Principle
Popular Sovereignty
Limited Government
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Judicial Review
Federalism
Description
Principle
Popular Sovereignty
Limited Government
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Judicial Review
Federalism
Description
All political power is with the people; government can only govern with the consent
of the governed
Principle
Popular Sovereignty
Description
All political power is with the people; government can only govern with the consent
of the governed
Limited Government
Government may do only the things that the people give it the power to do;
Constitutionalism – government must obey the law, the Constitution
Rule of Law – government and its officers are never above the law
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Judicial Review
Federalism
Principle
Popular Sovereignty
Description
All political power is with the people; government can only govern with the consent
of the governed
Limited Government
Government may do only the things that the people give it the power to do;
Constitutionalism – government must obey the law, the Constitution
Rule of Law – government and its officers are never above the law
Separation of Powers
U.S. Constitution distributes the powers of the National Government among
 Congress: the legislative branch – makes laws
 President: the executive branch – enforces laws
 Courts: the judicial branch – interprets laws
Checks and Balances
Judicial Review
Federalism
Principle
Popular Sovereignty
Description
All political power is with the people; government can only govern with the consent
of the governed
Limited Government
Government may do only the things that the people give it the power to do;
Constitutionalism – government must obey the law, the Constitution
Rule of Law – government and its officers are never above the law
Separation of Powers
U.S. Constitution distributes the powers of the National Government among
 Congress: the legislative branch – makes laws
 President: the executive branch – enforces laws
 Courts: the judicial branch – interprets laws
Checks and Balances
Three branches of government are not completely separate or independent of one
another. Each branch has constitutional checks (ways of restraining the power) by
the other branches. Each branch has certain powers to use to check (restrain the
power) the operations of the other two branches.
Judicial Review
Federalism
Principle
Popular Sovereignty
Description
All political power is with the people; government can only govern with the consent
of the governed
Limited Government
Government may do only the things that the people give it the power to do;
Constitutionalism – government must obey the law, the Constitution
Rule of Law – government and its officers are never above the law
Separation of Powers
U.S. Constitution distributes the powers of the National Government among
 Congress: the legislative branch – makes laws
 President: the executive branch – enforces laws
 Courts: the judicial branch – interprets laws
Checks and Balances
Three branches of government are not completely separate or independent of one
another. Each branch has constitutional checks (ways of restraining the power) by
the other branches. Each branch has certain powers to use to check (restrain the
power) the operations of the other two branches.
Judicial Review
The power of the courts to determine if what the government does is in agreement
with the U.S. Constitution.
 Unconstitutional – government action that violates some condition of the U.S.
Constitution
Federalism
Principle
Popular Sovereignty
Description
All political power is with the people; government can only govern with the consent
of the governed
Limited Government
Government may do only the things that the people give it the power to do;
Constitutionalism – government must obey the law, the Constitution
Rule of Law – government and its officers are never above the law
Separation of Powers
U.S. Constitution distributes the powers of the National Government among
 Congress: the legislative branch – makes laws
 President: the executive branch – enforces laws
 Courts: the judicial branch – interprets laws
Checks and Balances
Three branches of government are not completely separate or independent of one
another. Each branch has constitutional checks (ways of restraining the power) by
the other branches. Each branch has certain powers to use to check (restrain the
power) the operations of the other two branches.
Judicial Review
The power of the courts to determine if what the government does is in agreement
with the U.S. Constitution.
 Unconstitutional – government action that violates some condition of the U.S.
Constitution
Federalism
Division of power among a central government and several regional governments:
the National Government holds some powers and others belong to the 50 states
Example
Congress can override a presidential veto by two-thirds vote in
each house
“We the People of the U.S….do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America.”
Strong central government while preserving the rights of Iowa
Supreme Court has decided 150 cases in which an act of Congress
was found to be unconstitutional
Article III, Section 1 of U.S. Constitution: One supreme Court
interprets laws
Presidents Johnson and Clinton were impeached by the House of
Representatives
Voiding State laws as unconstitutional
Article I, Section 1 of U.S. Constitution: Congress is the
lawmaking branch
“Congress shall make no law….”
Senate refused to approve a treaty or appointment made by the
President
Congress refuses to provide funds requested by the President
Marbury v. Madison
Striking down a law that outlawed the burning of the U.S. flag
Article II, Section1 of U.S. Constitution: President enforces laws
President may veto any act of Congress
Basic Principle
Example
Congress can override a presidential veto by two-thirds vote in
each house
“We the People of the U.S….do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America.”
Strong central government while preserving the rights of Iowa
Basic Principle
1. Checks and Balances
2. Popular Sovereignty
3. Federalism
Supreme Court has decided 150 cases in which an act of Congress 4. Judicial Review
was found to be unconstitutional
Article III, Section 1 of U.S. Constitution: One supreme Court
interprets laws
5. Separation of Powers
Presidents Johnson and Clinton were impeached by the House of
Representatives
6. Checks and Balances
Voiding State laws as unconstitutional
Article I, Section 1 of U.S. Constitution: Congress is the
lawmaking branch
7. Judicial Review
8. Separation of Powers
“Congress shall make no law….”
Senate refused to approve a treaty or appointment made by the
President
Congress refuses to provide funds requested by the President
9. Limited Government
10. Checks and Balances
Marbury v. Madison
Striking down a law that outlawed the burning of the U.S. flag
12. Judicial Review
13. Judicial Review
Article II, Section1 of U.S. Constitution: President enforces laws
14. Separation of Powers
President may veto any act of Congress
15. Checks and Balances
11. Checks and Balances