Government
Constitution/Madisonian
Model/Checks and Balances
The Madisonian Model
• James Madison (father of the Constitution)
▫ Warns – factions could pose a threat to the
stability of government. Federalists Paper #10
 Poorer, less educated Americans vs. wealthy elite
 Ex. Shays Rebellion
 Must protect the government from the will of the
majority.
• By a faction, I understand a number of citizens,
whether amounting to a majority or a minority
of the whole, who are united and actuated by
some common impulse of passion, or of interest,
adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the
permanent and aggregate interests of the
community.
▫ James Madison, Federalists No. 10
The Madisionian Model
• Take steps to protect gov’t from the will of the
majority.
▫ President elected by Electoral College. (Winner of
state popular vote, wins electoral votes)
▫ Senators chosen by states legislatures (not directly
by the people.)
 Changed by 17th Amendment!!!
The Madisonian Model
The Madisonian Model
• 3 branches of governmet (ex., leg., jud.)
▫ Separation of powers (Art. I, II, and III)
own power and responsibilities.
18th Century philosopher Baron de Montesquieu
The Madisonian Model
The Madisonian Model
• Checks and Balances
▫ Legislative Branch
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Senate confirmation
Power to impeach
Controls the budget
Override a presidential veto.
The Madisionian Model
• Executive Branch▫ Can veto bill passed by Congress
▫ Nominates judges and government officials
The Madisionian Model
• Judicial Branch
▫ Declare laws to be unconstitutional
▫ Declare acts of the president to be
unconstitutional
▫ Constitution does not grant the courts the power
to check the other branches.
▫ Marbury v. Madison 1803 (authority to declare
laws unconstitutional) –judicial review
Madisonian Model
• Federal System – system of government that
allowed power to be shared between the national
and state levels of government
▫ 10th Amendment
Terms
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Anti-federalists (table 2.5)
Federalists (table 2.5)
Bill of Rights (table 2.6)
“Living Document”
Formal Amendment Process (Article 5) pg. 56
fig. 2.4
• Informal Amendment Process
Ratification
Amending Process
Question #1
Madisonian principles in the Constitution were based on
• A) statesʹ rights.
• B) a concentration of power, so that the minority faction
could dominate the government.
• C) the belief that government should always be
dominated by the majority.
• D) concern that government would be dominated by a
majority or minority faction.
• E) the ideas of a group of professors at Madison
University.
Question #2
Two key elements of the Madisonian model were to
• A) keep most of the government beyond the control of a popular
majority and separate the powers of different institutions.
• B) promote state power while separating the powers of different
national institutions.
• C) keep as much of the government as possible beyond the control
of a popular majority
• and extend the right to vote to everyone.
• D) combine the powers of different institutions and create a
powerful presidency.
• E) require a system of checks and balances and extend democracy.
Question #3
Opposition to ratification of the Constitution was based
on the belief that it would
• A) provide for elite control, endanger liberty, and
weaken the states.
• B) produce more democratic elements than desirable for
a strong central government.
• C) give too much power to the states.
• D) promote pluralism, which would threaten liberty.
• E) all of the above
Question #4
Under the Madisonian model, people desiring change
• A) find a government that is highly responsive and acts
quickly and decisively.
• B) must usually have a sizable majority.
• C) have no chance of victory.
• D) need only win at one point in the policymaking
process.
• E) need just a simple majority over 50 percent.
Question #5
Constitutional amendments are usually ratified
by
• A) state conventions called by two-thirds vote in
Congress.
• B) a national convention.
• C) a majority of the Supreme Court.
• D) a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress.
• E) legislatures of three-fourths of the states.
Question #6
The Supreme Court in Marbury v. Madison
(1803) asserted the power of the Court to
• A) check the actions of the other branches
through judicial review.
• B) nullify constitutional amendments.
• C) confirm presidential appointments.
• D) determine its own size and makeup.
• E) impeach the president.
• The End!!!