Unit 2: The Constitution

Individual Government

In the american democracy, Individual rights protected by the government.

Article VII - Ratification

This article details all those people who signed the Constitution, representing the original 13 states.

Goals of the Preamble to the Constitution (What is the Preamble? What were the goals outlined in the Preamble?)

1. The Preamble is the beginning to the US Constitution beginning with the words "We Are The People." 2. The goals in the preamble are: In Order to Form a More Perfect Union, Establish Justice, Insure Domestic Tranquility, Provide for Common Defense, Promote the General Welfare, Secure the Blessings of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Prosperity

Separation of Powers (Why it is in the US Constitution/Government?)

It provides a vital system of 'checks and balances': Firstly, it ensures that the different branches control each other. Secondly, the separation of powers divides power between the different branches of government - these are the 'balances'.

Article V - Amendment

Future generations can amend the Constitution if the society so requires it. Both the states and Congress have the power to initiate the amendment process.

Limited Government

Government is not all powerful it may do only those things that people have given it power to do

Representative Government

People who elect government leaders to make laws and govern on their behalf.

Which is the most commonly used way to formally amend the Constitution?

Propose it by a 2/3 vote of each house of Congress and be ratified by 3/4 of the state legislatures.

The number of Amendments to the Constitution is _______

27

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Rule of Law

All people including those who govern, are bound together

Consent of the Governed

American citizens are the source of all government power.

Article III - The Judicial Branch

Article III outlines the powers of the federal court system. Determines that the court of last resort is the US Supreme Court and that the US Congress has the power to determine the size and scope of those courts below it. All judges are appointed for life unless they resign due to bad behaviour. Those facing charges are to be tried and judged by a jury of their peers.

Article VI - Debts, Supremacy, Oaths

Article VI determines that the US Constitution, and all laws made from it are the 'supreme Law of the Land', and all officials, whether members of the state legislatures, Congress, judiciary or the Executive have to swear an oath to the Constitution.

Function and purpose of each of the 7 Articles of the Constitution.

Below

Identify the key principles of American democracy

Below

To amend the Constitution is to...

Change it

Marbury v. Madison established the principle of __________________.

Judicial review

What document is considered the Supreme Law of the land?

The Constitution

Identify the sections of the constitution and their purpose

The first part, the Preamble, describes the purpose of the document and the Federal Government. The second part, the seven Articles, establishes how the Government is structured and how the Constitution can be changed. The third part, the Amendments, lists changes to the Constitution; the first 10 are called the Bill of Rights.

Explain how words "We the people" in the Preamble of the Constitution is related to popular sovereignty.

The first three words in the Constitution are the most powerful: We the People. They declare that the Constitution derives its power not from a king or a Congress, but from the people themselves. This concept of popular sovereignty—power to the people—is the foundation upon which the entire Constitution depends

Identify examples of Checks and Balances.

The legislative branch makes laws, but the President in the executive branch can veto those laws with a Presidential Veto. The legislative branch makes laws, but the judicial branch can declare those laws unconstitutional.

Article I - The Legislative Branch

The principal mission of the legislative body is to make laws. It is split into two different chambers - the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress is a legislative body that holds the power to draft and pass legislation, borrow money for the nation, declare war and raise a military. It also has the power to check and balance the other two federal branches.

Article IV - The States

This article defines the relationship between the states and the federal government. The federal government guarantees a republican form of government in each state, protects the nation and the people from foreign or domestic violence, and determines how new states can join the Union. It also suggests that all the states are equal to each other and should respect each other's laws and the judicial decisions made by other state court systems.

Article II - The Executive Branch

This branch of the government manages the day-to-day operations of government through various federal departments and agencies, such as the Department of Treasury. At the head of this branch is the nationally elected President of the United States

If a State law is in conflict with a federal law, which one takes precedence (must be obeyed)? Explain.

This supremacy clause has given rise to a concept called federal preemption, which is a doctrine that states if federal laws and state laws conflict, the federal law takes precedence over the state law.