Principles of the
Constitution
The Big Idea
The Constitution is based on six broad
principles: popular sovereignty, limited
government, separation of powers, checks and
balances, judicial review and federalism.
Popular
Sovereignty
Separation of
Powers
Limited
Government
Constitution
Checks &
Balances
Judicial Review
Federalism
Let’s Make Sure
Articles of the Constitution
• These make up the
general formation of
our government
• There are 7
Article 1: Legislative
Article 2: Executive
• First and longest article
• powers
• requirements of its
members
• allows for taxation of the
American people
• Creates the Presidency
• Powers of the
President
• Leaves a lot unsaid
• Creates the electoral
college
Article 3: Judicial
• Establishes a Supreme
Court as well as lower
courts
• Constitution is the
“Supreme Law of the
Land”
• Federal cases
Article 4: State &
National Gov.
• Defines federalism
• No law created by the
states can contradict
Federal Law
• Subject to the
Constitution
Article 5: Amendments
• First and longest article
• powers
• requirements of its
members
• allows for taxation of the
American people
Article 6: Supremacy
• First and longest article
• powers
• requirements of its
members
• allows for taxation of the
American people
Article 7: Ratification
• 9 of the 13 states had to
approve the Constitution
in order for it to be ratified
The clerk who wrote out
the Constitution was paid
30 dollars
(726 today)
When the Constitution was
signed the US population
was 4 Million and now has
309 million
The word democracy
doesn’t appear in the
Constitution
Vermont ratified the
Constitution before it was
even a State
Principles
Popular
Sovereignty
Constitution
• All power is with the
people and they are the
only source for the
government’s powers
• AKA
• Consent of the
Governed
•
Limited
Government
•
•
No Government is all
powerful
the gov. can do only the
things the people have
given them power to do
gov must obey the laws
• Constitutionalism
•
Constitution
Rule of law
• G0v. is always subject to and
never above the law
•
Separation of
Powers
•
Constitution
The Constitution
distributes power to the
three branches
the first lines of the first
3 articles make this clear
•
Constitution
•
Checks &
Balances
The 3 Branches are not
completely separate nor
entirely independent of one
another
Complex system
• number of
constitutional check
•
Constitution
•
•
Judicial
Review
An aspect of Checks and
Balances
The Courts determine
the Constitutionality of
an action
Marbury vs. Madison
Constitution
Federalism
•
The division of power
among the central
government and regional
governments
The Supremacy Clause
• Article VI, Section 2 of the Constitution is
known as the Supremacy Clause
• The Constitution, and the Laws of the US which shall be made
in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be
made, under the Authority of the US, shall be the supreme
Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound
thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to
the Contrary notwithstanding.
• In a few sentences, explain why the framers of the
constitution might have included this