Moving to Italy Expats Reveal Their Secrets to Surviving and Flourishing in Italy

Moving to Italy Expats Reveal Their Secrets to Surviving and Flourishing in Italy Brooke Neuman Did you know that there’s an estimated 50,000 Americans who’ve temporarily or permanently relocated to Italy? Whether it’s for work, warmer temperatures, or simply a new start, Americans are buying one-way tickets to Italy. And we don’t blame them! The country’s food, weather, people, and culture make it a very desirable place to live. Don’t be fooled, however, by the laissez faire lifestyle. Moving to Italyâ€"or any foreign country for that matterâ€"is no walk in the park. Moving to  Italy requires getting used to an unfamiliar language as well as different social and cultural rules. Local holidays will be different and things you consider staplesâ€"such as food, television, and magazinesâ€"might not be readily available. Lucky for you, we’ve interviewed several experienced  expats to compile a list of the best kept secrets to surviving and flourishing in Italy. “Dont waste time on missing people. By which I mean dont let missing people back home take precedence over making a new life in Italy. Theres no point coming all the way to Italy and then spending every spare minute on Skype with your friends and family back home,” says Kate Bailward of Driving Like a Maniac. “Get out there and enjoy what Italy has to offer. Youll be happy, and your friends and family will be happy that youre happy win-win!” While it’s tempting to bring every last possession you have with you to Italy, it’s extremely unrealistic. Whatever you think you need, cut it in half. You don’t really need 5 pairs of jeans or sneakers that all look the same. You’ll soon discover that living small is actually quite liberating and cost-effective. Plus, you’ll be able to fit everything you own in your tiny apartment or flat in Italy. Rule of thumb, only take with you what you use on a weekly basis. “If at all possible, avoid ever driving a car in Italy.   It’s not that the drivers are all murderous psychopathsâ€"which of course they areâ€"but the problem is that eventually  you  become one of them,” says Rick Zullo of Rick’s Rome. “I drove a car in Rome during my first six months in town and then wisely opted to preserve what was left of my sanity over the marginal ‘convenience’ of owning a vehicle. On the plus side, my defensive driving skills improved significantly.” “The first thing I tell new arrivals in Rome is say yes. Say yes to every invitation or social opportunity for at least 6 months even if you think it is something you have no interest in. You never know who you will meet or what connection you will make that can help ease your transition,” says Gillian Longworth McGuire of Gillian’s Lists. Before you arrive, take the time to learn some Italian, even if it’s just a few simply phrases and words. Learning Italian will come in handy when you’re searching for a job, getting to know your new neighborhood, and meeting other locals. “You can get by without it, but once you can hold a conversation that consists of more than just the answers to whats your name?, why are you here? and do you like Italy? youll find that your world opens up exponentially,” says Bailward. Make sure that you’ve filled out all of the necessary forms. If you’re looking to live, study, or work in Italy, you’ll most likely apply for a residency visa, a student visa, or a work visa. Different documentation is required for each, so be sure to check with your local consulate or the Italian Embassy’s website before you make an appointment. There’s nothing worse than moving to  Italy only to find out that you’re missing an important document that’s required to live there. And the last thing you want is to be tied up in international red tape or waiting in a never ending line at the U.S. embassy. Moving to Italy with a closed mind is a recipe for disaster. To truly enjoy your stay, it’s important that you let go of any preconceived notions and accept Italy as your new home. “Suspend all judgments, criticisms, and comparisons to your home country. Keep an open mind while you discover and learn about Italy. Consider the move as an adventure to enjoy,” says Melinda Gallo of melindagallo.com. Prepare yourself for hidden costs and extra unexpected expenses. For example, you may be charged an import tax on your belongings or you could be hit with a hefty medical bill. If possible, give yourself a solid financial buffer for when these types of expenses come up. How much money you bring will depend on your budget and needs. Experts suggest, however, bringing at least six-month’s worth of expenses. Things happen. Your apartment might get robbed or you may get in an accident.  Before moving to Italy, it’s important to have a plan for when these things happen. Learn how to get to the closest hospital and police station. It’s also a good idea to register with the embassy or consulate. Registering with the embassy provides you with assistance in the event of an emergency and allows you to complete various administrative formalities, such as taxes and registering to vote, more easily. Italy is full of surprises. Turn down a small quiet street and you might discover the best trattoria in town. Your train is 90 minutes late? Tough luck, there’s nothing you can do about it. Travel to one town over and voila! A completely different menu, says Sarah Dowling of Italy Project 365. The ticket machine on the bus isn’t working? You’ll have to get off and wait for the next one. Walk into town on a Saturday afternoon and you’re sure to come across a festival, a street performance, a live concert in the piazza. It’s a wonderfully confusing place to live. Moving to Italy should be one of the most adventurous and enjoyable times of your life. Make sure that it goes off without a hitch by following the tips above. Are you an expat living in Italy? If so, share your best tips in the comment section below. Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Polar Covalent Bond

