The Six Principles of the US Constitution

Popular sovereignty

Government gets authority from the people

Republic

People exercise democracy by electing OTHERS to REPRESENT them, because a direct democracy would have been way too risky!

Factions

What founding fathers were worried about; citizens united by common interest who might act in a way that HURTS OTHERS

Examples of Popular Sovereignty expressed in the Constitution

Voting! (15th, 16th, and 26th amendments opening up votes to women/african americans/etc)

Rule of Law

EVERYONE is subject to the laws, including the president

Examples of Limited Government expressed in the Constitution

Denied Congressional Powers (Article 1, sect. 9), Bill of Rights

Separation of Powers in the US Constitution

Legislative, Executtive, Judicial

legislative branch — separation of powers

lawmaking body! congress: House of Representatives & the Senate

Executive branch

ENFORCES LAWS. (president, vice president, etc).

Judicial branch

INTERPRETS laws. Supreme Court, state level courts, etc. - has the ability to determine whether laws are constitutional under Judicial Review

Examples of checks and balances in the Constitution.

Impeachment, veto, congress can check executive by taxes/spending

Process of impeachment

Congress impeaches top officials from other branches > trial in House of Rep. > if a simple majority votes, then it will be taken to a Senate trial, where 2/3 of senators must vote proving guilty

Impeachment

“formally charged”

Judicial Review

Judicial branch’s ability to determine whether actions of another branch / laws are constitutional (est. Marbury v. Madison)

Federalist 51

Serves to protect one branch from becoming too powerful, designing the government with the separation of powers and other boundaries (like state. vs. national) to ensure both security & order

Examples of Federalism in the Const.

Supremacy Clause, 10th amendment (any powers not mentioned are given to the state)