The Structure and Principles of Government

In 1787, our Founding Fathers constructed a new system of government. The new form of government needed a guide…or rule book if you will. Together, they created the United States Constitution which is based on seven ideas of how the government and people should co-exist. We call these ideas the Seven Principles of Government. Picture these seven principles as building blocks that our country would be built on. So, our Constitution is the supreme law of the United States… U.S. Constitution…What is it???

This presentation will help you understand the structure of our government and the 7 principles that our constitution established 7 Principles of Government 1.Republicanism 2.Popular Sovereignty 3.Federalism 4.Limited Government 5.Separation of Powers 6.Checks and Balances 7.Individual Rights

Constitution Interesting Facts In the 1700’s 90% of all Americans had a basic understanding of the principles in the constitution. Today, that number is between 10-20%. The U.S. Constitution has 4,400 words. It is the oldest and shortest written Constitution of any major government in the world About 4,000 of these words describe the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches and how they are to operate. Of the spelling errors in the Constitution, “Pensylvania” above the signers’ names is probably the most glaring Because of his poor health, Benjamin Franklin needed help to sign the Constitution. As he did so, tears streamed down his face The Constitution was “penned” by Jacob Shallus, A Pennsylvania General Assembly clerk, for $30 ($726 today) although, James Madison is considered “Father of the Constitution”

When it came time for the Texas founding fathers to draft our own constitution, they looked to a shining example of democracy… the U.S. Constitution. So the structure and function (what our government does) is a reflection of the United States government. What about Texas?

Constitution Comparison U.S Created: 1787 (ratified 1789) Preamble 7 Articles Bill of Rights and Amendments (27) Texas Created: 1876 (has had 6 different constitutions) Preamble Bill of Rights 17 Articles (approx. 80,000 words total) Amendments (over 500)

PRINCIPLE 1: REPUBLICANISM How Are People’s Views Represented in Government? How Are People’s Views Represented in Government? The Framers of the Constitution wanted the people to have a voice in government. Yet the Framers also feared that public opinion might stand in the way of sound decision making. To solve this problem, they looked to republicanism as a model of government. In Republicanism, the people exercise their power by voting for their political representatives to represent them and make laws. An important part of Republicanism is the idea that citizens stay informed about politics and participate in the process by voting.

PRINCIPLE 2: POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY Who Gives the Government Its Power? Who Gives the Government Its Power? “We the people of the United States...establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” These words from the Preamble, or introduction, to the Constitution clearly spell out the source of the government’s power: The People. The American form of government emphasizes freedom, democracy, and the importance of the individual. The Constitution rests on the idea of popular sovereignty--a government in which the people rule. How do people rule??? By VOTING!

How Is Power Shared? How Is Power Shared? The Framers wanted the states and the nation to become partners in governing. To build cooperation, the Framers turned to federalism. Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central government and smaller political units, such as states. PRINCIPLE 3: FEDERALISM The Constitution assigns certain powers to the national government. These are delegated powers. Powers kept by the states are reserved powers. An example of this would be that the national government set the minimum voting age for every state, and the states set the minimum driving age in their own state.

PRINCIPLE 4: LIMITED GOVERNMENT How Is Abuse of Power Prevented? How Is Abuse of Power Prevented? The Framers restricted the power of government. This is known as the principle of Limited Government. The principle of limited government is closely related to the “rule of law”: In the American government everyone, citizens and powerful leaders alike, must obey the law. Individuals or groups cannot twist or bypass the law to serve their own interests.

PRINCIPLE 5: SEPARATION OF POWER How Is Power Divided? How Is Power Divided? The Framers were concerned that too much power might fall into the hands of a single group. To avoid this problem, they built the idea of separation of powers into the Constitution. This Separation of Powers means the division of basic government roles into THREE branches. No one branch is given all the power or too much power. Articles 1, 2, and 3 of the Constitution detail how powers are split among the three branches.

PRINCIPLE 6: CHECKS AND BALANCES How Is Power Evenly Distributed? How Is Power Evenly Distributed? In the principle of Checks and Balances, each branch of government can exercise checks, or controls, over the other branches. Though the branches of government are separate, they rely on one another to perform the work of government. The Framers included a system of checks and balances in the Constitution to help make sure that the branches work together fairly. For example, only Congress can pass laws. Yet the president can check this power by refusing to sign a law into action. In turn, the Supreme Court can declare that a law, passed by Congress and signed by the president, violates the Constitution.

Executive Branch Head: President – May serves two 4-year terms – Must be 35 years old at least – Has a Cabinet and powers to appoint members and other offices and judges This branch executes and carries out the laws…

The Executive Branch Powers

Legislative Branch (Congress) Legislative means “law-making” Bicameral (made up of two parts): The House of Representatives & The Senate

The Powers of the Legislative Branch

Judicial Branch High Court: U.S. Supreme Court Justices appointed by President and approved by the Senate and serve until they die or retire The Judicial Branch interprets laws to make sure they follow the Constitution

PRINCIPLE 7: INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS How Are Personal Freedoms Protected? How Are Personal Freedoms Protected? The first ten amendments to the Constitution shield people from an overly powerful government. These amendments are called the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights guarantees certain individual rights, or personal liberties and privileges. For example, government cannot control what people write or say. People also have the right to meet peacefully and to choose their religion. Later amendments to the Constitution also advanced the cause of individual rights.