Chapter 9
Key Content Terms and Introduction
Chapter 9 Key Content Terms
• Popular Sovereignty: the principle that the authority of
the government is created and sustained by the consent
of its people, through their elected representatives (Rule
by the People), who are the source of all political power.
• The Legislative Branch Article I of the Constitution
creates a bicameral Congress with a House of
Representatives and a Senate. Every state is represented
by two senators. Representation in the House is based on
a state’s population. Congress’s primary job is to make
laws.
Chapter 9 Key Content Terms
• The Executive Branch Article II creates the executive
branch. The head of the executive branch is the president.
The president serves a four-year term and may be
reelected once. The president carries out laws passed by
Congress. Other powers of the president include making
treaties and appointing Supreme Court justices.
• The Judicial Branch Article III establishes the Supreme Court
and gives Congress the power to create lower courts.
Supreme Court decisions are binding on all lower courts.
The power of judicial review allows the Supreme Court to
decide whether laws and actions by the legislative and
executive branches are unconstitutional.
Chapter 9 Key Content Terms
• Judicial review : the doctrine under which legislative and
executive actions are subject to review by the judiciary. A
court with judicial review power may invalidate laws and
decisions that are incompatible with a higher authority,
such as the terms of a written constitution.
• Checks and Balances The framers developed a system of
checks and balances that enables each branch of
government to limit, or check, the power of the other
two branches. The Constitution provides checks and
balances in the powers of each branch.
• Interstate commerce: movement of goods or money, or
transportation from one state to another, regulated by
the federal government according to powers spelled out
in Article I of the Constitution.
Chapter 9 Key Content Terms
• Federalism : a federal system of government in which
power is shared between the national government and the
states; a system based upon democratic rules and
institutions in which the power to govern is shared
between national and provincial/state governments,
creating what is often called a federation.
• majority rule: the principle that the greater number should
exercise greater power; Laws are passed in Congress by
majority vote. Elections are decided by a majority of voters.
• Interest groups :The Constitution creates Popular
Participation in Government Elections serve the vital
function of expressing the will of the people. People also
participate in government by joining political parties and
taking part in interest groups.
Chapter 9 Introduction
• Read the Introduction on page 119 – as a class
• Use the text and the images on the opposite
page to address this question:
“How does the Constitution create a more
perfect union?”
• Turn and talk with your neighbor and be
prepared to share.
To do…
• Read Section 9.2 (pg 120) and finish the
reading notes in your ISN (pg. 108)
• Read Sections 9.3 – 9.6 (pgs. 121-126) and
finish the reading notes in your ISN on pages
109 and 110.
• This work is Due Wednesday at the beginning
of the period!