1. questions

2. 1. To your regard what is a Constitution?(Abstain from copying a definition, define it on your own)2. How many Constitutions Colombia had prior to the 1886 Constitution?3. When was Slavery abolished?4. Explain the concept State of Siege?5. What are the most important Constitutional Amendments done to the 1886 Constitution?

3. 6. What were the main requirements to become President of Colombia?7. What is a bureaucracy?8. What are the main functions of Congress?9. WhoelectsCongress?10. What are the functions of the Supreme Court?

4. 11. What is a Constitutional Amendment?12. Explain the concept “Commander in Chief.”13. What is the role of the Ministry of Justice in the control of the Judiciary?14. What is a Plebiscite?15. What were decree-laws?

5. 16. What did the 1957 amendment to the Constitution change?17. What was the National Front and what was its main objective?18. Prior to the 1991 Constitution, could a President be reelected?19. What was the goal of the 1968 amendment to the Constitution?20. In what year was the popular election for Mayors established?

6. Answers

7. 1. A constitution is a set of rules for government. Each country has it’s own constitution to maintain stable the government. 2. From 1830 to 1886 Colombia had six constitutions.3. Slavery was abolished in 1851 by President José HilarioLópez.4. A state of Siege is a situation in which a government or other authority puts restrictions on the movement of people into or out of a country, town, or building

8. 5. The most important constitutional amendments resulted from the Sidges Agreement and the subsequent San Carlos Agreement, drawn up by Liberal and Conservative leaders together at meetings in 1957.6. Colombian Constitution of 1991, article 191 states that the requirement to be president of Colombia is to be natural born in Colombia and be at least 30 years of age.7.Bureaucracy is the combined organizational structure, procedures, protocols, and set of regulations in place to manage activity, usually in large organizations.

9. 8.The main functions of the congress are:To reform the Constitution through legislation.Develop, interpret, amend and repeal the laws and codes in all branches of the Legislation.To judge exceptionally State officials for political accountability.To choose the Comptroller General of the Republic, Attorney General's Office, Judges of the Constitutional Court and the Disciplinary Tribunal of the Supreme Judicial Council, Ombudsman, Vice-President when there is no absolute.To establish the organization and functioning of the Congress plenary, the Senate and House of Representatives.9. All the members of congress are elected from the territorial departments and national territories on a proportional basis.

10. 10. The functions of the supreme court of Colombia are:Acting as a court of appeal.Judge President of the Republic or whoever replaces them and the judges of the Supreme Court, Council of State and the Constitutional Court, members of the Supreme Judicial Council and the Attorney General's Office, for any act offense imputed to them (art. 174 and 175 no. 2 and 3).Investigate and prosecute members of Congress.Knowing all businesses contentious diplomatic agents accredited to the national government, as provided by international law.Determine its own rules.11. A constitutional amendment is a change to the constitution of a nation or a state. In jurisdictions with "rigid" or "entrenched" constitutions, amendments require

11. 12. A commander in chief maintains law and order, defends the nation, and deals with domestic disturbances.13. The ministry of justice functions are:provision of policy adviceleadership of thejustice sectordelivery of operational services, including court and tribunal-related services, collection of fines and reparations, electoral services and negotiations for settling historical Treaty of Waitangi claimsprovision of support to the judiciarymanagement of non-departmental output classes.

12. 14. A plebiscite is a popular vote on a proposal which includes the entire populace. 15. A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law. The particular term used for this concept may vary from country to country.16. The constitutional changes, particularly the abolition of the two-thirds majority requirement in both houses of Congress for the passage of major legislation, also affected

13. 17. National Front was a period in the history of Colombia in which the two main political parties; Liberal Party and Conservative Party agreed to let the opposite party govern, intercalating for a period of four presidential terms, and it’s objectives are: First, it alternated the presidency between the two parties in regular elections held every four years . Second, it provided for parity in elective and appointive positions at all levels of government, including cabinet and Supreme Court positions not falling under the civil service, as well as the election of equal numbers of party members to local, departmental, and national assemblies. And third, it required that all legislation be passed by a two-thirds majority in Congress.

14. 18. President re-election, was not possible before under the country's 1991 Constitution.19. The 1968 amendments additionally allowed for the "dismantling" of the National Front coalition arrangement by increasing executive powers in economic, social, and development matters.With the purpose of regulating the electoral competition between parties, the reforms eliminated the distribution by halves for departmental assemblies and municipal councils. Also included were some measures to recognize minority parties. Some required reforms were postponed, in some cases indefinitely, such as the ordinal one of article 120 of the Constitution granting "the right and fair participation of the second party in voting"

15. 20. On November 21, 1984, during the government of BelisarioBetancur, the Congress established popular voting for mayors and governors, with the aim of reducing or eliminating central control of the parties over nominations and of improving regional democracy.