In your life, what are 5 ideas that you live by, that guide your decisions and your daily life. For example, for me, these basic principles guide my life: Spend less. Exercise often. Stay busy. Work hard. Be nice.

Discuss your ideas with your partner/table

5 Basic Principles of the Constitution The framers agreed that there will be 5 basic ideas guiding the new Constitution

Principle A basic, guiding rule or idea In this case, the rules that the framers referred back to when writing the Constitution

Principle 1: The People Rule Popular Sovereignty: What it means: The people allow the government to have power What it looks like: VOTING Representative Government: The people elect representatives to rule.

Explain this quote in your group.

Principle 2: Limited Government The government’s power is limited in many ways

In your group, discuss…. Compile a list of limits on the government’s power. There are many!

Principle 3: Federalism National Government: delegated (listed) and implied powers Delegated powers are LISTED in the Constitution Implied Powers: Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause) Article 1, section 8, clause 18 Allows the national government to STRETCH its power to do whatever is Necessary and Proper to make the country run smoothly. This gives gov’t implied powers. State Government: reserved (leftover) powers—all powers not specifically granted to the federal government are reserved for the states States have the power to meet their own needs

What does this cartoonist think about the relationship between the states and federal government?

Principle 4: Separation of Powers Legislative Branch: make laws (Article I) Executive Branch: enforce laws, carry them out (Article II) Judicial Branch: Interpret laws/system of courts (Article III)

3 Branches=Separation of Powers

Discuss in your group List things that you know each branch does/can do/who is a part

Principle 5: Checks and Balances Each branch has power over the other two branches, keeping each branch “in check”

Discuss in your group: List in your group as many checks and balances on the three branches as you can

With powers separate among the three branches, we can have checks and balances. Each branch can make sure the others stay “in check”

Principle 6. Judicial Review Power of the court to determine the constitutionality of a law or executive order Supremacy Clause (Article 6, clause 2)– US Constitution is the supreme law of the land