1. I. Goals & Principles of the Constitution
A. The Preamble Sets Goals
1. The Constitution is divided into three main parts.
a) The Preamble, or opening statement.
b) The Articles
c) The amendments
2. To Form a More Perfect Union
a) Bring the states closer together to form one nation.
3. To Establish Justice
a) To apply the law fairly to all people.

2. I. Goals & Principles of the Constitution
4. To Ensure Domestic Tranquility
a) The national government has the power to ensure the domestic tranquility, or peace and order at home.
5. To Provide for the Common Defense
a) Protect its citizens against foreign attack.
b) Placed the military under civilian, or nonmilitary, control.
6. To Promote the General Welfare
a) The general welfare, or the well being of its citizens.
b) An example for this is the National Institute for Health.

3. I. Goals & Principles of the Constitution
7. To Secure the Blessings of Liberty
a) Liberty, or freedom.
b) Amendments have extended blessings of liberty to more and more people.
B. Articles and Amendments
1. The main body of the Constitution is a short document, divided into seven sections called Articles.
2. The first 3 Articles describe the three branches of the national government.
a) Article I – establishes the powers and limits on Congress.

4. I. Goals & Principles of the Constitution
b) Article II – establishes the power and limits of the executor or President.
c) Article III – establishes the power and limits of the judiciary or Supreme Court.
3. Article IV deals with the relations between the states.
a) Each state has to honor each others’ laws and legal decisions.
b) System for admitting new states.
4. Article V provides a process for amending the Constitution.

5. I. Goals & Principles of the Constitution
5. Article VI states that the Constitution is the “supreme law of the land”.
a) States may not make laws that violate the Constitution.
b) If a state law conflicts with a federal law, the federal law prevails.
6. Article VII sets up a procedure for the states to ratify the Constitution.
7. In more than 200 years, only 27 amendments have been added to the Constitution.

6. I. Goals & Principles of the Constitution
a) The first ten amendments (Bill of Rights) were added almost immediately after the ratification of the Constitution.
C. Seven Basic Principles
1. Popular Sovereignty
a) Popular Sovereignty states that the people have the right to alter or abolish their government.
2. Limited Government
a) In a limited government, the government has only the powers that the Constitution gives it.
b) Everyone must obey the law.

7. I. Goals & Principles of the Constitution
3. Separation of Powers
a) Congress, or the legislature branch, make the laws.
b) The President, or the executive branch, carry out the laws.
c) The courts, or the judicial branch, explain and interpret the laws.
4. Checks and Balances
a) A system of checks and balances safeguards against abuse of power.
5. Federalism
a) Federalism is the division of power between the federal and state governments.

8. I. Goals & Principles of the Constitution
b) Ex: federal government = coin money, declare war, regulate trade between the states.
c) Ex: state governments = regulate trade within their own borders, rules for state elections, and establish schools.
d) Some powers are shared like raising taxes.
e) Powers not clearly given to the federal government are given to the states.
6. Republicanism (not referring to the political party)
a) Citizens elect representatives to carry out their will.

9. I. Goals & Principles of the Constitution
7. Individual Rights
a) The Constitution protects individual rights such as speech, religion, trial by jury, etc.