6 Principles of the Constitution

6 Principles of the constitution

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

popular sovereignty

- the idea that government is created by and subject to the will of the people by the "consent of the governed"

- example: the people are the source of all government authority

limited government

- the principle that the powers and functions of government are restricted by the US Constitution and other laws

- the rule of law - no one is above the constitution

- example: "Congress shall make no law" denying individual freedoms of the 1st amendment

separation of powers

- horizontal division of government powers among the executive, legislative and judicial branches

- example: president is responsible for enforcing the law, only congress has the power to declare war

checks and balances

- a system in which each branch of government is able to limit the power of the branches

- example: HofR has power to impeach president, congress must have 2/3 vote to override a veto

judicial review

- the power of the judicial branch to check the power of the legislative and executive branches by declaring their acts as unconstitutional

- example: The supreme court has voided more than 900 state laws as unconstitutional

federalism

- the vertical division of powers

- the form of political organization in which power is divided among a central government and territorial subdivisions

- the US is divided among the national, state, and local governments

- example: no texting and driving in Cali