Unit 2 8/29

OUTLINE OF THE CONSTITUTION

● Preamble—introduction/purpose of govt:

--FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION
--ESTABLISH JUSTICE
--INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY
--PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE
--PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE,
--SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY

● Article I: Legislative branch

Congress

● Article II: Executive branch

Presidency

● Article III:

Judicial branch

Courts

● Article IV: States’ relations & rights

Multiple Choice

Which Article covers the Legislative Branch?

• Article I

• Article II

• Article III

• Article IV

Multiple Choice

Which Article covers the Executive Branch?

• Article II

• Article I

• Article III

• Constitution

Multiple Choice

Which Article covers the Judicial Branch?

• Article III

• Article II

• Article I

• Constitutuion

● Article V: Amendment process

● Article VI:

Supremacy of Federal Law

● Article VII:

Ratification process (3/4) of

states

● 27 Amendments follow the original

document

SIX BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION:

● POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY: Political power

belongs to the people. “We the People”

● LIMITED GOVERNMENT: Government only has

as much power as the people give it.
Government must obey the law.
(Constitutionalism & Rule of Law.)

Multiple Choice

What does "popular sovereignty" mean?

• The government has the ultimate authority.

• Political power belongs to the people

• Laws are created by Kings

• Citizens do not have the right to vote.

● SEPARATION OF POWERS: Each branch of

govt. is separate and distinct.

● CHECKS AND BALANCES: Each branch can

restrain the actions of the other branches.

● JUDICIAL REVIEW: Court can declare a

government action as unconstitutional (illegal)

(Marbury v. Madison, 1803)

● FEDERALISM: Division of power among central

govt. and several regional governments.

CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE & GROWTH:

The Constitution has endured and kept up with
astounding historic change and progress over
time. The process of modifying the Constitution
can occur in 2 basic ways: formal amendment
and informal means.

Formal Amendment Process:

1. Proposed by 2/3 vote of Congress; ratified

(approved) by ¾ of State legislatures (38
out of 50) **26 amendments out of 27 adopted this way.

2. Proposed by 2/3 vote of Congress; ratified

by state conventions in ¾ of the States.
(21st Amendment)

Multiple Choice

How many states are needed to ratify an Amendment?

• 1/4 of the US Congress

• A majority of the Supreme Court

• A majority of the US population

• 3/4 of State Legislatures

3. Amendments can also be proposed by a
national convention of state delegates, but this
approach has never been used.

Change w/ Informal Means:

1. Basic legislation

2. Executive action

3. Court decisions

4. Party practices

5. Custom