EOC Review
Week 1
Day 2
The Preamble
 The
Constitution begins with a one
sentence introduction called the
Preamble.

The Preamble explains the goals and
purposes of the government.
 The
Preamble starts with the phrase “We the
People, of the United States”
 It then lists six goals and purposes of the
government:






1. form a more perfect union
2. establish justice (rule of law)
3. insure domestic tranquility (Peace IN the USA)
4. provide for the common defense (Military)
5. promote the general welfare
6. secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and
our posterity (Protect their freedoms and the
freedom of future generations)
Guiding Questions
 1.
The first goal stated in the preamble is
the create a “more perfect union.” What
was the Constitution replacing?
 2. Why did the writers of the Constitution
start with the phrase “We the people”?
Checks and Balances
 When
the government can only do what the
people allow it to= limited government
 In the U.S. the Constitution (a written agreement)
is what limits the government.
Constitutional Gov.
 Government
based on written set of laws
that citizens agree to.
 The Constitution is the highest law of the
land.
 The Constitution limits the power of both
the federal and state governments.
 The Constitution separates power so that
no one can have all of the power.
 The
Framers created a federal government with
three (3) branches (Separation of Powers)
 Each branch has their own powers and
responsibilities.
 The Framers not only separated responsibilities
among the branches, they gave the branches
the ability to limit each others power (Checks
and Balances)
Guiding Questions
 Using
the chart on slide 9, answer the following
questions:
 1. List one way the Executive Branch can check
the Legislative Branch.
 2. List one way the Judicial Branch can check the
Legislative Branch.
 3. List one way the Executive Branch can check
the Judicial Branch.
 4. List one way the Legislative Branch can check
the Judicial Branch.
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
 Federalists:
wanted a stronger national
government, supported the ratification
(approval) of the Constitution.
 Anti-Federalists: did NOT support the
Constitution because they felt that it
failed to protect individual rights.

Because of them the Bill of Rights (the first
10 amendments) was added to the
constitution
Rule of Law
 This
is when the law applies equally to
everyone regardless of their position in
society.

The Constitution, Bill of Rights, and 14th
Amendment ensure the rule of law.
 They
protect us from the government treating
us unfairly.
 Rule
of law is to protect us from the government.
 The Founding Fathers did not want a government
that abused its people…like England did to the
colonies!
 The 4th, 6th, 8th, & 14th amendments guarantee
that citizens accused of crimes are protected
from unfair administration of the law.
The Impact of Rule of Law
 No
one is above the law! No one!
 Judges must follow procedure for every
case. This ensures fair trials.
 The law must be applied consistently. This
prevents arbitrary judgments
 Citizens must know what the law…so we
know what we can and can’t do.
Sources and Types of Law
 Historical
Sources:
 Code of Hammurabi- one of the first set of
written laws. Created order in society.
 Magna Carta- established a limited
government where the rights of individuals
were protected.
 Constitutional
Constitution.

Law= the interpretation of the U.S.
The Supreme Court has the final say on its meaning.
 Statutory
Laws= written laws
 Regulations=rules of an agency of the executive
branch makes to enforce a law.
 Case Law=precedents (law established by the
outcome of former court cases)
 Common Law=legal precedent based on
customs and prior legal decisions
Types of Law
 Civil
Law=laws that don’t relate to a crime
 Constitutional law=defines the relationship and
powers of the Federal government, states, and
citizens
 Criminal Law=deals with crimes and their
punishments
 Juvenile Law=deals with the actions and well
being of people under 18 (civil & criminal
 Military Law=laws that apply only to the military.
Guiding Question
 1a.
Which type of law is used to help solve
disputes between people or organizations?
 1b.Why
is this type of law used in this situation?