1. The U.S. Constitution Is the nation's highest law
Contains the fundamental laws of our nation
Includes the principles of a free, representative democracy
State, local and federal law must not violate the Constitution

2. The Preamble of our Constitution states the purposes for the establishment of the government of the U.S.

3. The Preamble
“We the people of the United States, 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 and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

5. What is the Purpose of Government?
Answer: To protect its citizens rights and to administer justice
- Which rights should be protected? Whose rights? What sort of justice?
*** There are different conceptions [ideas]of what rights we have or should have and what justice consists of
- Government passes laws and we have a court system for these purposes

6. Today’s Learning Goal:
I can list and explain the key principles of our government as established by the U.S. Constitution.
Agenda Time/Mins
-Bell Ringer Reading Activity: Main Ideas
-Should Mom be Prosecuted? Feedback
-Lawmaking: Agree or Disagree
Complete Presentation: Constitution
-Complete part 2 of CLOZE Activity
(from last week)
-Review Sheet
HOMEWORK: The Case of … The Unclear Law

7. Basic Principles of American Government
Republicanism
Limited government
Bill of Rights
Separation of powers
Checks and balances
Judicial review
Federalism

8. Republicanism
A form of government in which people elect representatives to create and enforce laws

10. Limited Government
The Constitution was founded on the principle of limited government
This means that the government is limited to only the powers provided to it by the people
Limited government is also reflected in the Bill of Rights

11. Bill of Rights
Defines, and guarantees the fundamental rights and liberties of All Americans
Includes our freedoms of religion, speech, press, & freedom from unreasonable search and seizure
Limits the power of state, local, and federal governments

12. Separation of Powers
Articles I, II, and III in the Constitution divides lawmaking power among the three branches of government:
Executive (President)
Legislative (Congress)
Judicial (Courts)
This division is known as separation of powers

13. Checks and Balances The three branches are independent
But each has the power to restrain the other branches in a system of checks and balances
Significance? It prevents one branch from becoming too powerful

15. Judicial Branch
The branch of government that interprets laws and resolves legal questions
Our court system is part of the judicial branch of government

16. Judicial Review
An important check of one branch on another is the Supreme Court's power of judicial review
This allows the Court to decide whether the laws passed by Congress or state legislatures are constitutional

17. Supreme Court highest federal court in the U.S.
highest court of appeals
has jurisdiction [authority] over all other courts in the nation
determines what laws are unconstitutional (if a law conflicts with some provision of the Constitution)

18. Federalism
This division of power between the states and the federal government is known as federalism
Federal government's powers are listed in the Constitution
The remaining powers are reserved to the states

21. Remember there is a difference between a law and a rule.

22. There ought to be a law....
that prevents marketers from disguising their junk mail envelopes to look they are from government agencies
against bringing a baby to a movie theater
preventing commercial producers from jacking up the volume in their adds to twice that of the program you are watching
against having people collecting money for a cause standing in the middle of the road at intersections

23. This Activity Requires …
Thought
Collaboration
Effort
**(lass Rubric will be used to assess your final product

24. Professional Skills (Employability)
A score of 10 – Excellent; You are a model student!
8-9 – Good to Very Good
7 – Satisfactory or average; you have good days but offset by a bad day(s)
0-6 – You are absent frequently, your behavior disturbs instruction or others from learning, you violate the school cell phone/electronic device rule …