European influences and Constitutional principles Chapter 7, section 3a European influences and Constitutional principles

Content Vocabulary An example of an amendment to the Constitution is the Bill of Rights. The branch of the government that establishes laws is the Legislative Branch. The political feature of the United States government whereby power is shared between the federal and the state governments is called federalism.

The checks and balance system was established so that no single branch can dominate the government. The branch of the government headed by the President is the Executive Branch. The Supreme Court is a part of the Judicial Branch of the government. The President and Vice-President are elected by a group of presidential electors called the Electoral College.

8. Name 2 of the Enlightenment thinkers and explain each’s important ideas. John Locke = All people have natural rights (Life, Liberty, and property) Government is a contract between the people and their government The government’s power should be limited

Baron de Montesquieu = Powers in the government should be separated and balanced. This would prevent any single person or group from gaining too much power Powers should be clearly defined and limited.

9. 5 Principles of the Government FEDERALISM Calls for the division and sharing of powers between the federal (national) government and the state governments: Federal powers: State powers: Maintain an army / navy establish schools Foreign affairs laws regarding marriage and divorce Postal routes Coin money Shared powers: Punish counterfeiting Taxes punish piracy General welfare Build roads

B. Separation of Powers The division of the operations of the national government into 3 branches, each with its own powers and responsibilities Legislative Branch (Congress) makes the laws Collect taxes Regulate foreign and interstate trade Raise and support a military Establish post offices Establish a federal court system

Executive Branch (President) carries out the laws Commander-in-chief of the armed forces Directs foreign relations Grants pardons and reprieves Appoints Supreme Ct. Justices (with 2/3 consent of the Senate) Makes treaties (with 2/3 consent of the Senate)

Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) settles arguments Constitutional cases Disputes between states Disputes with a foreign country Maritime cases Disputes between a person and a foreign country

c. Checks and Balance System The means by which each branch of the national government is able to check, or control, the power of the other 2 branches The framers of the Constitution hoped to keep any one branch from gaining too much power The President can check Congress by vetoing a bill The Supreme Court can check the President and Congress by declaring a law unconstitutional

The Senate must approve treaties signed by the President The Senate must approve Supreme Court Justices Congress can override a Presidential veto Congress can impeach and convict high officers in the government. Congress can amend the Constitution to over-rule the Supreme Court The Supreme Court can declare Executive actions unconstitutional The President can grant pardons and reprieves which limits the Judicial Branch Congress must ratify the President’s treaties with a 2/3 vote.

d. Popular Sovereignty Popular sovereignty means that the people hold the final authority, or ruling power The framers of the Constitution believed that a contract exists between the people and the government. The government receives the power to rule from the people.

4. The people exercise their power by voting. In 1789, only white men over age 21 and owned property could vote. In 1870, Amendment 15 was passed giving Black men the right to vote, and In 1920, Amendment 19 gave women the right to vote.

Examples of issues “We the people” can vote on are: Governorships Representatives Senators Electors who choose the President/Vice-President Re-call petitions

e. Limited Government The Principle that the government is not all powerful but can do only what the people say it can do The most important limits on government are set out in the Bill of Rights Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition The right to keep and bear arms

The right not to have troops quartered in our homes in peacetime The right not to have unreasonable search and seizure The right not to have double jeopardy, be a witness against ourselves, and have due process of law The right to a speedy and public trial, be informed of the offense, be confronted with the witnesses against us, and to have a lawyer

The right to a trial by jury The right not to have excessive bail or cruel and unusual punishments