Polar Covalent Bond Polar Covalent Bond. Covalent Bond Formation: In chemical bonding there are different types of bonds formed between two or more atoms. A covalent bond is formed when the electron pairs are shared between two atoms. The number of electron pairs that are being shared can vary from atom to atom. If the atoms are sharing one pair of electrons then a single bond is formed, for the atoms sharing two pairs of electrons the double bond is formed, and the atoms sharing three pairs of electrons a triple bond is formed. Writing Electronic Configuration of the atom: The first step to towards understanding the Covalent bond formation is identifying the number of valence electrons for the given atoms. The valence electrons are the number of electrons in the outermost orbit. The electronic configuration of the atoms is written to identify the valence electrons. According to the number of valence electrons the covalent bond is formed. The number of valence electrons for one atom of Oxygen is 6. Follow the diagram below: Using the electronic configuration the electrons can be arranges in orbits. For the given oxygen atom the first orbit is n = 1 which contains 2 electrons and the second orbit is n =2 which contains 6 electrons. Its the last orbit which decides the number of valence electrons. Follow the diagram of Oxygen shown below: Hence the oxygen atom has 6 valence electrons. The covalent bond is formed so that the atoms achieve the stable state configuration. The Stable state is usually when the atoms have 8 electrons in the outermost orbit. There are few atoms in the periodic table which already have an octet. This means they do not need to form any kind of chemical bond to achieve the stable state. Amongst such atoms are Ne, Ar, Kr and so on, these are called the noble gases. The electronic configuration for Neon Ne which has the atomic number 10 is given below: Polar Covalent Bond Definitions: As mentioned the covalent bond is formed by sharing the electron pair. There are two types of covalent bonds the polar covalent bond and the non-polar covalent bond. The polar covalent bond is formed when the atoms share the electrons unequally between each other. This results in partial positive and negative charges on each atom. The non-polar covalent bond however has equal sharing of electron pair between each other. Mentioned below are the examples of the compounds formed due to the Polar Covalent bond. Formation of the HF Compound: The compound Hydrogen Fluoride HF is a formed by the polar covalent bond. 1. The electrons are being shared between Hydrogen and Fluorine atoms. 2. The first step is to write the electronic configuration of each Hydrogen and Fluorine atoms. 3. Identify the number of valence electrons for each of the atoms. Follow the diagram below: Hydrogen atom has one electron in the outermost orbit. So the number of valence electrons is one. Hydrogen will need one more electron to reach the stable state. Fluorine atom has 7 electrons in the outermost shell, so the number of valence electrons is 7. Fluorine needs one more electrons to complete an octet. (8 electrons in the outermost shell.) Hydrogen and Fluorine form a polar covalent bond by sharing an electron pair. The shared electron pair is pulled more by the Fluorine atom because of which it obtains the partial negative charge on it. The Hydrogen atom get the partial positive charge, due to the unequal sharing of the electron pair. These charges on the atoms result in the electronegative difference between the two atoms during the formation of the Polar Covalent Bond. Formation of the CO2: Follow another example, for the Polar Covalent Bond formation in the CO2. 1. There are two atoms of oxygen and one atom of Carbon forming one molecule of Carbon di-oxide CO2. . 2. The first step is to write the electronic configuration of each Carbon and Oxygen atoms. 3. Then identify the number of valence electrons for each of the atoms. Follow the diagram below: The Carbon atom has 4 electrons in the outermost orbit. This means the Carbon atom needs four more electrons to reach the stable state. The oxygen atom has 6 electrons in the outermost orbit, this means it requires 2 more electrons to reach the stable state configuration. Follow the diagram below to understand the bond formation: There is a double bond formation between the carbon and oxygen atom, which means the carbon is sharing two pair of electrons from each oxygen atom. Since there are two oxygen atoms, there are four bonds formed and Carbon is able to achieve an octet. The oxygen atoms have high electronegativity due to which the carbon is obtaining the positive charge and the oxygen is obtains the negative charges. Due to this uneven distribution of the charges the bonds formed are polar covalent bonds.

