Download DBQ * How the Constitution Guards Against Tyranny

DBQ – How the Constitution
Guards Against Tyranny
Tyranny – Too much or absolute
power in the hands of just one person
or group
The Constitution –
plan of government for the U.S.,
supreme law
Illustration: Tyranny vs. Constitution
How does the Constitution fight
tyranny?
Lets create a new government for
the nation but keep the state
governments too. That way they
can limit each other’s powers.
We’ll call the national or central
government the FEDERAL
government. So we can call this
system FEDERALISM.
1. Federalism – Divides government
into two levels
The U.S. government
(a national, central or
federal government)
POWER
Examples of their powers: declare war, post office,
print and coin money, make immigration laws, etc…
State governments
(50 of them today!)
Examples of their powers: hold elections, establish
schools, set up local governments, etc…
How does the Constitution fight
tyranny?
Let’s split the federal government
into three branches like the states.
That way no branch has all the
power – they split the job of ruling
the people between them.
(Articles I, II and III of the
Constitution)
2. Separation of powers – Divides each
level of government into three branches
National, central or federal government
Legislative
Powers
(make laws)
U.S.Congress
Executive
Powers
(enforce laws)
POWER
President
Judicial
Powers
(judge laws)
Supreme &
other courts
State governments
State
legislature
Governor
State
Supreme
Court &
other state
courts
Separation of powers – Divides each level
of government into three branches
How does the Constitution fight
tyranny?
Hmmm…but one of the branches
might still dominate the others.
How do we keep one from
becoming too powerful?
Legislative
Branch
Executive
Judicial
Branch
Branch
Ah ha! I have
more power
now!
3. Checks and balances – Each of the three
branches can limit the power of the others.
National, central or federal government
Oh no…now I can’t get
more powerful! These
“checks” are keeping me
down!
Legislative
Powers
(make laws)
U.S.Congress
Can veto a
bill
Can
override a
vetol
Executive Can declare an act Judicial
unconstitutional
Powers
Powers
(enforce laws)
(judge laws)
President
Nominates
judges
Supreme &
other courts
Checks and balances – Each of the three branches
can limit or “check” the power of the others.
Other ways each
branch can
“check” the
power of the
others and keep
a “balance” of
equal power for
the three
branches.
Checks and balances – Each of the three branches
can limit or “check” the power of the others.
Think of checking like
when a basketball
player is checking or
guarding another
player to prevent
them from
scoring…they limit
the other player’s
movement and
ability.
Checks and balances – Each of the
three branches can limit or “check”
the power of the others.
Do you remember
one way the
Executive Branch
(White House) can
check the power of
the Judicial Branch
(Supreme Court)?
How does the Constitution fight
tyranny?
Hmmm…but what if the (legislative
branch) Congress is dominated by
the large states because they have
more representatives? Let’s split
Congress into two houses – Senate
and House of Representatives
4. Representation in Congress:
Big States vs. Small States
If you remember, the government was separated into three branches…
The legislative power (power to make laws) was given to Congress.
Representation in Congress – The “Great
Compromise” of the Constitutional Convention
Virginia said, “It’s not fair if New Jersey gets
the same number of representatives as us
because we have more people! We deserve
more representatives.”
New Jersey said, “It’s not fair if Virginia gets
more representatives, then the states are not
equal…and the big ones will dominate us.”
How about a compromise solution: one
“house” of Congress will be based on
population…the House of Representatives.
Senate
House of
representatives
Another house, called the Senate will be
based on 2 senators per state – Equal
Representation per state.
Representation in Congress
House of Representatives
The house of Congress based on population…is
the House of Representatives.
Representation in Congress
House of Representatives
When we count the population every 10 years – take a census – the numbers of
representatives per state can go up or down.
Representation in Congress
Senate