United States Constitution
U.S. Government Class
Pre-Amble
• A. States the following purposes
• 1. Establish a government that provides
cooperation between the states
• 2. Ensure justice and peace
• 3. Provide a military
• 4. Secure liberty via the concepts of Popular
Sovereignty and representative government
• We the people of the United States, in Order
to form a more perfect Union, establish
Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide
for the common defence, promote the general
Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to
ourselves and Posterity, do ordain and
establish this Constitution for the United
States of America.
Six Basic Principles of the Constitution
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A. Popular Sovereignty
B. Limited Government
C. Separation of Powers
D. Checks and Balances
E. Judicial Review
F. Federalism
A. Popular Sovereignty
• 1. In the United States, all political power
resides with the people
• 2. The people are the only source of
government
B. Limited Government
• 1. No government is all powerful
• 2. Government may only do those things that
the people have given it the power to do
C. Separation of Powers
• 1. The basic powers are distributed among
three distinct and individual branches of
government
D. Checks and Balances
• 1. Connects the three independent branches
to ensure that not a single one becomes more
powerful
E. Judicial Review
• 1. The power of the courts to determine
whether what government does is in accord
with what the Constitution does
F. Federalism
• 1. Division of power among a central
government and several regional governments
• 2. in the U.S. (Federal, state, and local)
Article I.
Legislative Department
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A. Legislative Power of Congress
B. House of Representatives
C. Senate
D. Elections and Meetings
E. Legislative Proceedings
F. Compensations, Immunities, Disability
G. Revenue Bills, Presidential Veto
• H. Powers of Congress
• I. Powers Denied Congress
• J. Powers Denied to the States
Article II
Executive Department
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A. Executive Power
1. The Presidential Team
2. Election, Qualifications
3. Compensation
4. Oath of Office
Article III
Judicial Department
• A. Judicial Power
1. courts
2. Terms of Office
B. Jurisdiction
C. Treason
Article IV
Relations Among the States
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A. Full Faith and Credit
B. Privileges and Immunities of Citizens
C. New States and Territories
D. Protection Afforded to States by the Nation
Article V
Provisions for Amendments
• A. Formal Amendment: Change or additions to
the Constitution
• B. Four ways to propose amendments
Amendments
• 1. Proposed by 2/3 of each house in Congress
and ratified by ¾ of the states (38/50)
• 2. 2/3 of Congress and ratified in a called
Convention by ¾ of the states (used for 21st)
• 3. Proposed by the National Conventions at
the request of State Legislatures (has never
happened)
• 4. By national convention and ratify by a called
convention of the states
Article VI
Public Debts; Supremacy of Natural
Law; Oath
• A. U.S. will pay all debts prior to it’s
Constitution being instituted
• B. Federal law is supreme, superior over any
state or local law
• C. All government officials shall be held to the
oath or affirmation of support to the
Constitution
Article VII
Ratification of the Constitution
• A. Done in Convention by the unanimous
consent of the states present on September
17th, 1787