How to Play Ukulele Easy Chords to Get You Started

How to Play Ukulele Easy Chords to Get You Started Sign up successful Ready to learn your first chord? Great! First step: grab your ukulele. Next, hold down the bottom string on the third fret with the ring finger of your left hand. Finally, strum. Congratulations, you just played a C chord! Heres what the chord chart looks like for the C chord you just played: Chord charts are always written such that the bold line at the top represents the head of the ukulele. The vertical line on the far left represents your top string, the G string, while the line on the far right of the diagram represents the bottom string, the A string. Each horizontal line represents a fret. Some chord charts also include numbers, like the one above. The number on the diagram, three, represents which finger on your left hand should be used to fret that particular string. In this case, the chart indicates that you should use your third or ring finger. The left hand fingers are numbered one through four, starting with the index finger. Many chord charts dont include finger numbers. Once you get more comfortable playing ukulele, you will likely find you no longer need to see instructions for fingering on the left hand as it becomes more natural to you. If youre having trouble learning chords from charts, you might want to check out some video tutorials or schedule private lessons with a ukulele teacher. More Chord Charts Now that you know how to read a ukulele chord chart, here are some of the basic chords that you will need to know in order to start learning songs: When youre just getting started, focus on learning two or three chords and switching back and forth between them. One very common sequence of chords is C, D, and G. First, practice switching between the C and D. Next, try switching from D to G, and then from G to C. Get even more out of your practice time by adding a metronome to the mix. Start slow, maybe at 60 or 70 beats per minute. Practice switching between C, G, and D chords while staying on tempo. Try to play each chord for four beats and then switch as smoothly as you can to the next chord. Once you get comfortable switching chords at a slow tempo, start to increase the speed of your metronome in increments of 5 or 10 more beats per minute. Once youre able to change chords with confidence, youre ready to start learning some easy ukulele songs! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

The Value Of College Degrees

The Value Of College Degrees There has always been much debate on how valuable a college degree is. Some are convinced its a waste of money and time that could have been spent working and earning income. Others say its a necessary education experience that will give one a competitive advantage. A recent study was conducted by the College Board the same company that creates the SAT claiming that a college degrees value is growing, according to an article in The New York Times. Workers who had college degrees made more money and were more likely to be employed, according to the study, Education Pays: the Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society. Workers who had bachelors degrees in 2008 earned a median income of $55,700 in 2008, which was $21,900 more than workers who only had a high school degree. The study also found that in recent years, women aged 25-34 with bachelors degrees earned 79 percent more income than those with only high school degrees. Men earned 74 percent more. Compared to 10 years ago, women earned 60 percent more and men earned 54 percent more. The study also considered the cost effects of student loans and not earning income for the first four years after college. It took college graduates 11 years of working to reach the accumulated wealth level of high school graduates, assuming an average of a 6.8 percent student loan interest. A college degree helped workers during the recession as well. The unemployment rate for college graduates 25 and older was 4.6 percent and 9.7 percent for high school graduates. Consistently over time, unemployment rates are about half for college graduates, Sandy Baum, an author of the report told The New York Times. And jobs began recovering for college graduates about a year and half ago. While its easy to find a college grad whos unemployed, youre statistically much less likely to be in that circumstance if you have a higher level of education. The debate has gained steam with the recent spike in tuition costs, which are now rising faster than the rate of inflation. However, most economists agree that a college degree will pay for itself. In general, college is a good investment, but there is great variability in outcomes, Robert Lerman, an economics professor at American University told The New York Times. A significant minority of college graduates dont earn as much as those with less education. And all is not lost if you dont go to college. There are other routes to improving your earnings, for example, credentials that demonstrate mastery of an occupational skill like plumbing. The study also found social benefits for acquiring a college degree. People with college degrees are more likely to vote, exercise, volunteer and have health insurance pensions. Also, people with college degrees are less likely to smoke, be obese or have low-birth-weight babies. However, many believe that having a college degree cannot cause these social benefits. There is rather just a strong correlation.

