The Constitution Six Basic Principles of the Constitution

Popular Sovereignty Means People are the source of all government power. The government is there to serve the people and the people are it’s power source. Government can only govern with the consent of the people.

Popular Sovereignty We The People in order to form a more perfect union,establish justice,insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves of posterity, do obtain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America

Limited Government Government can only do those things the people give it the power to do. The Government is NOT all-powerful

Separation of Powers Legislative Branch Makes the law Executive Branch Enforces the law Judicial Branch Interprets the law

Separation of Powers The Constitution divides the power of the Federal Government among three separate and equal branches: The Executive – The President The Legislative – Congress The Judicial – Supreme Court

Checks and Balances Each branch has the power to check on the other two branches. This creates a balance of power among the three branches. No one branch can become more powerful than the other two.

Judicial Review The power of the courts to decide the constitutionality of a law or government action. The courts have the power to rule something – Unconstitutional – against the constitution and therefore null and void. Marbury v. Madison set precedent for Judicial Review

Federalism The division of power between a central (federal) government and other regional governments (state and local governments). The 10 th Amendment states – All powers not given to the Federal Government are RESERVED for the States.

How does our Constitution Change? Our Constitution is over 200 years old. It must be able to change with the times. Through the use of Amendments – our constitution stays a Living Document

Amendments Formal Amendments The constitution has been formally amended 27 times Informal Amendments The many changes in the constitution that have been made but did not involve changes in the written word.

Formal Amendments There are four methods to formally change the Constitution, but the one we use most often is below: Proposed by Congress by 2/3 vote in both houses Ratified by State Legislatures in ¾ (38) of the states The Bill of Rights ( first 10 ) were added in 1791 – only 17 formal amendments in over 200 years

Informal Amendments Congress may pass laws - to fully define a meaning in the Constitution Actions by the President – use of executive agreements Court Decisions- how the Supreme Court interprets the Constitution Party Practices – Presidential Nominations Customs - through habit or tradition – like having a cabinet to advise the President