1. The United States Constitution
The Seven Basic Principles

2. What is the Constitution?
1.) A blue print for how the government should be run. 2.) A philosophical document about what America will be about.

3. Seven Principles of the Constitution
Popular sovereignty
Limited government
Separation of powers
Checks and balances
Judicial Review
Republicanism
Federalism

4. Popular Sovereignty
The people are the only source of governmental power. Government can only govern with the consent of the governed.
By creating the Constitution, the sovereign people created the Government of the United States and gave to it certain powers.
That goes for State government power too—its from the people.

5. Government must obey the law.
Limited Government
Government is not all-powerful, it may do only those things that the people have given it the power to do.
Government must obey the law.

6. The Legislative branch makes the laws (Congress)
Separation of Powers
The Constitution distributes the powers of the National Government among the Congress (House & Senate), the President, and the courts
The Legislative branch makes the laws (Congress)
The Executive branch enforces the law (President)
The Judicial branch interprets the laws (Courts)

7. Checks and Balances
The three branches of government are not completely separated or independent of one another. They are tied together by a system of checks and balances.
Each branch is subject to a number of constitutional checks (restraints) by the other branches.

8. Courts have the power of judicial review.
Judicial Review – The power to decide whether what the government does is in accord with what the Constitution allows
Unconstitutional – To declare illegal, null and void, of no force and effect-a governmental action found to violate some provision in the Constitution.

9. The power of judicial review is held by all federal courts and by most state courts as well.
The Supreme Court established the power of judicial review in the landmark court case of Marbury vs. Madison in 1803.
Since this case, the Supreme Court and other federal and State courts have used the power in thousands of cases.

10. Democracy through representatives Two legislative bodies
Republicanism
Democracy through representatives
Two legislative bodies
Senate and House of Representatives
Allows for functioning government but retaining democratic principles.

11. Federalism
The division of power between a central government and several regional (state) governments.
This system came to the Constitution out of both experience and necessity.
Federalism is the result of the Framers solving the problem of creating a strong, effective National Government, while preserving State and local self-government.