Are Online Assignment Services Necessary Tool for Getting Top Scores

Are Online Assignment Services Necessary Tool for Getting Top Scores Assignment services are necessary tool for estimating students ‘performance and understanding of subject areas.   Students feel overdosed when they are held up by lots of assignments in a short spell of time. They cannot forgo assignment grades also as it is necessary for their final scores in subjects. Why to concentrate on assignments? Concentrating on assignments is necessary for a student to remember the facts he has gone through in his class hours and also to pick out the areas which he has not understood. Further, it improves his memory power, writing skills, organizing capabilities and time management. Top 5 Education Apps To Learn #Science With Ease https://t.co/AEwQAsDn4x pic.twitter.com/38TxGZpnHQ â€" Tutor Pace (@TutorPace) January 14, 2016 Why students find assignments boring and tiresome? When students lack in the knowledge and fundamental skills of a subject, they are not able to connect the threads the teacher highlights in the class and thus are not able to manage their assignments. Some assignment help services is necessary for such students . Tutor Pace awards them with best services through tutors who are adept in writing assignments for various subjects and are capable of training the students in the same. Benefits of virtual assignment services Students need assignment help for Math, Science and other tough subjects with personal care and individualized solutions to come up in their assignment work. Online writers and tutors give their best in this scenario with their tips, sample writings, research material and completed write ups with plagiarism free content. Their help is the exact one for students who need proper direction for assignment writing. Tutor Pace’s tutors offer their best assignment help for all subjects and they also render proof reading and editing for write ups of students with tips for embellishing the writings. Their subject knowledge and screened expertise pave way for excellent scores in assignments and boost the writing skills and techniques of students for better performances in future. College assignment helpâ€" gives out splendid last minute benefits College work is a tedious one for the fact it demands lots of research and time from students which they are not able to afford. They naturally present assignments which are poor in quality with less references and examples. College assignment help from virtual platform drives away such menaces for college students with clean write ups in first grade quality that are done in adherence to the guidelines and expected reference styles. Those who wish to get assignment writing help can gain the same via Skype, chat or mail and improve their writing abilities. Conclusion Thus dealing with assignments through online help is beneficial in many ways since students are able to get right instructions about writing assignments, gain help for researching the material or secure completed assignments with proper explanations.

A Student Review of Stanford University

A Student Review of Stanford University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Lindsey is a New York City tutor and 2011 graduate of Stanford University. She holds a Bachelors degree in English and Italian and tutors many subjects, specializing inLiterature tutoring, Public Speaking tutoring, Italian tutoring, and others. Check out her review of Stanford University: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. How urban or rural is the campus? Did you feel safe on campus? Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Lindsey: Stanford Universitys campus is gorgeous! It is full of greenery year-round, and it has a nice balance between more modern-looking buildings (on the Science and Engineering Quad) and the classic sandstone quad. It is in a suburban environment, near the city of Palo Alto, and it is incredibly safe. Most students bike, because the campus is so large that walking is time-consuming. However, from my sophomore year onward, I actually walked everywhere, and I enjoyed it! Stanford University also has a free bus service, the Marguerite, to take students to the far reaches of campus and nearby places (such as downtown Palo Alto, the Caltrain station, Stanford Shopping Center, and a local Target/Walmart/grocery store). Freshmen are not allowed to bring cars, but after that, students may pay for parking permits; restrictions and prices depend on where you park on campus. I had a car my junior and senior years, and it made life a little more convenient, but it is definitely not a necessi ty. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Lindsey: They are wonderful! My experience was consistently that the academic staff at Stanford University wanted to see me succeed and be happy, and they were willing to help however they could. Teaching assistants were approachable, and they acted as good intermediaries between students and any particularly intimidating professors. Honestly, I did not find my freshman (general) advising to be useful, but I know most of my friends did. My major advisers were fantastic, and I am still in touch with both of them. I would encourage students everywhere to form close bonds with their major advisers, as well as their favorite professors! VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Lindsey: Stanford University makes a big effort to create community on campus, especially for freshman and transfer students. Something like 95% of undergraduates live in campus housing, and there are a wide