Major Principles of Major Principles of the U.S. Constitutionthe U.S. Constitution

U.S. Constitution Unit U.S. Constitution Unit Assignment #1Assignment #1

Major Principles of the U.S. Constitution

❖ There are 7 major principles of government our U.S. Constitution rests on:

❖ Popular Sovereignty

❖ Republicanism❖ Limited Government❖ Federalism❖ Separation of Powers❖ Checks & Balances❖ Individual Rights

Popular Popular SovereignSovereign

tyty✦ Contained in the 1st sentence of our Contained in the 1st sentence of our ConstitutionConstitution✦ Means ‘authority of the people”Means ‘authority of the people”✦ U.S. citizens give their permission to U.S. citizens give their permission to be governed, and in return specify the be governed, and in return specify the powers & rules by which they are powers & rules by which they are governedgoverned

RepublicaniRepublicanismsm

✦ Refers to our government style of a Refers to our government style of a “republic”“republic”✦Voters hold all the power in a Voters hold all the power in a republican systemrepublican system✦People elect representatives to make People elect representatives to make laws & run governmentlaws & run government✦Representatives are then responsible Representatives are then responsible to the people the elect themto the people the elect them

LimitedLimitedGovernmentGovernment

✦ Even though the Constitution created a Even though the Constitution created a stronger central government, they wanted stronger central government, they wanted to make sure it couldn’t misuse its powerto make sure it couldn’t misuse its power✦Our Constitution specifically outlines the Our Constitution specifically outlines the powers that each branch of government is powers that each branch of government is givengiven✦Any powers not listed are granted only Any powers not listed are granted only by the people’s permissionby the people’s permission✦ Listing of powers found in Article I of Listing of powers found in Article I of the Constitutionthe Constitution✦ Also found in the Bill of RightsAlso found in the Bill of Rights

FederalismFederalism✦ The new Constitution did not want to The new Constitution did not want to eliminate states power over themselveseliminate states power over themselves✦ Each state is allowed to deal with Each state is allowed to deal with their own needs in their own way their own needs in their own way (educations, roads & highways)(educations, roads & highways)✦ The central government deals with The central government deals with issues that involve all Americans issues that involve all Americans (money, taxes on goods sold in-between (money, taxes on goods sold in-between states)states)✦Who gets to do what is described in Who gets to do what is described in our Constitutionour Constitution

The Federal System

EnumeratedPowers

ReservedPowers

ConcurrentPowers

Powers specifically given to our central govt

(declaring war)

Powers specifically given to our state govts (education)

Powers shared between both

govts(power to tax)

Separation of PowersSeparation of Powers✦ To prevent the central government from becoming too powerful, it was To prevent the central government from becoming too powerful, it was split into three parts: Executive, Legislative, Judicial.split into three parts: Executive, Legislative, Judicial.✦Legislative Branch makes our national laws (Congress)Legislative Branch makes our national laws (Congress)✦Executive Branch carries out/oversees our national laws (President)Executive Branch carries out/oversees our national laws (President)✦Judicial Branch interprets and applies the laws (Supreme Court)Judicial Branch interprets and applies the laws (Supreme Court)

Executive Executive BranchBranch

Legislative Legislative BranchBranch

Judicial Judicial BranchBranch

Checks & BalancesChecks & Balances✦ Our Constitution gives each Our Constitution gives each branch of the central government branch of the central government a power, or “check”, over the a power, or “check”, over the other one to “balance” their other one to “balance” their power.power.✦ The President can veto any law The President can veto any law Congress tries to pass and selects Congress tries to pass and selects who sits on the Supreme Courtwho sits on the Supreme Court✦Congress can impeach the Congress can impeach the President and Supreme Court President and Supreme Court judgesjudges✦The Supreme Court can declare The Supreme Court can declare acts of Congress and the acts of Congress and the President illegal President illegal

Individual Individual RightsRights

✦ Embodies our belief that the people Embodies our belief that the people rule over their governmentrule over their government✦Our first 10 Amendments list the Our first 10 Amendments list the individual rights given to each American individual rights given to each American citizencitizen✦ Other Amendments that protect Other Amendments that protect individual rights have been added since individual rights have been added since (abolishment of slavery, right to vote for (abolishment of slavery, right to vote for women)women)