Civics Final Essay Study Guide

6 Principles of the Constitution

popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, and judicial review

Popular Sovereignty

The idea that the power of the government lies with the people; the people’s right to rule. A representative democracy lets the people elect leaders to make decisions for them.

Example of Popular Sovereignty

When citizens vote to choose their governor or president

Pros and Cons of Popular Sovereignty

pros: promotes democracy, protects individual rights, limits government abuse; cons: majority rule can ignore minority rights.

Limited Government

The principle that the Government is limited to the power given in the Constitution. Ensures that the Government is not too strong.

Example of Limited Government

The Bill of Rights limits the power of the government by placing specific restrictions on it. For example, the fourth amendment protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures. Because of this, the government cannot search people’s homes without a warrant.

Pros and Cons of Limited Government

pros: protects individual rights, prevents abuse of power, promotes accountability of government officials; cons: difficulty enforcing laws, slow decision making, less government support.

Separation of Powers

A principle that divides authority among each branch; ensures that no one holds "too much" power. Legislative branch makes the laws, executive branch carries out the laws, judicial branch interprets the laws

Example of Separation of Powers

The President has the power to appoint cabinet members to run the federal government, but the Senate has to approve them. For example, in the 2024 presidential election, President Trump chose Marco Rubio for his Secretary of State, and the Senate unanimously approved him.

Pros and Cons of Separation of Powers

pros: promotes checks and balances, prevents abuse of power; cons: can cause disagreements between branches

Checks and Balances

a system in which each branch of government is able to check, or limit the power of the other branches.

Example of Checks and Balances

-The president can veto a law passed by Congress, but Congress can override that veto with a 2/3 vote in the House and Senate.

-In 1974, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the United States v. Nixon case that President Nixon had to turn over the Watergate tapes. This example shows that not even the president is above the law, and the judicial branch worked to check the executive branch.

Pros and Cons of Checks and Balances

pros: prevents abuse of power, promotes cooperation between the branches, supports the rule of law, holds all branches accountable to one another; cons: can lead to political conflict between parties, makes it hard to pass laws

Federalism

The division of power between the State and National Governments. Some powers are shared, but the National Government has the "supreme" power

Example of Federalism

Under federal law, marijuana is illegal, but many states, such as California and Colorado, have legalized it.

Pros and Cons of Federalism

pros: distributes power, allows states to make their own laws; cons: inconsistent laws between states

Supremacy Clause

Article 4, The Constitution and other laws and treaties made by the U.S. shall be "the supreme law of the land."

Judicial Review

the power of the Supreme Court to say whether any federal, state, or local law or government action goes against the Constitution

Example of Judicial Review

Brown v. Board of Education court case in which the Supreme Court ruled racial segregation in schools as unconstitutional.

Pros and Cons of Judicial Review

pros: protects the constitution, protects civic rights; cons: possibility of bias in the courtroom

Republicanism

Emphasizes the idea of self-rule, centered on citizenship, participation of citizens for the common good of the community.

Example of Republicanism

U.S. presidential election

Pros and Cons of Republicanism

pros: power comes from the people, prevents tyranny; cons: majority rule can ignore minorities