variety of options. Freshmen mostly live in all-freshmen dorms, though there are several cultural theme houses that house freshmen and upperclassmen. As a freshman, you are guaranteed to have a roommate; there are no singles. Room size and number of roommates varies based on your dorm and your room in the dorm. I had one roommate in a teeny tiny room, but they have since remodeled the dorm and made the freshman rooms bigger! In upperclassmen housing, there are plenty of options for getting a single room. Dorm staff are generally incredible people who make a big effort to get to know their residents and plan fun activities. In freshman dorms, especially at the beginning of the year, these activities are usually focused on helping students get to know campus and the surrounding areas (for example, a scavenger hunt in nearby San Francisco). Most dorms also host at least one event per year, and some upperclassmen houses host at least one per quarter. There is not a huge Greek scene at Stanford University, but there are a handful of fraternities and sororities. There are tons of opportunities for socialization! All dorms have common areas and lounges (most including a television and/or some kind of table game like pool), and these serve as gathering places for residents to socialize informally. Somehow, hallways also end up getting pretty crowded late at night with people just hanging out and taking a study break. Stanford University also has tons of clubs, from sports, to dance, to arts. I made some very close friendships through my extracurriculars, and I would recommend that everyone join at least one student group. All dorms are associated with a dining hall, and the food quality is pretty high. There has been a huge push for a wide variety of healthy options, including Kosher and Halal main dishes at every meal. There is also at least one dining hall that is completely nut free for students with nut allergies. All dorms also have laundry facilities (sometimes shared with nearby dorms), and laundry is free for students! VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Lindsey: Stanford University is gaining a reputation as a science and engineering school, and for good reason. Those departments have superb faculty, do interesting research, and have tons of money. They definitely get the most attention, and that attention is well deserved. However, this sometimes overshadows the quality and variety of Stanford Universitys humanities and social sciences majors. I double-majored in Italian and English: Creative Writing, and I felt incredible support from my departments. Both Italian and English were consistently bringing in world-renowned guest speakers, had ample money available to support undergraduate research, and had a distinguished (yet accessible) faculty. What I liked best about being in two comparatively small departments (I was one of two Italian majors, and one of about 30 English majors) was the amount of personal attention and support I got. All my professors knew me by name, understood the body of my work over the course of four years, and knew how to challenge me. They found creative ways to help me get academic credit for internships, and they helped me navigate the web of paperwork when I needed to transfer credits from abroad. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Lindsey: I wish I had taken advantage of the Career Center before my junior year! Though it definitely does skew toward finance, consulting, and technology jobs, they have tons of resources for nonprofits, education, and other fuzzy fields. They hold career fairs frequently, at least every quarter, as well as on-campus recruiting sessions. In addition, they have consultation services, such as resume and cover letter review, and they maintain an online database of job and internship postings. I found my first job out of college through them! I would highly recommend that all freshmen meet with a career counselor at their career center, even if they do not know what they want to do after college (I did not until my junior year!). VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Lindsey: There are many places to study on Stanford Universitys campus, from big libraries (that can get a bit over-crowded, especially on weekends) to small, quiet subject libraries (I loved studying in the art library, because it was always empty!). The historic Green Library is beautiful, and it has a secret reading room at the very top (the Bender Room), that is great for quiet, individual work. There are ample group study spaces, but you need to reserve most ahead of time. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Lindsey: Sadly, Palo Alto is not really a college town. Though the campus is maybe a mile away, it is not integrated with Palo Alto at all, and students often do not need to leave (campus has almost everything you need). Palo Alto is pretty expensive, and it does not have too many places that offer student deals, but I did enjoy going there to study from time to time, for a change of pace. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Lindsey: Stanford Universitys undergraduate population is small (for a university so large)around 7,000, I believe. Most of my classes were small, which is more typical for the humanities. I loved the small class size, and even my big lecture classes never had more than about 200 students. All those big classes also had required sections, with approximately 10-12 students. Stanford University feels like a small place, and you can easily find yourself taking classes with the same students all four years. However, if you branch out and take a course outside your major, you will meet tons of wonderful, interesting new people! VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Lindsey: Oh goodness, I will never forget this! While we were reading a series of Arthurian myths for freshman English, one of the professors compared himself to Lancelot, and his wifes ex-husband to poor Arthur, who had Guinevere stolen away from him! Check out Lindseys tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Ideas for Teaching Outside the Classroom

