Unit 2 Principles Of American Government

Six Basic Principles of the Constitution Chapters 3 and 4

Six Basic Principles of the Constitution
6 Themes evident throughout the Constitution
Each principle illustrates HOW this document is a document of LIMITATIONS .
This shows distrust of government.
Why were the colonists fearful of powerful government?

Limited Government
Government is NOT all powerful, there are limits on what is can do
Constitution is the Supreme Law of the land and ALL government officials are subject to the document. (Rule of Law)
Evident throughout the Constitution, use of negative language throughout

Limited Government
Examples in the Constitution:
Article 1 , Section 9
no denial of habeas corpus
no bills of attainder
no ex post facto
no titles of nobility
Article 1 , section 10
no state shall enter into treaties with foreign nations
no state shall coin its own money

Limited Government
Examples in the Constitution
Bill of Rights
Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech…
The rights of the people shall not be abridged …
No quartering of troops

Six Principles of American Government
Republicanism
Checks and Balances
Separation of Powers
Popular Sovereignty
Individual Rights
Federalism
We will discover: How each of these principles LIMIT government!
Note Bene: The 6 principles noted here are slightly different than the 6 principles in the textbook. (These align with the TEKs)

Republicanism
All citizens are represented by a man or woman in both the federal government (Congress) and state government (Legislature)
These Representatives make decisions for us
Republican form of Government – each State is guaranteed at least 1 Representative and 2 Senators in Congress
(guaranteed by the Constitution)
John Carter (R) Represents the Round Rock in the House of Representatives at the Federal level

Checks and Balances
Each branch checks over the other two, to prevent abuse (again limiting government)
The legislative makes a law
the executive can veto
The executive vetoes
the legislative can override the veto
The judges make a law unconstitutional
the legislative can make an amendment to the Constitution
The executive appoints a judge
the legislative must confirm or reject

Separation of Powers
Article 1 – Only Legislative makes laws, coins money, taxes, borrows money, declares war, establishes post offices, makes lower courts, makes laws about naturalization, fixes weights and measurements
17 listed powers, and the "elastic clause"-Clause 18
Article 2 – Only the Executive enforces laws, is Commander in Chief, appoints judges, pardons, vetoes, makes the State of the Union address, calls special sessions
Article 3 – Only the Judges interpret the Constitution
Each branch has its OWN separate powers that the other two DO NOT thus limiting the other two.

Popular Sovereignty
The people are the source of the power.
We give our consent to those we elect to speak in our behalf, but we are the source of power.
Evident throughout the document:
In Preamble - "We the People"
Article 1 - the people elect representatives to the House
Article 2 - the people indirectly elect the President
Amendment 17 - the people directly elect Senators
Amendment 1 - Free speech, press, petition-implies we, the people will participate
If a majority of the people want something, should they get what the want?
Abortion, End of the War, Affirmative Action, Close the Border, etc…
We the People limit the power of Representatives (by voting them out). How do Representatives limit the power of the people?

Individual Rights
Government exists to protect your individual rights (Locke, Hobbes, Jefferson)
Rights are something that are protected by government, not given by government
Bill of Rights outlines several of these
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Press
Freedom of Assembly
Right to bear arms
Right to a fair and speedy trial
14 th amendment expands Bill of Rights to the states
Civil Rights Act (1964)

Federalism
The federal government and its sub-divisional governments (states) SHARE the powers of law-making, enforcing, and interpreting.
All levels of government
(federal, state, and local)
have three branches
(legislative, executive, and judicial).
The Constitution gives power to BOTH the federal and state governments
Federalism is like a three tiered layer cake. Explain!

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Unit 2 Principles Of American Government

by David Osman on Jul 10, 2008

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Unit 2 Principles Of American Government — Presentation Transcript