1. The Supreme Law of the Land
Chapter 5
Section 3

2. The Goals of Our Government
Our Constitution states our governments goals.
These goals are listed in the Preamble.
How many are there?

3. The Goals of Our Government
To Form a More Perfect Union.
To Establish Justice.
To Insure Domestic Tranquility.
To Provide for the Common Defense.
To Promote the General Welfare.
To Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity.

4. The Articles
After the Preamble the Framers laid out the structure of our government in seven articles.
Each article is divided into subsections called what?

5. The Articles

6. The Articles Article 1: The Legislative Branch
Describes the organization and powers of the national legislature called ____.
It is divided into ____houses. What are they?
Their most important power is to make laws.
A proposed law is called?

7. The Articles

8. The Articles
Before a bill can become a law it must gain the majority vote in both the Houses of Congress.
Then it goes to the president for his/her approval.
If the President signs it it becomes a law.
If the President says no that is called a veto.
If the President ignores the bill it is called a pocket veto.

9. The Articles
If Congress wants the bill to become a law they can override the President.
2/3rds of Congress has to vote to pass the bill and then it becomes a law.
What are the powers assigned to Congress known as?
What are some of these powers?

10. Power to regulate trade
The Articles
Power to coin money
Power to declare war
Power to regulate trade

11. The Articles These powers are listed in Article 1, Section 8.
Are all the powers of Congress listed?
Congress can make laws that are “___” for carrying out the powers that are listed.
What did the Framers want by using those words?
What is this clause called? How did the Anti-Federalists feel about this clause?
However, Article 1 limits the government’s power by stating which actions Congress may not take.

12. The Articles

13. The Articles Article 2: The Executive Branch Lead by the President
The concept was a new one- a leader who has some of the strengths of a monarch, but whose authority is based on the consent of the people.
Term duration 4 years. Can it be longer?

14. The Articles
The Framers fearful of another monarch laid out the President’s job- to execute, or carry out, the laws- not to make them.
They also put limits on the President.
For example, the President is the Commander and Chief of the armed forces but only Congress can declare war.

15. The Articles
The President may make treaties, but they are only binding if approved by the Senate.
What are some other thins that the President can do?
Who set the example for other Presidents?

16. The Articles

17. The Articles Article 3: The Judicial Branch
The Framers agreed that neither the Congress nor the President should control the courts.
How are judges picked?
The Framers created what court?
This court has the final say in all cases involving the Constitution.
What other cases do they hear?

18. The Articles Article 4: The States
The Constitution requires that each state respect another’s laws. This helps preserve each state’s rights and reduces the possibility of conflict between states.
Article 5: Amending the Constitution
The Framers knew that the country would be changing and thus they allowed for the Constitution to also change. They included instructions for what? How many people must approve the change?

19. The Articles Article 6: The Supremacy of the Constitution
Because both the national and state governments could make laws the Framers created this Article to clear uncertainty about which laws would be more important.
No state laws may violate the Constitution nor can their laws come in conflict with federal laws.
Which laws are more important?

20. The Articles Article 7: Ratification Amendments to the Constitution
This last article established the procedure in which a state would ratify the Constitution.
Amendments to the Constitution
The first 10 amendments are called__?
These were ratified in They were added because many Anti-Federalists were worried that the Constitution did not mention nor protect citizen’s rights.
How many amendments have been added after the first 10?

21. Limited Government
The Constitution creates a government with powers limited by the consent of the people.
What is this idea based on?
What are the three main principles of limited government?

22. Limited Government Federalism- Define Federalism.
Some powers belong to the national government others belong to the states and there are laws that are shared.
What are the laws that belong to Congress called? Can the states have these same powers?
Define Concurrent Powers

23. Limited Government Define Reserved Powers.
What is an example of reserved powers?
This system of federalism gives the federal government the authority it needs while doing what?
What else does this system allow?

24. Limited Government Separation of Powers
The Constitution is divided between Federal and State governments.
How else is the Constitution divided? Who was the French philosopher who inspired this separation?

25. Limited Government Checks and Balances
How does the Constitution protect against abuses of power?
Define Checks and Balances.
Read the last paragraph on page 131.
Define Impeach.