CONSTITUTION AND AMENDMENTS
FIVE BASIC PRINCIPLES Popular sovereignty Limited government Separation of powers Checks and balances Federalism
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY Government is based on the will of the people
THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT Article I -----Legislative Article II -----Executive Article III ----Judicial
FEDERALISM Division of power between the central government and the states.
THREE PARTS OF THE CONSTITUTION Preamble Articles Amendments
AMENDMENTS Informal amendment Made through executive actions Formal amendments Proposed in 2 ways National convention 2/3 Congress Ratified in 2 ways State Convention ¾ State Legislatures
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY People are the most important source of governmental power
SEPARATION OF POWERS Division of governmental power among the different branches of government
CHECKS AND BALANCES System designed to prevent a single branch of government from becoming too powerful
FEDERALISM The sharing of power between the national and state governments
AMENDMENT A change or addition to the Constitution
BILL OF RIGHTS The first ten amendments to the constitution