Foundations of American Government

1
Foundations of American Government

• SOL CE 2

2
Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• The student will demonstrate knowledge of the
  foundations of American constitutional government
  by
• a) explaining the fundamental principles of
  consent of the governed, limited government, rule
  of law, democracy, and representative government

3
Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• What is a foundational principle?
• A foundation is the basis for something. It is
  something that you build upon.
• A principle is a key idea.

4
Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• What are the key principles?
• Limited Government
• Consent of the Governed
• Rule of Law
• Democracy
• Representative Government

5
Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• Limited Government
• The government is not all powerful and may only
  do what the people allow it to do.
• In other words the government cannot do
  everything and anything it wants. It is limited
  by the people.
• These limits are found in the US Constitution.

6
Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• Examples of Limited Government
• Due Process
• Ex Post Facto Laws
• Bills of Attainder
• Writ of Habeas Corpus

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Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• Consent of the Governed
• The Government may only do what the people allow.
• In other words the government receives the
  permission to govern by the will of the people.

8
Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• Where in the Constitution can we see consent of
  the governed?
• The phrase, We the people shows the
  government receives its power from the people.

9
Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• Rule of Law
• Everyone, including those in government, are held
  to the same law.
• In other words everyone is equal under the law.

10
Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• Examples of Rule of Law
• Celebrities going to jail.
• Impeaching a governor.
• Famous people doing community service

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Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• Democracy
• A system of government where the people rule.
• In a democracy the people make the rules.
• A direct democracy occurs when people make the
  laws directly by voting on those laws.

12
Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• Examples of democracy
• Ancient Greece
• The people of Amherst, Virginia voting on a leash
  ordinance.

13
Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• Representative Government
• A system of government where people elect public
  officials to make laws for them.
• In other words people choose individuals to make
  laws on their behalf.

14
Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a

• Examples of Representative Government
• Ancient Rome
• Voting on senators, representatives, delegates,
  and local legislatures.

15
Foundational Principles SOL CE 2a
16
Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• The student will demonstrate knowledge of the
  foundations of American constitutional government
  by
• b) explaining the significance of the charters of
  the Virginia Company of London, the Virginia
  Declaration of Rights, the Declaration of
  Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the
  Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, and the
  Constitution of the United States, including the
  Bill of Rights

17
Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• Magna Carta
• King John
• Lists rules that he must abide by just as the
  nobles and church leaders.
• Establishes the Rule of Law

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Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• Charters of the VA Company of London
• Guaranteed the colonists their rights as English
  Citizens.

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Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• The Virginia Declaration of Rights
• Served as a model for the Bill of Rights

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Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• The Declaration of Independence
• Stated grievances against the king.
• Grievances are complaints or problems you have
  with someone.

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Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• The Declaration of Independence
• Declared the colonists independence from England

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Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• The Declaration of Independence
• Affirmed certain unalienable rights
• Life
• Liberty
• Pursuit of happiness
• Unalienable rights are also called natural rights

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Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• The Declaration of Independence
• Affirmed that all people are equal under the law.

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Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
• This gave absolute religious freedom of belief
  and thought

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Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• Articles of Confederation
• Established the first form of government in the
  United States
• Most of the power belonged to the states

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Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• Articles of Confederation
• Created a weak central government
• No power to tax
• No power to enforce laws
• Led to the writing of the US Constitution

27
Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• The US Constitution
• Has the three parts
• Preamble Introduction
• Articles Explains how the government should
  operate.
• Amendment Changes to the US Constitution. The
  first ten are called The Bill of Rights

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Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• Established the structure of the United States
  government
• The Articles
• Guaranteed equality under the law with majority
  rule and the rights of the minority protected
• Affirmed individual worth and dignity of all
  people

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Significant Documents SOL CE 2b

• Guaranteed the fundamental freedoms of religion,
  assembly, press, petition, and speech in the
  first amendment

30
Significant Documents SOL CE 2b
31
The Preamble of the US Constitution SOL CE 2c

• The student will demonstrate knowledge of the
  foundations of American constitutional government
  by
• c) identifying the purposes for the Constitution
  of the United States as stated in its Preamble

32
The Preamble of the US Constitution SOL CE 2c

• What is the preamble?
• It is the introduction of the US Constitution
• It lists the goals and purposes of the US
  Government

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The Preamble of the US Constitution SOL CE 2c

• To form a more perfect union
• The founders wanted a government that worked
  together as one.
• They wanted a government that was better than the
  government created by the Articles of
  Confederation
• To establish justice
• Established fairness under the law
• To ensure domestic tranquility
• Peace in the US

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The Preamble of the US Constitution SOL CE 2c

• To provide for the common defense
• Protect the people
• To promote the general welfare
• To create a safe environment for the people
• To secure the blessings of liberty
• To make sure all citizens were always guaranteed
  their rights and freedoms

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The Preamble of the US Constitution SOL CE 2c

• The Preamble begins with the phrase, We the
  people which shows the power of the US
  government comes from the people. The concept of
  Consent of the Governed

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The Preamble of the US Constitution SOL CE 2c
37
The Amendment Process for the US and VA
Constitutions SOL CE 2d

• The student will demonstrate knowledge of the
  foundations of American constitutional government
  by
• d) identifying the procedures for amending the
  Constitution of Virginia and the Constitution of
  the United States.

38
The Amendment Process for the US and VA
Constitutions SOL CE 2d

• The US Constitution
• The amendment process is complex.
• The Constitution explains the process for
  amending the Constitution
• To date, there are 27 amendments to the
  Constitution of the United States.
• Amendment process
• Proposal action by Congress or convention
• Ratification by the states

39
The Amendment Process for the US and VA
Constitutions SOL CE 2d

• The Virginia Constitution
• The VA Constitution has been amended many times
• The VA Constitution explains the amendment
  process for the VA Constitution
• Amendment process
• Proposal action by General Assembly or
  convention
• Ratification by voters of Virginia