1. American Government
Chapter 3: Notes

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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.

6. Historical Amendments
13th Amendment – abolition of slavery
16th Amendment – power of Congress to levy income taxes
18th Amendment – 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