3.1 Notes: The six basic principles
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Transcript of 3.1 Notes: The six basic principles
3.1 NOTES: THE SIX BASIC PRINCIPLES
BY: Kailah Gordon, Terrell Cheathem, Zane
Ouellette, Colton Beaty
HISTORY OF THE CONSTITUTION
The Constitution was written in 1787 but didn’t
take effect until 1789
Although it is over 200 years old, it still remains an
important and relevant document in our country.
The Constitution is often called “the supreme Law
of the Land” because it is the highest form of law in
the U.S.
OUTLINE OF THE CONSTITUTION
The Constitution lays out the structure of our government
and sets the limits within which the government can conduct
itself.
The Constitution has been able to guide our nation for over
2 centuries because it sticks to basic principles and isn’t
riddled with complex laws and provisions.
It begins with an intro known as The Preamble and is
divided into seven sections called articles.
OUTLINE OF THE CONSTITUTION
The first 3 articles focus on the 3 branches of
Government dealing with Congress, the
presidency, and the court system.
Each of these articles deal with policies
concerning each branch such as organization,
powers, and how members of each are chosen.
OUTLINE OF THE CONSTITUTION
The Fourth Article deals with the States’ placement and their
relationship with both the National Government and each other.
Article V explains how new amendments may be added to the
Constitution.
Article VI announces that the Constitution is the supreme law of
the nation.
The Seventh Article deals with the ratification of the
Constitution.
THE SIX BASIC PRINCIPLES
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY
LIMITED GOVERNMENT
SEPARATION OF POWERS
CHECKS AND BALANCES
JUDICIAL REVIEW
FEDERALISM
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY
Popular Sovereignty is the concept that in the U.S. all
political power rests with people. The only way the
Government can govern is with the consent of the
governed.
It is such an important concept because it is one of the
leading themes in the Declaration of Independence.
The Government draws power from the people who have
given them this power through the Constitution.
LIMITED GOVERNMENT
This is the principle that says no government should be all-
powerful and that a government can only do the things that
the people have given them the power to do.
Limited Government is also called constitutionalism because
the government must obey the law and must conduct itself
according to constitutional principles.
This concept is also known as the “rule of the law” which
states that government officers and officials are always
subject to the law.
For the most part, The Constitution is a statement of limited
government because it reads as a prohibition of certain
government authorities.
SEPARATION OF POWERS
In a Presidential System, the judicial, executive, and legislative
powers are split up into three branches.
In the U.S. the executive branch is the President, Congress is
the legislative branch, and the courts represent the judicial
branch.
Article I of the Constitution lays out the powers of the
legislative branch such as lawmaking.
Article II of the Constitution lays out the powers of the
executive branch such as law-enforcing.
Article III of the Constitution lays out the powers of the judicial
branch such as interpreting the law.
CHECKS AND BALANCES
Each branch isn’t entirely independent of each other
because they are woven together with a system of checks and
balances.
This is the concept that states that each branch is subject
to a set of restraints from the other two branches.
Checks such as Congress has the power to make law but
the President can veto any act of Congress or the Senate can
decide not to approve a treaty made by the President.
The purpose of checks and balances is to prevent an unjust
majority.
JUDICIAL REVIEW
Judicial review is a principle of checks and balances that
is used by the courts to determine whether a government
actions abide by the Constitution.
Judicial review gives power to federal and state courts to
deem something unconstitutional meaning it is illegal or
null and void or violates a rule in the Constitution.
Judicial Review was established in 1803 in the case of
Marbury v. Madison
FEDERALISMFederalism is the principle of the division of power among
one central government and multiple regional governments.
The American Government is a federalist system because
the National Government holds some power sand the other
powers are held by 50 states.
The Framers of the Constitution chose this system because
America had rebelled against the severe rule of a central
government and didn’t wish to be ruled by another so they
compromised with splitting up the centralized governmental
powers between the states.