Principles of the U.S. Constitution

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Principles of theU.S. Constitution
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The Ideas Upon Which Our Government Was Founded
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Limited Government

• The idea that the powers of government are
  limited by the Constitution.
• Articles I, II, and III of the U.S. Constitution
  specify the powers and responsibilities of each
  branch.

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Popular Sovereignty

• All authority for government flows from the
  people and they rule through their elected
  representatives.
• The People

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Popular Sovereignty (continued)

• Found in Preamble We the people, in order to
  form a more perfect union, . . . do ordain and
  establish this Constitution of the United
  States.
• Also in Article IX, The people retain rights not
  here enumerated. (In other words, we have
  rights beyond those listed in the Constitution)

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Republicanism

• Voters elect representatives to exercise power
  for them.

When you hear REPublicanism Think
REPresentative Government
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Separation of Powers

• Each Branch of Government has its own
  responsibilities and limitations.
• Article IThe Legislative Branch (Congress) has
  the power to make laws and to tax.
• Article IIThe Executive Branch has the
  responsibility to carry out the laws.
• Article IIIThe Judicial Branch settles disputes
  over the laws.

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Checks and Balances
Executive Branch

• Each of the three
• branches of
• government
• exercises some
• control over the
• others, sharing
• power among
• them.

Federal Judiciary
U.S. Congress
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Federalism

• Power is divided between the national and state
  governments, limiting central power.
• The 10th Amendment states Powers not delegated
  to the federal government are reserved to the
  states and the people.

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The Federal System under the U.S. Constitution

Declaring War Regulating U.S.
Trade Coining Money
Governing Education Providing for public
safety
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Individual Rights

• Enlightenment scholars believed that there were
  natural or god-given rights that everyone was
  born with. They suggested that the whole purpose
  of any government was to insure these individual
  rights.
• The Declaration of Independence referred to
  unalienable rights, such as life, liberty, and
  the pursuit of happiness.
• The Bill of Rights was added to the U.S.
  Constitution in 1791 to protect individual
  rights, or civil liberties.

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The First Ten Amendments to the Constitution
The Bill of Rights

• 1. Freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly,
  and the right to petition the government
• 2. The right to bear arms in state militias
• 3. The guarantee that civilians will not
• have to house soldiers
• 4-8. Protections for those accused of a crime
• 9. The guarantee that rights not specifically
  listed are not automatically denied to people
• 10. The guarantee that the people and states keep
  the powers not specifically given to the federal
  government

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The Importance of Freedom of Speech and Freedom
of the Press in a Democratic Society

• Why are these two freedoms considered essential
  to the survival of a democracy?
• The number one reason . . . To allow us to safely
  criticize our elected leaders and our
  governments policies.
• It is believed that, without this freedom, power
  would fall into the hands of powerful individuals
  that do not represent the will of the people.