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Section 1
 Popular
Sovereignty: concept that the
government gets its power from the people
and that ultimate political power remains
with the people.
 Limited Government: principla that the
powers and functions of the federal
government are restricted by the U.S.
Constitution and other laws.
 Rule Of Law concept that every member of
society, including the ruler and government
must obey the law and is never above it.
 Separation
of Powers: principal that the
duties of the government are divided among
the legislative, executive and judicial
branches
 Checks and Balances: system that gives each
branch of the government the power to
change, reverse, or cancel acts of another
branch
 Supremacy Clause: the constitution is the
supreme law of the land
 Veto:
Presidents power to reject legislation
 Judicial Review: power to declare legislative
and executive acts unconstitutional
 Unconstitutional: found to violate any part of
the constitution
 Federalism: principal that the powers of the
government are distributed between national
government and state governments
The Syng inkstand, with which the Constitution was signed.
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We the People of the United States, in
Order to form a more perfect Union,
establish Justice, insure domestic
Tranquility, provide for the common
defense, promote the general Welfare,
and secure the Blessings of Liberty to
ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and
establish this Constitution for the United
States of America.
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The Preamble explains the purposes of
the Constitution, and defines the powers
of the new government as originating from
the people of the United States.
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The United States Congress is the
legislature of the United States federal
government.
It is bicameral, comprising the House of
Representatives and the Senate.
The House of Representatives has 435
members, each representing a
congressional district and serving a twoyear term.
Each state has two Senators, regardless of
population. There are 100 senators,
serving staggered six-year terms.
The United States Constitution vests all
legislative powers of the federal
government in the Congress.
The powers of Congress are limited to
those enumerated in the Constitution; all
other powers are reserved to the states
and the people.
 The government of the United States of America,
established by the U.S. Constitution, is a federal republic
of individual states.
The federal government has three branches: the
executive, legislative, and judicial.
 Each of these branches has some authority to act on
its own, some authority to regulate the other two
branches, and has some of its authority, in turn,
regulated by one or both of the other branches.
The Executive branch consists of the President of the
United States and his delegates.
The President is both the head of state and head of
government, as well as the commander-in-chief of the
military, and the chief diplomat.
The President, according to the Constitution, must
"take care that the laws be faithfully executed."
The presidential seal was
used by President Hayes in
1880 and last modified in
1959 by adding the 50th star
for Hawaii.
The Principles of the
United States Constitution
I. Popular Sovereignty
 The people hold the ultimate authority
 A representative democracy lets the people
elect leaders to make decisions for them.
 Orrin Hatch, Bob Bennett, and Chris
Cannon are our elected officials in Congress
II. 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
overstep their power can be removed
III. Federalism
 The division of power between State and
National Governments
 Some powers are shared
 The National Government has the “supreme
power”
IV. Separation of Powers
 No one holds “too much” power
 Legislative branch makes the laws
 Executive branch carries out the laws
 Legislative branch interprets the laws
Legislative Branch
 Senate and House of Representatives
 Make our laws
 Appropriate Money
 Regulate Immigration
 Establish Post Offices and Roads
 Regulate Interstate Commerce and
Transportation
 Declare War
Executive Branch
 The President of the United States
 Chief Executive
 Chief of State
 Chief Legislator
 Commander in Chief
Judicial Branch
 Supreme Court and other Federal Courts
 Preserve and protect the rights guaranteed
by the Constitution
 Considers cases involving national laws
 Declares laws and acts “unconstitutional”
V. Checks and Balances
 Prevents the abuse of power in government
 Each branch can check each other branch
Executive Checks
 Propose laws to Congress
 Veto laws made by Congress
 Negotiate foreign treaties
 Appoint federal judges
 Grant pardons to federal offenders
Legislative Checks
 Override president’s veto
 Ratify treaties
 Confirm executive appointments
 Impeach federal officers and judges
 Create and dissolve lower federal courts
Judicial Checks
 Declare executive acts unconstitutional
 Declare laws unconstitutional
 Declare acts of Congress unconstitutional
 The Supreme Court holds the final check