1. Principles Underlying the Constitution
There are five (5) fundamental principles or themes throughout the Constitution created in 1787.

2. Those Foundation Principles
Popular Sovereignty
Rule of Law
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Federalism

3. Articles IV (4)
Constitution requires only that the states have a “Republican form of Government”
Today: any representative government headed by an elected president or similar
Past: any representative democracy where the people are the ultimate authority

4. Popular Sovereignty
Power of government lies with the people through voting
Declaration of Independence: says
Consent of the governed
Constitution says
“we the people”
Election of government officials by the people:
15, 19, 23 and 26 amendment grants power to vote

5. Rule of Law
Government needs to be strong but not too strong as to take rights away from the people
Power is limited by the constitution
Powers granted to government article 1 section
Limited powers to government article 1 section 9
Bill of rights: limits power
Law applies to everyone: nobody is above the law

6. Limited Government British ideal established by documents like:
Magna Carta and English Bill of Rights
Government can do only what the people allow it to do by law
How can you stop the government from doing what you don’t want it to do?
Health Care: how did the people stop this movement?

7. Separation of Powers
Ideal created by Enlightenment Philosopher: Montesquieu
Protect against abuse of power by any branch by dividing power between the 3 branches of government and giving each a specific power
Legislative branch: law making
Executive branch: enforcing law
Judicial branch: interpreting the law

8. Checks & Balances
In order to prevent anyone branch from becoming too powerful the framers created a way for each branch to check the other branches power
Chart page 88
_____________ impeaches the President
_____________ vetoes legislation created by Congress
_____________ appoints the Judges & federal Justices at the federal level
_____________ declares acts/laws unconstitutional

9. The Principle of Federalism
Limits our government by dividing the power between the state and federal (national) government
It grants each level specific powers (chart page 89)
Expressed/enumerated: federal/national powers (war)
Reserved: states powers (schools)
Concurrent: both state and national have the power (taxes)
But the federal government is supreme because of supremacy clause found in the constitution in Article 6 “supreme law of the land”

10. The Constitution Today
Rely on by the US Federal government system
Serve as the “Supreme Law of the Land” more than 200 years
5 principles:
Popular sovereignty, the rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism
Defend our country’s freedom and to keep order
Stands as a powerful symbol of American values and a source of pride and unity.