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Civics-1.2
Seven Major Principles
Popular Sovereignty
The Declaration of Independence says that governments get their powers from the people. "We the people" reinforce this idea of popular sovereignty—or "authority of the people."
The people are the source of the
government’s power.
Popular Sovereignty
Republicanism
Under republicanism, voters elect representatives and give them the responsibility to make laws and conduct government.
A form of government in which representatives are
elected by the people.
Republicanism
Limited Government
By creating a limited government, the Framers made certain the government would have only those powers that the people gave it. Limited government can be described as the "rule of law." No people or groups are above the law.
The Constitution limits the actions of the government by specifically listing
powers it does and does not have.
Limited Governmen
t
Federalism
A system in which the power is shared between the national government and the states is called a federal system, or federalism. The Constitution defines three types of government powers: Enumerated, Reserved, and Concurrent.
Enumerated powers belong only to the federal government and are actually listed, or enumerated, in the Constitution.
Enumerated Powers >Make army & navy >Regulate interstate
& foreign trade >Conduct Foreign
affairs >Create federal
courts >Coin money
Reserved powers are the things that the states have control over.
Enumerated Powers >Make army & navy >Regulate interstate
& foreign trade >Conduct Foreign
affairs >Create federal
courts >Coin money
Reserved Powers
>Establish schools
>Pass marriage and divorce laws
>Regulate trade within a state
The Tenth Amendment even says that all powers not specifically listed as belonging to the federal government "are reserved to the States."
Concurrent powers are the powers shared by the state and federal governments.
Enumerated Powers >Make army & navy >Regulate interstate
& foreign trade >Conduct Foreign
affairs >Create federal
courts >Coin money
Reserved Powers
>Establish schools
>Pass marriage and divorce laws
>Regulate trade within a state
>Enforce the laws >Establish courts>Raise taxes>Borrow money >Provide for the general welfare
Because the Constitution is "the supreme Law of the Land," when state law and federal law disagree, the federal law always wins. Enumerated Powers
>Make army & navy >Regulate interstate &
foreign trade >Conduct Foreign affairs >Create federal courts >Coin money
Reserved >Establish schools
>Pass marriage and divorce laws
>Regulate trade within a state
>Enforce the laws >Establish courts >Collect taxes >Borrow money >Provide for
the general welfare
StateGov’t
Nat’lGov’t
Both
A system of government in which
the power is divided between the state and national
governments.
Federalism
Separation of Powers
To prevent any one government group from getting too much power, federal government was divided into 3 branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
The legislative branch, Congress, makes the laws.
The executive branch, headed by the president, enforces the laws.
The judicial branch, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts, judges the laws.
Each of three branches of
government has its own responsibilities
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
The Constitution also has a system of checks and balances so that each branch of government can check, or limit, the power of the other branches.
Here’s how it works
LEGISLATUREHouse and Senate
Both houses of Congress must pass a bill for it to become
law.
EXECUTIVEPresident
Can check Congress by
vetoing the bill
2/3 of Congress can check the president by
overriding the veto
The president appoints
Supreme Court justices
the Senate must approve the
appointments
JUDICIALthe Supreme Court
check on Congress and the president by
ruling on the constitutionality of
laws and presidential acts
The pr
eside
nt an
d the
legisla
ture m
ay ch
eck
the Cou
rt thro
ugh
Constit
ution
al
amen
dmen
ts
Each branch of government has
some control over the other two
branches.
Checks and
Balances
Individual Rights
The Bill of Rights became part of the Constiution in 1791. These first 10 Amendments protect basic liberties and rights-----including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, and the right to a trial by jury.
Basic freedoms and rights of all citizens
guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.
Individual Rights