Name: _________________________________
Level 2.1 Notes PowerPoint
Directions: Fill in the blanks as you go through the PowerPoint to complete the notes.
The Underlying Legal & Political Principles of the Constitution
1. Federalism:
 a ____________________________________________ that ________________
___________________________ between a central or _____________________
government and _______________
 Combines ideas of both a unitary government and a confederation government
 Unitary Government: ___________________________ is in the ________
government and directly governs its people
 Confederation: ____________________ of separate _____________ that
creates a ___________________________________________________ as
effective as the states allow it to be. The people are governed by their state.
Enumerated and Reserved Powers
Federal Government
Enumerated Powers
• Regulate interstate and
foreign
________________
• Establish laws for
citizenship
• Coin ____________
• Regulate patents and
copyrights
• Establish post offices
• Establish federal
________________
• Declare ____________
• Raise and support
___________________
• Pass laws necessary and
proper for carrying out
preceding powers
Federal and State Governments
Concurrent (“Shared”) Powers
• Lay and collect
____________________
•
•
•
Charter ______________
Take property for public
use
Borrow money
State Governments
Reserved Powers
• Determine qualifications of
voters
• Provide for
•
•
•
Enforce the ___________
•
•
Establish _____________
Provide for the general
welfare
•
•
•
•
_____________________
Establish marriage and
divorce laws
Regulate intrastate
commerce (trade)
Conduct ______________
Establish local
governments
Incorporate businesses
Provide for
______________________
and morals
Prohibited Powers (Not Allowed)
Federal Government
Powers Denied Federal
Government
• Suspend the writ of
Federal and State Governments
Powers Denied Federal and State
Governments
• Pass bills of attainder (allowing
people to be imprisoned and
______________________
found guilty without a trial)
(having to be tried in
• Pass ex post facto laws (try
court before
someone for a crime that wasn’t
imprisonment)
a law when the event was done)
•
•
•
______________________ •
Favor one state over
another
•
Take money from
treasury without right by
law
State Governments
Powers Denied State
Government
•
•
•
__________________________
(princes, knights)
____________________________ •
•
____________________________
_______________________
with other nations or states
without consent of
Congress
Coin (make) ____________
Impair obligations of
contracts
________________________
Keep troops or ships during
peace without consent of
Congress
____________________________
2. Separation of Powers:
 Divides the government into three branches
 __________________________________________
 __________________________________________
 __________________________________________
 Checks and Balances:
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
Directions: Read through this chart and underline the parts you need explained. The teacher will
be calling on you so be ready!
Checks & Balance:
 reject
appointments
 reject treaties
 withhold funding
 impeach president
 override a veto
Legislative Branch (Congress)
• writes laws
• confirms Presidential
Appointments
• ratifies treaties
• grants money
• declares war
Checks & Balance:
 veto bill
 adjourn Congress
Executive Branch (President)
• proposes laws
• administers laws
• commands military
• appoints ambassadors and
other officials
• foreign policy
• negotiates treaties
Checks & Balance:
 propose
amendments
 impeach Supreme
Court Justice
 reject appointments
to Supreme Court
Checks & Balance:
 declare laws
unconstitutional
Checks & Balance:
 declare
executive actions
unconstitutional
Checks & Balance:
 appoint Judges
Judicial Branch (Supreme
Court)
• interprets laws and
Constitution
• reviews lower-court
decisions
3. Provisions for Change:
 ____________________________ make it possible to _________________ the
____________________________ so that it can reflect the needs of the time.
How are Amendments Proposed?
by 2/3rds vote in each house of Congress
Or
at a National Constitutional Convention
Approval:
Ratified by Constitutional
Conventions in 3/4ths of
the States
Approval:
Ratified by 3/4ths of the
State Legislatures
OR
4. Protection of Individual Rights:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________