1. Chapter 8
Government

2. Goals and Principles of the Constitution
Section 1
Goals and Principles of the Constitution

3. Parts of the Constitution
Divided into 3 Parts
Preamble: Introduction to the Constitution; it lists the six basic goals for our government
Articles: The articles laying out the framework for our government (seven)
Amendments: Changes made to the Constitution after the initial ratification

4. 6 Functions of Government
These six functions are the ideas and standards that our government is based on and functions according to.
To form a more perfect Union
To establish justice
To insure domestic tranquility
To provide for the common defense
To promote General welfare
To secure the blessings of liberty

5. Amending the Constitution
Article V provided four methods to amend the Constitution
An amendment is a change to the Constitution or clarification of something in the Constitution

6. The Four Methods Method 1:
Proposed by a 2/3 vote in each house of Congress
Ratified by ¾ of the state legislatures
Method 2
Ratified by conventions in ¾ of the states
Method 3:
Proposed by a national convention called by Congress at the request of 2/3 of the states
Ratified by ¾ of the state legislatures
Method 4:
Proposed by national convention called by Congress at the request of 2/3 of the states
Ratified by conventions in ¾ of the states

7. Amendments, continued The amendments are divided into three groups
BILL OF RIGHTS – Amendments 1 through 10
CIVIL WAR AMENDMENTS – Amendments 13 through 15
LATER AMENDMENTS – Amendments 16 through 27
(Amendments 11 and 12 are generally considered to be an extension of the Bill of Rights, and therefore not included in any of the three groups)

8. Civil War Amendments
The Civil War Amendments were passed as a direct response to the outcome of The Civil war. They all deal with slavery in one way or another.
13th Amendment – Outlawed slavery and Involuntary servitude in the United States of America
14th Amendment – Helped make former slaves citizens of the U.S. and gave them all the rights that being a citizen entails
15th Amendment – Written to give former slaves the right to vote, however was not entirely successful in doing so for nearly 100 years

9. Bill of Rights
The purpose of the Bill of Rights was to list out the basic rights of all Americans so these rights could not be violated as they were in the years of British rule under King George III
Amendment 1: Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion, Assembly, and Petition
Amendment 2: The right to bear arms
Amendment 3: Protects against the Quartering of Troops
Amendment 4: Protects against illegal search and seizure of personal property
Amendment 5: Insures due process, protects against eminent domain, provides rules for criminal hearings, and protects against self-incrimination
Amendment 6: Right to a speedy and public trial and right to trial by jury
Amendment 7: Provides stipulations for civil trials
Amendment 8: Protects against excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment
Amendment 9: States that the rights listed in the Constitution are not all the rights given to the American people
Amendment 10: States that all powers not granted to the National government or forbidden to the states, belong to the states

10. The Articles
There are 7 articles in the second section of the Constitution, each accomplishing different things
Article 1: The legislative article lays out the structure and powers of the legislative branch
Article 2: The executive article lays out the structure and powers of the executive branch
Article 3: The judicial article establishes a national judiciary and gives Congress the power to create additional court systems
Article 4: Deals with the relationships between states
Article 5: Provides methods for amending the Constitution
Article 6: Deals with the National Debt
Article 7: Provides provisions for ratification of the Constitution

11. Seven Basic Principles
Ideas and standards that our government is based on and functions according to.
Popular Sovereignty
Limited Government
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Federalism
Republicanism
Individual Rights

12. Popular Sovereignty People are the ONLY source of government’s power
“We the People…do ordain and establish”
Government’s power comes from the people, and the people have given government permission to govern by the constitution

13. Limited Government
The idea that government is not all powerful and can be limited
Government can do only those things the PEOPLE have given it the power to do
States that government must obey the law
The entire Constitution is a statement of Limited Government

14. Separation of Power Further limit government power.
Divided the government into three branches.
Legislative
Executive
Judicial

15. Checks and Balances
Checks and balances is a way for the government to give each branch power over the other two
The idea is to keep one branch from becoming more powerful than the others and controlling government
Why would the framers want to ensure one branch did not become too powerful?

16. Federalism Division of power between the federal and state government.
Federal government
coin money
Declare war
Regulate trade between states
State government
Regulate trade within its own border
Make rules for state elections
Establish schools
Powers not exclusively given to federal government belong to state.

