How does the UK Constitution affect the way the country is governed?
I can explain how the UK Constitution works and how it differs from the Constitution of the United States.
How does the UK Constitution affect the way the country is governed?
I can explain how the UK Constitution works and how it differs from the Constitution of the United States.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The UK has an uncodified constitution, made up of laws, conventions and traditions.
- Parliamentary Sovereignty means Parliament can make or change any law.
- The UK system is flexible and can respond quickly, like with the Online Safety Act 2023.
- The US has a codified constitution, which is written in one document and harder to change.
- The US is a federal system, so states control areas like education, unlike the UK's devolved system.
Keywords
Constitution - the set of principles and rules by which a country is organised; it is usually contained in one document
Uncodified - the laws, legal decisions and customs that govern a country that does not have a constitution in a single written document
Conventions - rules that are observed despite not being written in a document that has legal authority
Common misconception
The UK has a written constitution like the United States.
The UK Constitution is uncodified; it exists through laws, customs and conventions, but is not written down in one single document.
To help you plan your year 11 citizenship lesson on: How does the UK Constitution affect the way the country is governed?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 citizenship lesson on: How does the UK Constitution affect the way the country is governed?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
gives a seat on the Security Council
involves agreeing to fair trade rules
means being part of a defence alliance
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
the set of principles and rules by which a country is organised
a constitution not written in a single legal document
rules followed even if not formally written in law