The Daring Book for Girls - Andrea J. Buchanan [99]
To short-sheet a bed, you merely reposition the top sheet. Instead of tucking it in at the foot of the bed, tuck it in at the head of the bed. Lay out the sheet and halfway down the bed, stop and fold the sheet back toward the pillows. Place the blanket on top and fold a few inches of sheet on top for that neat, just-made look. This bed looks normal, but just try and stretch your legs out!
Important: Don’t do this to anyone whose feelings will be hurt, only to those you know will laugh hard or at least giggle when they figure it out.
FAUX BLOOD
Fool your friends with this
easily prepared hoax.
Needed:
corn syrup
cornstarch
red food coloring from the pantry
a jar with a tight lid
a spoon
an eyedropper
Red food coloring can stain, so wear old clothes, although washing with very warm water and strong soap should clean it up. It is best to keep this all outdoors.
Mix 4 small drops of food coloring, 2 teaspoons of water, and 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in the jar, cover, and shake. Pour in 2 tablespoons of corn syrup. Cover and shake again.
Use an eyedropper or a spoon to drip the fake blood where you want it. Make up a good story.
What is the Bill of Rights?
IN THE DAYS AFTER the United States won its independence from Britain in the 1780s, people vigorously debated how much power a government needed to rule, and how best to protect people’s rights from being overly stifled by the government. The now-famous Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers were originally published as letters in newspapers, and instead of using their given names, the letter writers often took names like “Brutus,” “Agrippa,” and “Cato”—well-known figures from the era of the Roman Republic. In their struggle to create a free society, after having only known life under a king, the early Americans looked to ancient Roman society for inspiration.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, called the Bill of Rights, were the answer to the power of government versus personal freedom debate. The amendments form our basic sense of what it means to be American. These are the laws that now protect our freedom of religion and speech, our independent press, and our right to assemble peacefully in protest. Among other things, the Bill of Rights establishes our right to bear arms (not arm bears) and to be granted fair and speedy trials, and protects us from cruel and unusual punishment.
The Preamble to the Bill of Rights
Congress of the United States begun and held at the City of New-York, on Wednesday the fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine.
The Conventions of a number of the States having, at the time of adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added, and as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution;
Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two-thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States; all or any of which articles, when ratified by three-fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the said Constitution, namely:
Ratified December 15, 1791
AMENDMENT I
Congress shall make no law 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.
AMENDMENT II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
AMENDMENT III
No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered i any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.