1. MYLES SCOTT CHRISTINA SALABARRIA BRIAN RODRIGUEZ MORGAN MOORE RHIANA ATKINS Outline of the Constitution sec 3.1

2. Outline of the Constitution Sets basic principles that Gov. was built on. Preamble: short note worth introduction. Articles: seven numbered sections.  Article 1-3: deal with branches of National Gov. (congress, presidency, and the federal court system.)  Article 4: deals with place of states in Union and relationship with National Gov. and with one another  Article 5: explains how formal amendments can be added  Article 6: says constitution is supreme law  Article 7: provided for ratification of constituition

3. 6 Basic Principles: Popular Sovereignty Popular Sovereignty: Political power resides in the people, Gov. governs only with consent of Governed.  National Government draws power from people and the people have given them power through the constitution.  Deeply woven through whole Constitution; first words of Preamble are “We the people of the United States…”

4. 6 Basic Principles: Limited Government Limited Government: Gov. isn't all powerful and can only do what things that the people have given them the power to do Constitutionalism: the Gov. conducts accordingly to constitutional principles. Rule of law: the Gov. is always subject to law and never above it

5. 6 Basic Principles: Separation Of Powers In a presidential system, the basic powers (legislative, executive, judicial) are separated with different jobs and is stated in first 3 Articles  Legislative- Congress  Executive- President  Judicial- Courts Separation of Powers: power is divided into three branches legislative, executive, and judicial.

6. 6 Basic Principles : Checks and Balances Though 3 branches have different jobs, they are not completely independent of one another Checks and Balances: ties branches together; each branch is subject to a number of checks (restraints) by other branches.  Example of relationship between legislative and executive- Congress can make a law but the President can veto (reject) act of congress. In turn congress can override presidential veto by 2/3 vote in each house  Example of relationship between all 3- President has power to name all federal judges but must be approved by majority vote of Senate

7. 6 Basic Principles: Judicial Review Judicial Review: Power to determine whether or not the Gov. is in accord with the constitution. Unconstitutional: Null, void, and illegal, of no force and effect Power of judicial review is held by all federal courts and by most State courts To date, the Supreme Court has found 150 cases in which an act of congress was unconstitutional and have voided more than 1,000 state laws

8. 6 Basic Principles: Federalism American governmental system is federal in form Federalism: division of power among a central Gov. and several regional Gov. Came to constitution out of both experience and necessity Powers held by Gov. is distributed on territorial basis.  National Gov. Has some power and rest is to the 50 states