1. EIGHT BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION

2. Popular Sovereignty people are the source of governmental power
people’s choice – “We the People”

3. Limited Government government is not all powerful
it only has the power and can only do the things the people allow it

4. Representative Government
government should be a delegation, representative of the people
leaders should represent the constituency

5. Separation of Powers
government is broken into three distinct and independent branches, yet they are interconnected

7. Checks and Balances the branches are not completely independent
they are tied together under this complex system
each branch has certain powers with which it can check the operations and balance the power of the other two

9. Judicial Review
courts have the power to decide what the government does in accordance with what the Constitution provides
it refers to determining the constitutionality of a government action

11. Federalism
the powers and activities of government are distributed on a territorial basis (for example, the national government and the states)
the federal government can overrule or supersede the state government

13. Flexibility
the Elastic Clause (Article I, Section VIII) and the amendment process (Article V) allows the government to adapt to and change with the times

14. To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.