduction or conclusion. Ideas are limited or extraneous. Some ideas are extraneous or out of place. © 2016 Connections Education LLC. All rights reserved. 3 Criteria (Weight) Conventions (× 1) Citations (x1) Excellent (4) Good (3) Fair (2) Poor (1) Points Awarded There is a strong There is a command of general conventions. command of conventions. Punctuation, Punctuation, capitalization, capitalization, and spelling are and spelling are consistently mostly correct. correct. There is a partial There is a command of limited conventions. command of conventions. Punctuation, Punctuation and capitalization, capitalization are and spelling are mostly inconsistent or incorrect. weak. There are multiple errors Errors in conventions may in spelling. occasionally Errors in interfere with conventions meaning. often interfere with meaning. All references are cited clearly and accurately. References are cited inconsistently. There are some errors in reference citations. Most references are cited accurately. Few or no references are cited. There are multiple errors in reference citations. 0 points: No evidence of ability to demonstrate targeted skill. Total points: © 2016 Connections Education LLC. All rights reserved. /44 4 Comments © 2016 Connections Education LLC. All rights reserved. 5
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THE US CONSTITUTION VS COLORADO STATE CONSTITUTION

The key similarities and differences between the Colorado state constitution and the U.S.
Constitution.

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THE US CONSTITUTION VS COLORADO STATE CONSTITUTION

The constitution of the United States inaugurates with a phrase simply known as “We the
People”. Nonetheless, this trio of easy and straightforward words coupled with the ideology it
stands for has shaped the entire country. The three simple words create a short phrase which
indicates that the document as well as the government is founded by the citizens. There have
been ample and rampant discussions in regard to the accurate definition of a constitution. It is
commonly regarded as a “single governing document”. If we take this into account then it is
only right to conclude that the constitution of US is the most ancient globally. The
constitution is used as a tool to demonstrate and symbolize the philosophy and ethnicity of
the civilians. Correspondingly, the constitution of the state of Colorado depict the citizens as
the basis upon which the constitution is established although I a much more precise region.
Similarly to the preamble in the constitution of the US, the constitution of the state of
Colorado also starts with the same three simple words “We the people”.
In both the constitution of the state of Colorado and the constitution of the US power is
divided amongst the three branches which are the legislature, the executive and the judiciary..
In both articles the Bill of rights is contained. Both the constitution of the state of Colorado
and that of the US recognize the need to protect the rights of the citizens. The rights in the US
constitution ensure that all the basic human rights of every citizen in that country are not
violated while on the other hand the constitution of the state of Colorado ensures that the
rights of every individual living in that stat...


Anonymous
Awesome! Perfect study aid.

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