Ideas for Teaching Outside the Classroom Sometimes, your students need a change of scenery. Taking your students outside the classroom can be highly beneficial, energizing students and giving them the chance to interact and learn in a totally different way. Below are a few ideas from Huntington to help move your teaching venue beyond the traditional classroom: Field trips. The field trip is the most obvious way to take students into the real world, but dont think that your only option is the art or science museum. Tour your citys sports arena. Explore your areas trails, hiking spots, rivers, or lakes. Visit a historic site. Check out a college campus. Take science outside. Whats on or near your schools campus? A grassy field? Trees? A body of water? Wildflowers? Use the area as a learning ground to study plants, rocks, or insects. Team up with other classes. Could you pair older and younger students for a mentorship or book buddies program? Could you let small groups of your students observe another class that is covering a topic your class is also studying? Use the weather. The changing weather and seasons create obvious teaching opportunities for science teachers, but English teachers might take students outside for creative writing or poetry units to let the sounds and sights inspire them. Math teachers could have students track and graph rainfall, wind direction, and temperature. Make it active. Use the spaces within your school to make your learning more active when feasible. Could you invigorate a lecture by moving to the auditorium or library? Could the gym serve as an occasional venue for student discussions or group presentations? Understandably, most teachers feel best equipped in their own classrooms. However, you can boost your students growth and enrich their learning by periodically changing things up. Try something and see how it goes!

US Constitution Test Study Guide - Private Tutoring

US Constitution Test Study Guide Anna L Jan 12, 2020 Oops, cramming for that Constitution exam tomorrow? This US Constitution test study guide will cover the main areas you need to know to approach it with confidence. Key terms and subjects that you’ll need to remember are in bold and be sure follow points of interest to develop your answers. Need more help? What Came Before The United States Constitution was not the first document to dictate the political and judicial makeup of the country. The Articles of Confederation (1771-1789) provided a generally weak framework for a central government since it wanted to emphasize the independence and free-will of the 13 states. Its powers were limited to international diplomacy, national territory, and declaring war (no plans for taxation are a key problem here). Its President (the President of the Congress) was largely ceremonial as a debate moderator for the 13 states. Failure of the states to work together meant that a better system with a strong central government needed to be put in place. However, it would be enough to win the revolutionary war and establish the Declaration of Independence (1776). This saw the 13 states as independent from Britain and that they would unite to form a nation-state. The Constitution would then need to perform a balancing act between centralizing power (not allowing states/the electorate to do as they please) and avoiding tyranny (not becoming like Britain). Points of interest: How did the War of Independence shape the political foundations of the United States? What previous document/s dictated the government of the United States? What were their limitations? Writing the document The United States Constitution (1787) was drafted during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and defined the American government as a constitutional republic. It gives power to its citizens in the preamble by beginning with “We the People” rather than owing itself to the inherited position of a throne (Britain’s constitutional monarchy). Those who helped draft the Constitution alongside the signers of the Declaration of Independence were the Framers of the Constitution. As expected, most of these 55 men were wealthy land-owners with a significant portion owning slaves (a smaller number were entirely dependent on slave-labor). While it only required 9 of the 13 states to be enacted, it was ensured that amendments to the constitution could be made in future. Rhode Island was the final state to ratify the constitution. Like the Articles of Confederation, many disagreements were made over its contents which meant that compromise needed to be made. The Virginia Compromise called for representation of each state to be determined by population whereas the New Jersey Compromise wanted equal representation for each state. The joining of the two, the Connecticut Compromise, made Congress bicameral. Points of interest: Who wrote the Constitution? Where and when was this conducted? What are amendments and how many have been made? What is the term for how power is shared between federal, state and local government?   