7 Principles of the
Constitution
Section #1 of Constitution Test
Popular Sovereignty
Popular Sovereignty
 This idea means that the people have the ultimate
control over the government.
 It means literally “people authority.”
 The Framers wanted to be sure that no one person
or group could take control of the government.
Republicanism
Republicanism
 Citizens elect representatives to run the
government.
 The Framers wanted to make sure that the will of
the people could be carried out.
 A direct democracy (when all citizens vote on
every issue) is not possible. Electing
representatives is the next best thing!
Limited Government
Limited Government
 The government only has the powers that the
Constitution gives to it.
 The Framers wanted to make sure that the
government didn’t become so powerful that it could
take power away from its citizens.
“Man is not free unless government is limited”
President Ronald Reagan
Federalism
Federalism
 The division of government between the state and
federal levels.
 The Constitution spells out which powers belong to
the state and which belong to the federal
government.
Separation of Powers
Separation of Powers
 The Framers divided the power of the national
government into 3 Branches.
 Legislative-makes the laws
 Executive-carries out the laws
 Judicial-interprets the laws
 Each branch operates separately.
 No branch is more powerful than the others.
3 Branches of Government
Legislative
Power
To make
laws
Executive
Power
To put
laws into
effect
Judicial Power
To
interpret
laws
Checks and Balances
Checks and Balances
 In order to make sure that no branch becomes too
powerful, the Framers planned a system of checks
(ways the other branches could oversee) and balances
(equal but separate responsibilities).
Ex. Legislative Branch makes laws but the Executive Branch can veto.
Individual Rights
Individual Rights
 The Constitution (Bill of Rights) protects the
individual rights of citizens.
 The Framers wanted to make sure that people had
rights that had been denied to them under King
George III.
Question #1
 Which principle says that the government can’t do
anything it wants. It can do what the Constitution
allows it to?
LIMITED GOVERNMENT
Question #2
 Which principle guarantees citizens have freedoms
that can’t ever be taken away from them?
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
Question #3
 Which principle says that the states have some
responsibilities and the national government have
some responsibilities?
FEDERALISM
Question #4
 Which principle says that the responsibilities of the
national government should be divided?
SEPARATION OF POWERS
Question #5
 Which principle says that no one part of the federal
government should be more powerful than the
others? Each part should be able to supervise and
limit the power of the other parts.
Checks and Balances
Question #6
 Which principle says that the people should be in
charge of the government?
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY
Question #7
Which principle says that people should elect
representatives to make decisions in the
government?
REPUBLICANISM