1. The 7 Principles of Government
The Constitution is built upon 7 basic Principles of Government. The Framers of the Constitution used these principles to create the “supreme law” of our land.

2. WHO WERE THE FRAMERS?
The framers were the builders of our Constitution
These men debated for the interests of their states,
the people, and the nation..
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3. Basic Principles

4. Rule 1. POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY A sovereign king does what?
DEFINITON:
What does popular refer to?
Population, or people.
A sovereign king does what?
Rule
So together, Popular Sovereignty means?
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5. “PEOPLE RULE”
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6. POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY (People Rule)
The Preamble to the Constitution begins with this bold phrase:
“We the People...” These words announce that in the United States, THE PEOPLE, establish government and give it its power.
The people are “sovereign.” Since the government receives it power from the people, it can govern only with their consent.
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7. SO HOW DO WE RULE? EXAMPLE:
Voting!
The people’s power comes
in the form of democracy.
We have the right to push into a touch screen
our choices for our government!
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8. 2. REPUBLICANISM DEFINE:
Power is held by the people and exercised through the efforts of representatives elected by those people.

9. 3. LIMITED GOVERNMENT Limited, the OPPOSITE of Unlimited.
Because the people are the source of government power, the government has only as much authority as the people give it.
Government
Authority
People
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10. Our rights and freedoms protect us from Government rule.
More…LIMITED GOV’T.
Much of the Constitution, in fact, consists of specific limitation on government power.
Freedom of Speech
Bill of Rights
Freedom of Press
Freedom of Petition
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Assembly
Counsel, Fair Trial
Privacy
No Cruel/Unusual
Punishment
Bill of Rights
(Amendments 1-10)
Our rights and freedoms protect us from Government rule.
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11. More…LIMITED GOVERNMENT
No one
is Above
the Law, or
Constitution
Limited government means that neither the government nor any government official is “above the law,” and can’t overstep these constitutional bounds.
We the People
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12. 4. SEPARATION OF POWERS
Government power is not only limited: it is also divided.
Government
Power
Limited Power
Limited Power
Limited Power
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13. 4. SEPARATION OF POWERS
The Constitution assigns specific powers to each of the three branches: 1. Legislative (Congress),
2. Executive (President) and
3. Judicial (Supreme Court).
(President)
(Congress)
(Supreme Court)
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14. 5. CHECKS AND BALANCES
The system of CHECK AND BALANCES extends the restrictions established by the separation of powers.
Each branch of government has the built-in authority & responsibility to restrain the power of the other two branches. This system makes government less efficient, but also prevents tyranny by one branch.
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15. Basic Principles

16. 6. FEDERALISM
A FEDERAL SYSTEM divides power between a central government and smaller, local governments.
This sharing of power is intended to ensure that the central government is powerful enough to be effective, yet not so powerful as to threaten States or citizens.
It also allows individual States to deal with local problems at the local level—so long as their actions are constitutional.
Federal Gov’t.
Local Gov’t.

17. 7. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS Also known as UNALIENABLE RIGHTS.
Thomas Jefferson gets the idea from John Locke.
These are rights that you were born with and cannot be taken away from you.
Yours are protected in the first ten amendments, and beyond, to the US Constitution – The Bill of Rights!
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