American Government Chapter 3: Notes

The Constitution Preamble – States the purpose of the Constitution Article I - Legislative branch Article II – Executive branch Article III – Judicial branch Article IV – Relations among the States Article V – Amending the Constitution Article VI – National debts, supremacy of national law, and oaths of office Article VII – Ratifying the Consitution

Six Basic Principles 1) Popular Sovereignty 2) Limited Government All political power resides with the people The national government draws its power from the people of the United States 2) Limited Government No government is all-powerful The government may only do things the people have given it power to do Government must obey the law 3) Separation of Powers Each of the 3 branches of government are separate and independent, but equal Legislative – makes laws Executive – executes and enforces the laws Judicial – interpret and apply laws

Six Basic Principles 4) Checks and Balances 5) Judicial Review Each of the 3 branches is subject to a number of constitutional checks by the other branches 5) Judicial Review The power of the courts to determine whether what the government does is in accord with what the Constitution provides 6) Federalism The division of power among a central government and several regional governments (national government and state governments)

Amendments There are 27 total amendments The last amendment added was in 1992 and was related to Congressional pay The first 10 amendments are called The Bill of Rights Proposed by the First Congress in 1789 and ratified by all of the states in 1791 The Bill of Rights were added to the Constitution less than 3 years after the Constitution became effective. Many people, including Thomas Jefferson, agreed to support the Constitution ONLY if a listing of the basic rights held by the people were added to it immediately.

Historical Amendments 13th Amendment – 1865 - abolition of slavery 16th Amendment – 1913 - power of Congress to levy income taxes 18th Amendment – 1919 - prohibition of alcohol 19th Amendment – 1920 – Women’s suffrage (right of women to vote) 21st Amendment – 1933 – Repeal the 18th Amendment 26th Amendment – 1971 – Voting age of 18