AP Gov Summer Assignment

The Preamble

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure Domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and esablish this Constitution for the United States of America

Article I

Legislative Branch: makes laws, gives congress its limits and powers

Article 2

Executive Branch: carries out and enforces federal laws

Article III

Judicial Branch: establishes the Supreme Court, allows Congress to establish shape and structure of judiciary

Article IV

Relationships Between the States: establishes respect between states

Article V

Amending the Constitution: establishes the process to alter Constituton

Article VI

Supreme Law: federal law prevails over state law in conflict

Article VII

Ratification: explains what needs to happen to approve Constitution

Popular Sovereignty

ruled by the people

Limited Government

a political system that states the government is limited to the power given to it by law

Federalism

a system of government that divides the power between central and state governments

Judicial Review

a process that grants the Supreme Court authority to ensure the other branches of government abide by the Constitution

Separation of Powers

powers are separated betwen branches

Checks and Balances

a way for one branch of government to ensure that not one branch is too powerful

Legislative Branch

expressed powers: makes laws, declare war, regulate interstate and foreign commerce, control taxing and spending policies

Executive Branch

enforcing the laws of the land

Judicial Branch

decides the constitutionality of federal laws and resolves dispute over other federal laws

Congress checks the President

override veto, impeachment, power of the purse

Congress checks the judiciary

approves seats in supreme court

President checks Congress

veto power, executive orders

President checks judiciary

appointment of judges, pardons and reprieves

Judiciary checks President/Congress

judicial review

Expressed Powers

the powers that are explicitly stated in the Constitution granted to the government
1. power to tax and spend for the defense and general welfare of the US
2. power to borrow money
3. power to regulate commerce
4. power to coin money and regulate its value
5. power to declare war

Implied Powers

to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the US, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

This allows the government to take actions that are NOT listed in the Constitution to carry out the expressed powers

Reserved Powers

The powers not delegated to the US by the Constitution, nor prohibited by the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people

Supremacy Clause

the federal law takes precedence over any conflicting state law

Necessary and Proper Clause

allows Congress the ability to make laws or to act where the Constitution doesn’t give it authority to actC

Commerce Clause

gives Congress power to regulate commerce between states/restricts states from impairing interstate commerce

Due Process Clause (both 5th and 14th)

guarantees that the government cannot take a person’s basic rights/no one shall be deprived of “life, liberty, or property without due process of law”

Equal Protection Clause (14th)

requires states to practice equal protection and govern impartially