How the Constitution designs our Political System The Constitution divided the government into three branches who would provide checks and balances on their powers. These were the Legislative (congress), Executive (the president) and Judicial (the supreme court). Legislative The Legislative Branch is set out first and given the most attention. It’s job is to make laws in congress which is separated into two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. It is a requirement of the constitution that Congress assembles at least once a year. As of 2019, the House of Reps (lower chamber) consists of 435 seats that are divided amongst the 50 states on the basis of their population size. At the time, Native Americans were not counted in the census and “all other persons” (slaves) were counted as 3/5 of a person, although this was stopped by Amendment 14. Elections for representatives are held every 2 years with candidates needing to be residents of their state, 25 or older and having been a citizen for at least 7 years. The Speaker of the House is elected by majority, meaning it will be the leader of the controlling party. The Senate (upper chamber) is comprised of 2 seats for each state, making 100 members total as of 2019.  Senators serve 6 year terms with the requirement that they are at least 30, have been citizens for at least 9 years, and are residents of their state. The Senate is led by its Presiding Officer who is usually the Vice President. Congressional members are elected by direct popular vote from their constituents (congressional districts elect the House of Reps whereas Statewide elections appoint senators). This system of legislature is a representative democracy where citizens elect members to make laws on their behalf (this is opposed to direct democracy where citizens would vote on matters individually). This is an example of the constitution centralizing power while avoiding tyranny of monarchy. Section 8 approves Congress to conduct taxation which avoids the problem of weak governance set out in the Articles of Confederation. Bills can originate from both houses but must also be approved by the majority in both. The President must also approve, but this can be avoided in different circumstances. If the President rejects a bill it can return to the chamber it was proposed by and become law if 2/3 of its seats approve. Similarly, if the President sits on a bill for 10 days without rejection it will become law. Congress has the power to impeach the President. It is initiated in the House of Reps and subsequently tried in the Senate. Congress also has the ability to declare war. Test your knowledge: Which chamber has two representatives from each state? Senate House of Reps What is the difference between representative and direct democracy? An election is being held for the Senate in Ohio. Who determines the vote? The House of Reps Residents of Ohio The Electoral College No one, senators are appointed by local judges Executive The Constitution then defines the Executive branch made up the President, the Electoral College, and the Cabinet. The Electoral College is responsible for electing the President. The amount of Electoral College members in each state is equivalent to the sum of their congressional seats: Senate seats + House of Representative Seats = number of electoral voters per state When citizens vote ‘for the President’ they are effectively voting for a potential elector who will in turn vote for their Presidential choice. No part of the constitution requires electors to vote in accordance with the popular vote. The candidate must win the majority of electoral votes (270 out of 358) to assume the Presidency. The President is titled the ‘Commander in Chief’ by the Constitution, assuming the highest position in all branches of the United States Armed Forces and the executive. A President is tasked with directing foreign treaties and nominating judges to the Supreme Court. Presidents enforce bills passed by the legislative branch. Presidential candidates must be at least 35, a natural-born citizen, and a resident for at least 14 years of their life. Presidents serve 4 year terms and could initially serve as many terms as possible, although 22nd Amendment (1951) placed a 2-term limit on the position. FDR is the only President to have served 4 terms. If a President is incapable of holding office then the Presidential line of succession determines who takes their place. The Vice President would be first followed by the Speaker of the House and so on. The President is able to pardon anyone who commits crimes against the United States. The President can also veto any bill put forward by Congress. Test your knowledge: True or false: the President is elected via popular vote. What decides the number of Electoral College Voters? The exact number is ratified in the Constitution Proportional to population-size of each state with a maximum of 538 Sum of Congressional Seats What are the three requirements for Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates? Points of interest: What could have motivated the constitutional framers to enact an Electoral College?   Judicial The 3rd article establishes the Supreme Court comprising of 9 judges who serve life appointments, although they can be removed via impeachment. Congress has the ability to set up inferior courts. These courts can rule on all cases that full under the Constitution. The Supreme Court is charged with interpreting the law and deciding what is constitutional and unconstitutional. The Constitution outlines treason as its only crime. The Supreme Court is able to declare any law or act committed by the Executive or Legislature as unconstitutional. Test your knowledge: How many Judges are on the supreme court? 