The Constitution

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The Constitution

• Basic Principles and Amendment Process

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• "A primary object should be the education of our
  youth in the science of government. In a
  republic, what species of knowledge can be
  equally important? And what duty more pressing
  than communicating it to those who are to be the
  future guardians of the liberties of the
  country?"
• -George Washington

• Life Mask of
• George Washington

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Six Fundamental Principles of the U.S.
Constitution

1. Popular Sovereignty
2. Limited Government
3. Separation of Powers
4. Checks and Balances
5. Rule of Law
6. Federalism

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Six Fundamental Principles of theU.S.
Constitution

• 1. Popular Sovereignty
• All power comes from the people

• 2.Limited Government
• Government may do ONLY the things that people
  give it power to do

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Six Fundamental Principles of theU.S.
Constitution

• 3. Separation of Powers
• Government is divided into three
  branches-legislative, executive, and judicial

• 4. Checks Balances
• Each branch of govt can be checked (restrained)
  by the other branches

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Six Fundamental Principles of the U.S.
Constitution

• 5. Rule of Law
• The U.S. Constitution is supreme and all
  individuals are accountable under the law

• 6. Federalism
• Division of power between a central (national)
  and local (state) governments

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Elements of the Constitution

• Preamble Sets the purpose of the Constitution
• Articles Establishes our national government
• Amendments Allows for formal changes to the
  Constitution

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The Preamble

• What is the significance of the Preamble of the
  United States Constitution?
• To form a more perfect union
• To establish justice
• To ensure domestic tranquility
• To provide for the common defense
• To promote the general welfare
• To secure the blessings of liberty

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Organization of the National Government

• Article I Establishes the legislative branch of
  the national government setting forth the two
  houses of Congress to make laws
• Article II Establishes the executive branch to
  carry out the laws passed by Congress
• Article III Establishes the judicial branch by
  creating the U.S. Supreme Court and empowering
  Congress to establish lower Federal Courts to
  interpret the laws

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Amendment Process

• Amendment A formal revision to the Constitution,
  responding to the needs of a changing nation
• As spelled out in Article V, the Constitution can
  be amended by a vote of
• two-thirds of the House of Representatives
• and two-thirds of the Senate
• followed by a ratification of three-fourths of
  the various state legislatures
• To date, there have been 27 amendments to the
  original Constitution

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Ratification Debates

• Nine of thirteen states needed to ratify
  Constitution
• Anti-Federalist Position
• Suspicious of a strong central government
• Wanted Bill of Rights to protect personal
  liberties
• Federalist Position
• A strong central government was the best way to
  protect freedom
• The Federalist was a series of essays supporting
  adoption of the U.S. Constitution

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The Bill of Rights

• The first ten amendments to the Constitution
• Guarantees civil liberties the rights of
  individuals and limitations on federal and state
  governments
• Freedoms Religion, speech, press, assembly,
  petition
• Government Limitations Unreasonable search and
  seizure, double jeopardy, self-incrimination,
  cruel and unusual punishment

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Selective Incorporation

• Beginning in the 20th Century, the Supreme
• Court used the 14th Amendment (due
• process of law clause) to limit state actions,
• just as the Bill of Rights limits the national
• government

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"Do you ever have one of those days when
everything seems unconstitutional?"