Constitution Basics Worksheet — Preamble and Amendments
Grade 6 civics worksheet on the Preamble, the seven articles, and the Article V amendment process, using four question types to build analysis skills.
18 questions · Matching · Multiple choice · Fill in the blank · Short answer · Analysis
The United States Constitution is the oldest written national constitution still in force, and understanding its structure is a foundational civics skill. This Grade 6 worksheet guides students through three interconnected ideas: the six purposes stated in the Preamble, the organization of the seven original articles, and the deliberate two-step amendment process established by Article V. By moving from matching and multiple-choice questions into fill-blank and analytical short-answer prompts, the worksheet asks students first to recall key terms and then to reason about why the Founders designed the document as they did. The sheet works well as a formative check after an introductory lesson or as a guided-review activity before a Socratic discussion on constitutional change.
Constitution Basics Worksheet — Preamble and Amendments — Grade 6
Read each section's directions carefully, then complete all four parts using your knowledge of the United States Constitution.
Remember
- The Constitution has a Preamble, seven original articles, and 27 amendments; the first ten are called the Bill of Rights.
- The Preamble begins 'We the People' and names six governmental purposes, from forming a more perfect union to securing the blessings of liberty.
- Article V requires two-thirds of both houses of Congress to propose an amendment and three-fourths of state legislatures to ratify it.
Part A — Match each term to its correct definition
Write the letter of the matching definition next to each constitutional term on the left.
Choose from
- A. A formal change or addition made to the Constitution after its ratification
- B. The first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791
- C. The official approval of a proposed amendment by three-fourths of state legislatures
- D. The introductory statement that names the six purposes of the Constitution
- E. The article that establishes Congress as the legislative branch of the federal government
- 1.
Preamble
- 2.
Amendment
- 3.
Ratification
- 4.
Article I
- 5.
Bill of Rights
Part B — Choose the best answer for each question
Circle the letter of the best answer for each question below.
- 6.
How many articles does the original, unamended Constitution contain?
- A.Five
- B.Seven
- C.Ten
- D.Thirteen
- 7.
According to Article V, what fraction of state legislatures must ratify a proposed amendment for it to take effect?
- A.One-half
- B.Two-thirds
- C.Three-fourths
- D.Four-fifths
- 8.
Which branch of the federal government does Article II of the Constitution establish?
- A.The legislative branch
- B.The judicial branch
- C.The executive branch
- D.The electoral branch
- 9.
The Preamble states a goal to 'insure domestic Tranquility.' What does this phrase most nearly mean?
- A.To protect the nation from foreign invasion
- B.To maintain peace and order within the country
- C.To create a uniform national currency
- D.To establish a system of federal courts
- 10.
In what year was the Bill of Rights ratified and added to the Constitution?
- A.1787
- B.1791
- C.1803
- D.1865
Part C — Fill in each blank with the correct term
Write the word or phrase that correctly completes each statement about the Constitution.
- 11.
The opening words of the Preamble, 'We the ____,' signal that governmental authority comes from the people, not from a monarch.
- 12.
An amendment becomes law only after it is ratified by three-fourths of the state ____, or by special state ratifying conventions.
- 13.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known collectively as the Bill of ____.
- 14.
Article III of the Constitution establishes the ____ branch, which is headed by the Supreme Court of the United States.
- 15.
The Preamble names six purposes, among them to 'establish Justice' and to 'promote the general ____'.
Part D — Answer each question in two to three sentences
Write two to three complete sentences for each question, explaining your reasoning with evidence from what you have studied.
- 16.
The Preamble names six purposes for the Constitution. Choose two and explain why the Founders considered each purpose important.
- 17.
The Article V amendment process has two steps: proposal and ratification. Why did the Founders make amendment deliberately difficult?
- 18.
Compare the roles of the legislative and executive branches and explain how checks and balances prevent either from gaining too much power.
Answer key
Part A — Match each term to its correct definition
- 1.The introductory statement that names the six purposes of the Constitution
- 2.A formal change or addition made to the Constitution after its ratification
- 3.The official approval of a proposed amendment by three-fourths of state legislatures
- 4.The article that establishes Congress as the legislative branch of the federal government
- 5.The first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791
Part B — Choose the best answer for each question
- 6.Seven
- 7.Three-fourths
- 8.The executive branch
- 9.To maintain peace and order within the country
- 10.1791
Part C — Fill in each blank with the correct term
- 11.People
- 12.legislatures
- 13.Rights
- 14.judicial
- 15.Welfare
Part D — Answer each question in two to three sentences
- 16.Example: The Founders wanted to 'establish Justice' because the Articles of Confederation created no federal court system, leaving disputes between states without a fair national resolution. They also wanted to 'insure domestic Tranquility' because Shays's Rebellion in 1786 demonstrated that a weak central government could not stop violent uprisings, so a stronger government was needed to maintain order within the states.
- 17.Example: The Founders made the amendment process difficult because they did not want a temporary majority to rewrite fundamental law on impulse, which could threaten the rights of those in the minority. By requiring broad agreement across Congress and across the states, Article V ensures that only changes with wide national support can become a permanent part of the Constitution.
- 18.Example: Congress, the legislative branch, writes and passes laws, while the President, who heads the executive branch, carries those laws out and may veto bills sent by Congress. Checks and balances prevent domination because Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both houses, and the Senate must confirm key executive appointments, so neither branch can act without limits set by the other.
What this sheet teaches
- Identify the six purposes named in the Preamble and connect each to a principle of self-governance.
- Explain the two-step Article V amendment process, naming the required supermajority thresholds at each stage.
- Compare the roles of the three constitutional branches and describe how checks and balances distribute federal power.
Notes for the adult
- Students often confuse 1787 (when the Constitution was signed) with 1788 (ratification) and 1791 (Bill of Rights); display a clear timeline.
- To address the confusion, direct students to Article VII: nine of thirteen states had to ratify, with New Hampshire as the ninth in June 1788.
- A student is ready to advance when they can explain why Article V requires supermajorities and link that requirement to protecting minority rights.
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