7 9 13 How are Supreme Court judges selected? Nominated by the President and confirmed by both chambers of Congress Nominated by the President and confirmed by the House of Reps. Nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate Directly appointed by the President What branch of government can have their actions deemed unconstitutional by the Judiciary? Legislative Executive Both Federalism and Amendments The Constitution has been very effective in centralizing the power of government compared to previous attempts. Some feared that this threatened the rights of states and individuals, namely James Madison who had written the first 10 amendments to the Constitution entitled the Bill of Rights. Notable was the freedom of speech and separation of church and state (1st), the right to bear arms (2nd), the need for warrants (4th) and the right to not plead against yourself in court (5th). The 10th amendment ensures Federalism, in that power is shared between national and state governments. This meant that any power that isn’t described as Congressional belongs to the states of the people. However, the Elastic Clause allows for Congress to act outside the explicit language of the Constitution if it can rationalise that it fits within its delegated powers. Amendments can be proposed by 2/3 of both chambers of Congress or state legislatures. They are ratified by ¾ of state legislatures or state ratifying conventions. The president has no official role in these proceedings. As of 2019, 33 amendments have been made to the Constitution. Points of interest The 33 amendments vary in scope and effect. What are the most important amendments in your view? What are the least important? What is problematic about the Elastic Clause? Would it be supported or objected by federalists? You Might Also Be Interested In: Learn How to Study for a Test or Course the Easy Way United States Constitution Test Study Guide  These are some of the topics that you want to dive into deeply and make sure that you can cover at least the basics of each whether its for the US History exam, government and politics test or an AP Exam. Often youll see questions coming right from these topics, so take the time to check them out and know the answers! Functions of the Judicial, Legislative, and Executive Branches Definition of Pardon Head of the Executive Branch # of Justices, including the Chief Justice, make up the Supreme Court Term of a Supreme Court Justice Term of a member in the House of Representatives and Senate Qualifications for a member of the House of Representatives Who holds the concurrent powers? What Amendment states no state can deny people their basic rights? 1st Ten Amendments is called what? What year did the Constitution become effective? Who presides over the Senate? What amendment guarantees the right to bear arms? What amendment provides rights for the accused in terms of punishment? What amendment contains a due process clause? What amendment ended slavery? What 2 things did the Declaration of Independence do? Who had the final say in all matters under the Articles of Confederation? What was the form of government in which power is handed down from one generation to the next? What were the most striking characteristics of the framers of the Constitution? What city did the constitutional convention take place in? Know the difference between direct and representative democracy. How many Presidents have served a complete four terms in office? What amendment addresses the term limits of the President? What group elects the President? Know the differences between the Virginia, New Jersey, and Connecticut Compromises. What is impeachment an example of?   Who holds the power of impeachment?   Who is the jury? How many colonies were at the First Continental Congress? What is the minimum number of electoral votes to be elected President? How many members are there in the House of Representatives and Senate? What type of government does the Constitution create? Know what the elastic clause does for the constitution. In order to add an amendment to the constitution â€" it has to pass by what margin and does it need a presidential signature? What does the Constitution state that no person may be deprived of? A trial by jury cannot be denied if the value of the lawsuit exceeds what $ amount. What is the minimum infraction necessary for the impeachment of a judge? How many times per year is Congress required to be assembled by the Constitution? Know what a warrant does for law officials. Does the Constitution state anything regarding Church and State? Know the Presidential succession. Know the President’s job descriptions â€" chief citizen, chief diplomat, commander-in-chief, chief legislator, and chief of state. Be able to identify procedures of the US Government as expressed, implied, inherent. (4.1 worksheet) Be able to identify what 10 key Presidents were known for.   (list of Presidents on Review Day) How many amendments are in the Constitution. What is a filibuster? Who has the power to declare war? When are congressional elections held? Does the 5th Amendment guarantee that you can’t be tried twice for the same crime? What 2 groups make up Congress? What court case established Judicial Review? Which state was the last state to ratify the Constitution? Where does all of the power of government agencies come from? We can help you find the best private tutor near you! It’s simple and secure â€" Get real results fast. 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