Civics-1.2

Seven Major Principles

Popular Sovereignty

The Declaration of Independence says that governments get their powers from the people. "We the people" reinforce this idea of popular sovereignty—or "authority of the people."

The people are the source of the

government’s power.

Popular Sovereignty

Republicanism

Under republicanism, voters elect representatives and give them the responsibility to make laws and conduct government.

A form of government in which representatives are

elected by the people.

Republicanism

Limited Government

By creating a limited government, the Framers made certain the government would have only those powers that the people gave it. Limited government can be described as the "rule of law." No people or groups are above the law.

The Constitution limits the actions of the government by specifically listing

powers it does and does not have.

Limited Governmen

t

Federalism

A system in which the power is shared between the national government and the states is called a federal system, or federalism. The Constitution defines three types of government powers: Enumerated, Reserved, and Concurrent.

Enumerated powers belong only to the federal government and are actually listed, or enumerated, in the Constitution.

Enumerated Powers >Make army & navy >Regulate interstate

& foreign trade >Conduct Foreign

affairs >Create federal

courts >Coin money

Reserved powers are the things that the states have control over.

Enumerated Powers >Make army & navy >Regulate interstate

& foreign trade >Conduct Foreign

affairs >Create federal

courts >Coin money

Reserved Powers

>Establish schools

>Pass marriage and divorce laws

>Regulate trade within a state

The Tenth Amendment even says that all powers not specifically listed as belonging to the federal government "are reserved to the States."

Concurrent powers are the powers shared by the state and federal governments.

Enumerated Powers >Make army & navy >Regulate interstate

& foreign trade >Conduct Foreign

affairs >Create federal

courts >Coin money

Reserved Powers

>Establish schools

>Pass marriage and divorce laws

>Regulate trade within a state

>Enforce the laws >Establish courts>Raise taxes>Borrow money >Provide for the general welfare

Because the Constitution is "the supreme Law of the Land," when state law and federal law disagree, the federal law always wins. Enumerated Powers

>Make army & navy >Regulate interstate &

foreign trade >Conduct Foreign affairs >Create federal courts >Coin money

Reserved >Establish schools

>Pass marriage and divorce laws

>Regulate trade within a state

>Enforce the laws >Establish courts >Collect taxes >Borrow money >Provide for

the general welfare

StateGov’t

Nat’lGov’t

Both

A system of government in which

the power is divided between the state and national

governments.

Federalism

Separation of Powers

To prevent any one government group from getting too much power, federal government was divided into 3 branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

The legislative branch, Congress, makes the laws.

The executive branch, headed by the president, enforces the laws.

The judicial branch, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts, judges the laws.

Each of three branches of

government has its own responsibilities

Separation of Powers

Checks and Balances

The Constitution also has a system of checks and balances so that each branch of government can check, or limit, the power of the other branches.

Here’s how it works

LEGISLATUREHouse and Senate

Both houses of Congress must pass a bill for it to become

law.

EXECUTIVEPresident

Can check Congress by

vetoing the bill

2/3 of Congress can check the president by

overriding the veto

The president appoints

Supreme Court justices

the Senate must approve the

appointments

JUDICIALthe Supreme Court

check on Congress and the president by

ruling on the constitutionality of

laws and presidential acts

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Constit

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Each branch of government has

some control over the other two

branches.

Checks and

Balances

Individual Rights

The Bill of Rights became part of the Constiution in 1791. These first 10 Amendments protect basic liberties and rights-----including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, and the right to a trial by jury.

Basic freedoms and rights of all citizens

guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.

Individual Rights