principles

1. Aim: What are the
principles of the
Constitution?

2. Read the Preamble and respond
1. According to the Preamble to the
US Constitution, who created the
U.S. government?
2. Why was the US Constitution
created? [List 6 reasons]

3. Parts of Constitution
• Preamble = introduction “We the people”
• 7 Articles:
– Article 1: Legislative Branch
– Article 2: Executive Branch
– Article 3: Judicial Branch
– Article 4: Relations between the States
– Article 5: Amending process
– Article 6: Constitution is Supreme Law of Land
– Article 7: Ratification process

4. What are Principles?
• A principle is a kind of rule, belief,
or idea that guides you.
• Principles guide the Constitution.
They are the values and beliefs of
the country.

5. What are the 6 Principles of the
Constitution?
1. Separation of powers
2. Checks and Balances
3. Popular Sovereignty
4. Republicanism
5. Federalism
6. Supremacy of National Laws & Judicial
Review

6. 1. Separation of Powers
Government is divided into 3 branches
• Executive (headed by President)
carries out the laws
• Legislative (Congress) makes the
laws
• Judicial (courts) explains and
interprets the laws

8. 2. Checks & Balances
• Each branch of government limits
the power of the other branches.
• No one branch is more powerful
Example;
• Executive vetoes
• Judicial overturns
• Legislative overrides

9. 3. Popular Sovereignty
• Government gets its
authority from the people
= Social Contract
• People have the right to
change or abolish their
government

10. 4. Republicanism
• Government run by the people
through elected representatives

11. 5. Federalism
• Division of power between the National
gov. and the States gov.
-Some powers are given (delegated)
to the National gov. while other
powers are kept (reserved) by the
states

12. Federal or
National gov.
State gov.
Local or City
gov.
President
Barrack
Obama
Governor
Andrew
Cuomo
Mayor Bill
DeBlasio
FBI
State
Troopers
NYPD

14. 6. Supremacy of National
Laws & Judicial Review
• The Constitution includes a
Supremacy Clause that declares
that the national gov. has authority
(is superior) to the states’ gov.
• The US Supreme Court has the
power of Judicial Review to
declare national, state, or city acts
of government or laws invalid.

15. Closure:
–Which Constitutional
principle is most
important?
WHY???