3.1

 How is the Constitution organized?  How is the U.S. government one that practices popular sovereignty?  What does it mean to suggest the U.S. has a limited government?  How does the separation of powers principle work in our government?  List one check that each branch has on another.  How did the courts gain the power of judicial review?  How was federalism the framers answer to concerns of a strong central govt.?

 brief & straightforward.  Nation's fundamental law.  "Supreme Law of the Land", meaning highest form of law in U.S.

 Sets out how government works.  Strength is it deals largely with basic principles, not weighted down with many details.  First: The Preamble states the purpose of the Constitution.  Articles 1-7.

 Article I: Legislative Branch  Article II: Executive Branch  Article III: Judicial Branch  Article IV: Relations among the States & national govt.  Article V: Amending the Constitution  Article VI: National debts, supremacy of national law, & oaths of office  Article VII: Ratifying the Constitution  Followed by the 27 Amendments

 Popular Sovereignty  Limited Government  Separation of Powers  Checks and Balances  Judicial Review  Federalism

 What’s the value of basing such a document on a set of principles rather than detailed provisions?

 All political power w/ the people.  "consent of the governed“.  "We the People" gets it started.  Govt. draws its power from the people of the U.S.  Same idea applies to State govts.

 Govt. is not all-powerful.  Govt. can only do what people have given it power to do.  The other side of pop. sov. ---> just stated the other way around.  Often called Constitutionalism.  Govt. must obey the law  Also called Rule of Law  Much of the Constitution is a statement of limited govt. (what it can't do)

 Distribution of powers.  3 separate and independent branches.  Congress, the President, and the courts.  Lawmaking branch, law-executing branch, law interpreting branch.  Created w/ Articles I, II, & III.

 Separate but co-equal. (tied together)  Each branch subject to restraints of other branches.  Makes compromise necessary.  To prevent an unjust majority.  Used less frequent when President and Congress are same party.

 Power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of an action.  Unconstitutional.  Established by the Supreme Court in Marbury v. Madison (1803).  Held by all federal courts & most State courts.  Courts check on other branches.

 Division of power among a central & several regional govts.  Framers solution to colonist concerns over a central govt.  States retain power & allows for a stronger, more effective govt.

 How is the Constitution organized?  How is the U.S. government one that practices popular sovereignty?  What does it mean to suggest the U.S. has a limited government?  How does the separation of powers principle work in our government?  List one check that each branch has on another.  How did the courts gain the power of judicial review?  How was federalism the framers answer to concerns of a strong central govt.?