AMERICAN GOVERNMENT Chapter 3: The Constitution

Section 1 The Six Basic Principles  Main Idea  The Constitution is a brief, straightforward document that has guided American government for over 200 years. Its authors wrote the Constitution based on the principles that political power resides with the people, and that the National Government should be limited and divided into three branches to limit the power of any one of those three branches

Section 1 The Six Basic Principles  Constitution originally consisted of a  Preamble A sort of introduction  The Articles Divided into 7 sections  Article I  Legislative branch  Article II  Executive branch  Article III  Judicial branch  Article IV  Relations among the States  Article V  Amending the Constitution  Article VI  National debts, supremacy of national law, and oaths of office  Article VII  Ratifying the Constitution

Section 1 The Six Basic Principles  The Constitution was developed around six broad ideas or principles  Popular sovereignty People are the source of gov’t power  Limited government Gov’t only possesses powers the people give it It must obey the Constitution, a principle known as Constitutionalism Gov’t officials are subject to “the rule of law” They must obey the law and are never above it

Section 1 The Six Basic Principles  Separation of powers Three separate branches that share power Executive Law enforcing President and his cabinet Legislative Law writing House & Senate Judicial Law interpreting Supreme Court

Section 1 The Six Basic Principles  Checks and Balances Ensures no branch becomes too powerful Each branch limits the power of the other two President can veto an act of Congress Congress can override a veto with 2/3 vote of each house

Section 1 The Six Basic Principles  Judicial Review The power of the courts to decide what the Constitution means Courts can declare a government action unconstitutional  Federalism Division of power between the central government and the States

Section 1 The Six Basic Principles  Study Questions What are the six basic principles of the Constitution? 2. Answer all of the following about checks and balances: a) What is the purpose of checks and balances? b) How can the judicial branch check the legislative branch? c) How can the executive branch check the legislative branch?

Section 2 Formal Amendment  Main Idea  The Framers of the Constitution realized that, inevitably, changes would have to be made in the document they wrote. Article V provides for the process of formal amendment. To this point, 27 amendments have been added to the Constitution.

Section 2 Formal Amendment  The Constitution has lasted over 200 years because it can change with the times  Formal or Informal amendment

Section 2 Formal Amendment  Formal Amendments  A change to the written word of the Constitution  Four ways to make a formal amendment to the Constitution 2/3 of Congress proposes, ¾ of state legislatures ratify 2/3 of Congress proposes, state conventions ratify National convention proposes, ¾ of state legislatures ratify National convention proposes, ¾ of state conventions ratify  Each method is based on the principle of federalism

Section 2 Formal Amendment  Bill of Rights  First 10 Amendments to the Constitution  To protect the rights held by the people  Limits the power of government

Section 2 Formal Amendment  Study Questions How many amendments have been formally added to the Constitution? 2. How does the formal amendment process reflect federalism? 3. What event led to the 13 th, 14 th, and 15 th amendments?

Section 3 Constitutional Change by Other Means  Main Idea  The 27 formal amendments to the Constitution have not been a major part of the process by which that document has kept pace with more than 200 years of far-reaching change in this country. Rather, constitutional change has more often occurred as a result of the day-to-day, year-to-year workings of government.

Section 3 Constitutional Change by Other Means  Informal changes to the Constitution have not altered the Constitution’s actual words  Congress has written laws about the ways gov’t operates  Presidents make an executive agreement or pact with the head of another country instead of a treaty  Courts informally changed the Constitution by explaining parts of it when ruling on cases

Section 3 Constitutional Change by Other Means  Informal changes to the Constitution, continued  Political parties have informally shaped what the government does Decreased the importance of the Electoral College  Customs have developed that are not mentioned in the Constitution Cabinet, advisors, made up of the heads of executive departments Senatorial courtesy Senators won’t approve of an appointment in a state if that state’s senator doesn’t approve

Section 3 Constitutional Change by Other Means  Study Questions By what five ways has the Constitution been changed other than by formal amendment?