Fundamental Principles Activity
Directions: Read the following situations and decide which principle is being illustrated.
Situation 1:
The president of the United States had a lapse in judgment. He decided to go down to the local
convenience store in Washington D.C. and take $25 worth of merchandise. The citizens of the United
States could not figure out how the president could be arrested, but he was. He is now awaiting trial
and citizens are in a ruffle. However, what is not understood is the simple principle behind our
constitutional government.
What is it? _________________________________________________________________
Situation 2:
Citizens in the United States sometimes take for granted to right to worship freely. A citizen can
choose to worship in whatever way he/she chooses to worship. The ability to choose the idol or god to
worship is one in which many governments regulate and dictate. However, in the US, the constitutional
allows, in the 1st Amendment, the right to worship freely. In other words, if the government would try to
take this right away, it would be overstepping its boundaries. The government has other boundaries as
well. This is so the government does not become all powerful.
What fundamental principle is it? _______________________________________________
Situation 3:
This November, the citizens of the United States get to elect a president to take the lead of this country.
This ability is quite foreign to other nations because they have someone that stays in charge all the
time. We choose representatives to make decisions on our behalf, like senators and a president.
Because the people have this power, this country is considered to be ‘ruled by the people.’ The
founding fathers ensured that this fundamental principle would allow the people to be in charge of the
country.
What is the principle?_______________________________________________________
Situation 4:
In the United States, the representatives have to be very careful of the decisions they make because
these decisions affect a large number of citizens. They have to remember that the citizens elected
them to the office they hold and have given them permission to make the decisions they do. However,
they know that if enough citizens don’t like the decisions made, they can be voted out of office because
they no longer have permission to make decisions for the people anymore.
This is based on the principle of: ________________________________________________
Situation 5:
In the United States, the ‘people rule.’ However, the problem becomes the fact that most Americans
have full time jobs that do not allow them to make it to their state or national capitol in order to make
laws for themselves. The beauty of this is the fact that Americans can vote for someone to take their
place in the Senate or House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. to make laws on their behalf or in
their best interest. These representatives allow the people to talk to them and tell them what they want
in order that the laws made will keep them safe, yet make them happy.
This principle is: ____________________________________________________________
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