HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT 1 The U.S. Constitution Section 1: Basic Principles Section 2: Amending the Constitution Section 3: A Flexible Document Section 4: The Constitution and the Public Good CHAPTER 3

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 2 Section 1: Basic Principles Objectives: What are the five basic principles on which the U.S. Constitution is based? How does the Constitution ensure the people’s authority over government? How does the Constitution provide for a system of limited government? In what way does the Constitution protect the rights of the states?

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 3 Section 1: Basic Principles Basic principles which form the basis of the U.S. Constitution: popular sovereignty limited government separation of powers checks and balances federalism

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 4 Section 1: Basic Principles How the Constitution ensures popular sovereignty: states in the preamble that the people order and establish the rules for the government establishes a republic in which citizens elect officials to represent them

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 5 Section 1: Basic Principles Ways the Constitution limits government: republicanism checks and balances federalism separation of powers popular sovereignty protection of individual rights

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 6 Section 1: Basic Principles The Constitution protects the rights of the states by creating a federal system of government, known as federalism, in which powers are divided among national, state, and local governments.

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 7 Section 2: Amending the Constitution Objectives: Why did the framers establish ways to amend the Constitution? What are the methods for amending the Constitution? What is the purpose of the Bill of Rights?

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 8 Section 2: Amending the Constitution The framers established ways to amend the Constitution because they realized they were unable to anticipate future challenges that the United States would face as it grew.

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 9 Section 2: Amending the Constitution Methods for amending the Constitution: proposal of amendments by a two thirds vote in both houses of Congress or by a national convention called by two thirds of the states ratification of amendments by approval of three fourths of the state legislatures or by approval of special conventions in three fourths of the states

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 10 Section 2: Amending the Constitution The purpose of the Bill of Rights: to protect individual freedoms to acknowledge the powers of the states and the people

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 11 Section 3: A Flexible Document Objectives: How does the Constitution give the three branches of government flexibility in using their powers? How have political parties changed the way government operates? How does the Constitution allow custom and tradition to help shape government?

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 12 Section 3: A Flexible Document Flexibility the three branches of government have in using their powers: ability of the federal courts to make decisions about interpreting laws ability of Congress to create and amend legislation ability of the executive branch to interpret its powers to take action

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 13 Section 3: A Flexible Document Effects of political parties on the government: influence the election of the president and other government officials have a role in organizing the day-to-day operations of Congress

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 14 Section 3: A Flexible Document Roles of custom and tradition in shaping the government: affect the organization or composition of government areas can bring pressure to make formal changes to the Constitution

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 15 Section 4: The Constitution and the Public Good Objectives: What were some of James Madison’s contributions to the development of the U.S. government? How does the Constitution ensure that government makes laws that promote the public good? Why do critics claim that the Constitution sometimes makes government less effective?

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 16 Section 4: The Constitution and the Public Good Some of James Madison’s contributions to the development of the U.S. government: argued that the Constitution prevented control by factions because of the large size of the United States and the system of checks and balances provided by the Constitution reasoned that large republics, like the United States, would represent the broad interests of society and promote the public good

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 17 Section 4: The Constitution and the Public Good How the Constitution ensures that government makes laws promoting the public good: places control of all government power in the hands of U.S. citizens prevents the passage of policies that represent the narrow interests of just a few groups

A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON The U.S. Constitution 18 Section 4: The Constitution and the Public Good Reasons critics claim the Constitution makes government less effective: promotes gridlock eases the ability of government leaders to avoid responsibility for problems

HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT 19 Chapter Wrap-Up 1.In what ways does the Constitution reflect the principles of popular sovereignty and limited government? 2.Why did the framers of the Constitution create a distinct form of federalism instead of adopting a unitary system of government? 3.How does the Bill of Rights work to protect individual rights?

HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON A MERICAN GOVERNMENT HOLT 20 Chapter Wrap-Up 4.Why has the Constitution been amended only 27 times in more than 200 years? 5.Why did James Madison believe that the U.S. republic’s large size would help government serve the public good? 6.How does the system of checks and balances help prevent one branch of government from becoming too powerful?