Six Principles of the
Constitution
Mini Lessons
Today’s Objective
• After watching your classmates avatar videos,
you will be able to…
• Explain the six principles of the Constitution
• Essential Skills
• Collaborate towards a creative outcome (CR-7)
• Gather and organize information and data (C3)
Mini Lessons
• Each group will pass around their Ipad
• You will have 90 seconds to watch each
video
• As you watch the videos, fill in the
information on the chart for each principle
Principle #1
• Popular Sovereignty
• The people are the only source for any and all
governmental power
• Government can govern only with the consent
of the governed
Principle #2
• Limited Government
• Government may do only those things that the
people have given it the power to do
National Government
• May not violate the Bill of Rights
• May not impose export taxes among
states
• May not use money from the Treasury
without the passage and approval of
an appropriations bill
• May not change state boundaries
State Government
• May not enter into treaties with other
countries
• May not print money
• May not tax imports or exports
• May not Impair obligations of contracts
• May not suspend a person's rights
without due process
Principle #3
• Separation of Powers
• Basic powers of legislative, executive, and
judicial are distributed among three distinct
and independent branches
Principle #4
• Checks and Balances
• Each branch has certain powers with which it
can check the operations of the other two
Principle #5
• Judicial Review
• The power of a court to determine the
constitutionality of a governmental action
Principle #6
• Federalism
• The division of power among a central
government and several regional governments
Six Principles of the
Constitution
Day 2
Today’s Objective
• After today’s lesson, we will be able to…
• Explain in detail the six principles of the
Constitution
Cartoon Analysis
• As we examine each cartoon, answer the
following questions
• What constitutional principle is represented in
this cartoon?
• What is the message the cartoonist is trying to
get across?
• What symbols does the cartoonist use?
Separation of Powers
Separation of Powers
• Basic powers of legislative, executive, and
judicial are distributed among three distinct
and independent branches
Checks and Balances
Checks and Balances
• Each branch has certain powers with which it
can check the operations of the other two
• Examples:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Executive veto of Legislative
Overriding Veto
Senate approves President’s treaties
Senate approves ambassadors
Supreme Court judicial review
Executive’s appointing Supreme Court justices
Federalism
Federalism
Federalism
• The division of power among a central
government and several regional
governments
Limited Government
Limited Government
• Government may do only those things that
the people have given it the power to do
National Government
• May not violate the Bill of Rights
• May not impose export taxes among
states
• May not use money from the Treasury
without the passage and approval of
an appropriations bill
• May not change state boundaries
State Government
• May not enter into treaties with other
countries
• May not print money
• May not tax imports or exports
• May not Impair obligations of contracts
• May not suspend a person's rights
without due process
Judicial Review
Judicial Review
• The power of a court to determine the
constitutionality of a governmental action
Popular Sovereignty
Popular Sovereignty
• The people are the only source for any and all
governmental power
• Government can govern only with the
consent of the governed
Constitutional Analysis
• Working with a partner, try your best to
complete the worksheet
• If you need to, use your six principles
summary chart