17. Republicanism
Allowing representatives to carry out the will of the people.
Representatives vote with their own mind once elected.
Must be willing to listen to the people if have concerns.
Hold offices in their home districts

18. Individual Rights The rights that no one can take away from you.
Protected by Constitution
Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
Right to bear arms

19. Quiz 1
1. What are the 6 basic principles of the government? To form a more perfect Union
To establish justice
To insure domestic tranquility
To provide for the common defense
To promote General welfare
To secure the blessings of liberty
2. The Constitution is divided into how many parts? What are those parts? Preamble Articles Amendments

20. Quiz 1 3. What groups are the amendments divided into?
BILL OF RIGHTS – Amendments 1 through 10
CIVIL WAR AMENDMENTS – Amendments 13 through 15
LATER AMENDMENTS – Amendments 16 through 27
This amendment gives all citizens the right to bear arms
2nd Amendment
What is the Bill of Rights?
list out the basic rights of all Americans

21. Section 2
How Government works

22. Legislative Branch House of representatives
Larger of both houses currently has 435 members
Based off population
Elected by people in their districts for 2 year terms
Run for reelection as many times as they want
Leader of the House is the Speaker
The speaker regulates debates and controls the agenda.
Speaker is third in line if president and vice president die

24. Mississippi Represenatives
District 1 (ours) Alan Nunnelee
District 2 Bennie Thompson
District 3 Gregg Harper
District 4 Steven Palazzo

25. Legislative Branch Senate Equal representation 2 senators per state
Elected to 6 year term which overlap.
Every two years 1/3 of members come up for election.
Chosen by state legislatures at first but now the public elects the members.
Vice President is the Leader of the Senate.
Casts a vote in a tie

26. Mississippi Senate members
Thad Cochran
Rodger Wicker

27. Legislative Branch Powers of Congress (laws)
Makes the laws for the country
Laws start as bills
Can start in either Senate or House
After introduction the bill is debated
If both houses agree then the president must sign it
Both houses have standing Committees that deal with different bills
Elastic Clause- allows Congress to extent its power to handle situation in the changing country

28. Executive Branch
Article 2 set up this branch to carry out the laws and run the affairs of the national government.
President is head of the Executive Branch
Other members of this branch are
Vice president
Cabinet members
Departments and agencies that help them do their job( FBI, CIA, NSA…. Etc. )

29. Roles of President Commander and Chief of all armed forces.
Carries out the Laws
Directs foreign affairs and has power to make treaties and to appoint ambassadors.

30. Electing the president
President is elected for a 4-year term and may only be elected twice.
Electoral college is used to elect the president.
When a person votes they do not vote for the person directly.
Mississippi has 6
President can lose the popular vote but can still become president

31. Judicial Branch Supreme Court Lower Courts
Congress established the Supreme Court in 1789, as well as lower courts as they are needed .
Supreme Court
Lower Courts
Made up of a Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices that server for life
Supreme Court serves as the final appeals court.
Decides less than 100 cases every year.
After the case is heard the judges vote, decision rest on Majority vote of at least 5
The biggest power The Supreme Court has is to decide if law are unconstitutional
Unconstitutional- not allowed under the Constitution
Most federal cases begin in district courts
Once all evidence is seen and a decision is made and appeal may be made
Appeal- ask that the decision be reviewed by higher court
Next court is the appeal court where decision is reviewed and make sure the decision was fair

32. State and Local Governments
Section 4
State and Local Governments

33. All 50 states have a state Constitution that sets forth principals and a framework
Includes provisions on finance, education and other matters.
State constitutions can be changed by amendments voted on by citizens( ex prop 8 California)
half of the states citizens can change the constitution by constitutional initiative.
Constitutional Initiative- sponsors of an amendment gather signatures on a petition.
States can rewrite constitution by calling a constitutional convention (ex Mississippi after Civil War)

34. State Provided Services
Maintain law and order
Enforce criminal law
Protect property
Regulate business
Supervise public education
Provide public health and welfare programs (ex: Health Dept, Food Stamps)
Maintain and build the infrastructure
Infrastructure-system of roads, bridges, and tunnels

35. Local Government
Government on the county, parish, city, town, village, or district level.
Created by the states and only have the powers the state gives them
One service local governments control is education.
Build schools
Hire teachers and staff
Have a say in what curriculum is taught
Voters have more of a say in local government than federal or state.
Other services are police, firemen, garbage pick up, water, hospitals, libraries, parks……..