Key Ideals and Principles in the United States Constitution

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Key Ideals and Principles in the United States
Constitution
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Preambles Basic Goals
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Basic Outline of the Constitution
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Seven Basic Principles of Government
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Popular Sovereignty

• The people hold the ultimate authority
• A representative democracy lets the people elect
  leaders to make decisions for them

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Seven Basic Principles of Government
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Limited Government

• Framers wanted to guard against tyranny
• Government is limited to the power given them in
  the Constitution
• The Constitution tells how leaders who over step
  their power can be removed
• Impeachment

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Seven Basic Principles of Government
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Separation of Powers

• No one holds too much power
• Developed by Montesquieu
• Legislative branch makes the laws
• Senate and House of Representatives
• Executive branch carries out the laws
• The President of the United States
• Judicial branch interprets the laws
• Supreme Court and other Federal Courts

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Separation of Powers
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Seven Basic Principles of Government
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Checks and Balances

• Prevents the abuse of power in government
• Each branch can check each other branch

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Seven Basic Principles of Government
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Federalism

• The division of power between State and National
  governments
• Some powers are shared
• The National Government has the supreme power

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Federalism
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Seven Basic Principles of Government
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Republicanism

• A system of government in which citizens rule
  themselves through elected representatives
• Founders looked to the Roman Republic as an
  example
• Virtues like independence and public service
  appealed to Founders
• Threats of dictatorship

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Seven Basic Principles of Government
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Individual Rights

• Magna Carta
• No one is above the law including the king
• Everyone has certain rights (started with nobles
  then extended to other groups)
• English Bill of Rights
• Elections should be held on a regular basis
• Upheld rights to trial by jury and rights to bear
  arms and habeas corpus

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Individual Rights

• John Locke and Natural Rights
• Everyone has natural rights to life, liberty, and
  property
• Agreement between ruler and ruled
• Ruler must enforce laws and protect people
• Ruled have a right to rebel if rights are not
  protected