American Government and the Constitution Eustis High Visions and Pursuits Christopher Haynes C/O 2017

The Founding Documents and Their Ideals The Declaration of Independence National sovereignty, natural law, self-evident truth, all men created equal, unalienable rights, government to secure those rights, and consent of the governed. Articles of Confederation Federalism, limited government, judicial review, checks and balances, separation of powers, popular sovereignty. Federalist Papers Checks and balances, states’ rights, individual rights.

The Declaration of Independence Popular Sovereignty ‘‘deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.’’ Social Contract, Natural Rights, Individual Rights These three tend to fall hand in hand when talking about the United States government. The social contract, as defined by John Locke and interpreted by Thomas Jefferson, is the government’s obligation to uphold those natural/individual rights that they are given from birth. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Constitutional Beginnings Federalist Views The Federalists were ones who believed strongly in the Constitution and its ratification, along with the ideals of federalism. They wanted a strong, centralized national government with weak state governments. Anti-Federalist Views The Anti-Federalist were ones who strongly opposed the Constitution and advocated for the Articles of Confederation. They wanted all powerful state governments with no central government whatsoever. The Bill of Rights The two sides argued whether or not to include a bill of rights in the document and met to discuss it at the Constitutional Convention. On December 15th, 1791, Virginia ratified the proposal, ultimately weighing the national favor to the Bill of Rights.

The Constitution’s Political Principles Rule of Law “This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land.” Checks and Balances/Separation of Powers These can be seen in Articles I, II, III of the Constitution, which is to be discussed later. http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_cnb.html Republicanism “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened), against domestic Violence.”

Continued Democracy Federalism Although the word “democracy” isn’t directly mentioned in the Constitution, the Constitution still reflects democratic ideals such as rule of law and popular sovereignty. Federalism The Constitution never directly states the word, “federalism”, although its ideals are discussed thoroughly. This lesson will further explain federalism later on.

Federalism Federalism, as defined by Cornell University’s College of Law, “is a system of government in which the same territory is controlled by two levels of government.” In the United States, it goes even further from national government to state governments to local governments. Although there is cooperation, the national government is deemed the “supreme law of the land”, but through several amendments, the states have accrued more power.

Article I: The Legislative Branch The Legislative Branch (Congress) is divided into two houses or what is known as “bicameral legislation”, they make the law. The Senate and the House of Representatives make up Congress. There are 100 Senators in Senate (2 per state) and 435 Representatives in the House (determined by state population). Congress is key to passing bills, but they can also collect taxes, borrow money, coin money, declare war, regulate trade, and can deem something “necessary and proper”.

Article II: The Executive Branch The Executive Branch includes the President, Vice President, and their Cabinet (those who advise the President), they enforce the law. Powers of the presidency include, but are not limited to: Commander in Chief of our military, pardoning crimes, approving treaties, approving federal appointments. The President, Vice President, and all civil officers are eligible to be impeached (removed from office) if found guilty of a crime worthy of so.

Article III: The Judicial Branch The Judicial Branch consists of the Supreme Court and all federal courts, including appellate courts. They interpret the law according the laws of the land and the Constitution to best answer the case at hand. Trial by jury is guaranteed in the United States judicial system.

Independent Regulatory Agencies Independent Regulatory Agencies are those entities that are part of the executive branch, but operate out of the reach of the President’s power, as he usually cannot dismiss the head of the agency. IRAs include: The Central Intelligence Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and the National Aeronautics and Space Agency.

Work Cited www.votekansas.org/reform/f/topics/gov/decl-indep-principles https://quizlet.com/6905709/articles-of-confederation-and-6- principles-flash-cards/ http://www.history.com/topics/federalist-papers http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bill-of-rights-is- finally-ratified