1. Section 1 & 2 A Blueprint for Government and An Enduring Document

2.  Establish 6 goals for the government to meet  Outlines 6 basic principles of government  Fairly distributed and balances power  Powers of government are limited to protect the individual  Three branches  Legislative  Judicial  Executive  Checks and balances

3. We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish the Constitution for the United States of America.

4. Government TasksConcerns  Raise an army  Pay bills  Foreign affairs  Framers had reservations  Completely opposed  Too strong of a national government

5. GoalPurpose 1. Form a more perfect unionStrengthen the relationship among the states as part of a union between the states and national government as part of a new federal system 2. Establish justiceProvide laws that are reasonable, fair, and impartial and make sure that the administration of those laws is also reasonable, fair, and impartial 3. Ensuring domestic tranquilityKeep peace and maintain order 4. Provide for the common defense Defend against foreign enemies 5. Promote general welfareCitizens can benefit from the protection of the government 6. Secure the blessings of libertyProtect and preserve individual liberties

6. Democratic GovernmentGovernment to “Control Itself”  Allowing substantial freedoms  Control worst aspects of human behavior  Federalist Papers article 51 outlines dilemma  System of law essential  Locke, “where there is no law, there is no freedom”  Maintain order, protect rights, property, and lives  Enforceable and punishable  Keep government in check

7.  Framer’s Solution  Create governing document  Divide, distribute, and balance governmental power  Uses of Power  Government power is subject to the will of the people  Power as voters  Bill of Rights  Final check on power  Inclusion of Bill of Rights in 1791  Restraints  Place restraints on government power  Cannot violate basic rights of citizens

8. Principles of the Constitution Popular Sovereignty- The people establish and are the source of its power Limited Government- government powers are restricted to protect individual rights Separation of Powers- The power to govern is divided among executive, legislative, and judicial branches to prevent the concentration and abuse of power by any one branch Checks and Balances- Each branch of government has the authority to check, or restrain, some powers of the other two branches Judicial Review- The judiciary has the power to strike down laws and other government actions as invalid under the constitution Federalism- The rights of the states are protected by dividing powers between national government and the state governments

9.  The Supreme Court has the power to decide whether laws are constitutional. This power is called judicial review.

10.  Has the ability to grow and change overtime  Formal processes for adding amendments  27 amendments total  First 10 are the Bill of Rights

11. JeffersonMadison  Should not be changed on a whim  Each generation should govern themselves  Felt it should not change  Worried too many changes can cause issues  Sectional rivalry

12.  Original Constitution a product of its time  Framers were bias  Survived through the Civil War  Original document not perfect  Slavery  Voting rights  Social Attitudes  Ability to incorporate changing ideas of freedom and liberty keeps document relevant to each new generation since 1789.

13. Article VDifferent Pats  How to amend the constitution  Proposal, ratification, and approved  Two ways to amend and two ways of ratifying  Two-step ratification process  Changes reflect national will  Supported popular sovereignty

14. Proposing an AmendmentFacts Two ways to be proposed 1. Congress- 2/3 of the house and 2/3 of the senate 2. Delegates at a national convention that is called by Congress – 2/3 of the state legislature  All of the amendments to the constitution have been proposed by Congress

16. Vocabulary Popular SovereigntyConcept that a government gets its power from the people and that ultimate power remains with the people Limited GovernmentPrinciple that the powers and functions of government are restricted by the U.S. constitution and other laws Rule of LawConcept that every member of society, including the ruler and government, must obey that law and is never above it Separation of PowersPrinciple that the duties of governing are divided among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches Checks and BalancesSystem that gives each branch of government the power to change, reverse, or cancel acts of another branch VetoPresident’s power to reject legislation

17. Vocabulary Judicial ReviewPower to declare legislative and executive acts unconstitutional UnconstitutionalFound to violate any part of the Constitution FederalismPrinciple that powers of government are distributed between the national government and state governments. SupermajorityAny majority that is larger than a simple majority, such as three- fifths, two-thirds, or three- fourths RepealCancel or revoke a law by a legislative act