Year in Review, part 1

Year in Review, Part 1
May 30, 2025

By Sara Begian

​Ideas about Government

-The United States was formed on democratic ideals, including the sovereignty of the people, equality, majority rule, individual rights and freedoms, and civic responsibility.
-The United States is a republic; people do not vote directly on laws, but they elect leaders who make decisions for them.
-The founders of the United States drew on ideas from the philosophical movement called the Enlightenment.
-These ideas included limited government, natural rights that all people have, and the separation of powers among multiple branches of government.

​Ideas about Government

-The United States began as a group of British colonies that grew accustomed to self-government since Britain and it's monarch was across the ocean.
-The colonists were especially upset about being taxed without any representation in the British government.
-The idea of independence from Britain gained momentum throughout some of the colonies.
-Colonial leaders signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, listing grievances against the monarch and drawing on Enlightenment ideas that all people have natural rights and that a government's power comes from the consent of the governed.

​Forming a Constitution

-The Colonies won their independence in 1783.
-The Founders created the Articles of Confederation that set rules for the federal government but it was too weak to be effective.
-A Constitutional Convention was called in 1787 to create a new constitution.
-They debated four key points:
1. Representation in Congress 3. Voting Rights
2. Slavery 4. Strength of central government

​Forming a Constitution

-The founders disagreed whether or not representation in Congress should be equal or proportional to states' population.
-The Great Compromise was a bicameral legislature with the House of Representatives based on population and the Senate would have two senators each.
-Some Framers were abolitionists but they allowed slavery to continue due to Southern state demands. They also allowed for slaves to count to a state's population as a 3/5 of a person.
-The Framers disagreed whether all free men or property owners should vote so they left it up to the states. They did not discuss women or enslaved people.
-The Framers disagreed on the strength of the federal government. Federalists favored a strong central government and anti-Federalists wanted a limited government.
-The compromise that help persuade anti-Federalists was the Bill of Rights.

Multiple Select

Which questions were subjects of debate as the founders discussed the new United States Constitution?

• 
  Should women and enslaved people be allowed to vote?

• 
  How strong should the central government be?

• 
  Should enslaved people count toward a state's population size for determining representation?

• 
  How should the number of states' seats in Congress be determined?

​Legislative Branch

-The Legislative Branch is responsible for making laws.
-The Senate has 100 members: 2 from each state and senators serve 6 year terms.
-The House of Representatives has 435 members: the larger a state's population the more members it has. Members serve 2 year terms.
-Congress has specific enumerated powers: power to tax, raise an army, coin money and declare war.
-Congress has implied powers that are not specifically listed but are necessary to carry out their duties.
-Examples: enact safety laws and provide funding to states.

​Legislative Branch

-The legislative process through which a bill becomes a law is long and complicated.
-Either chamber of Congress can introduce legislation, but both chambers must vote to approve it with a majority vote for it to become a law.
-Then, the president may sign or veto it. Congress can override a veto.
-If more than two-thirds of each chamber votes to override the veto.

Multiple Choice

Which line from Article I of the Constitution gives Congress abilities beyond those specifically named?

• 
  "The Congress shall have Power . . . To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers . . ."

• "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."

• 
  "The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year . . . The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen . . . for six Years . . ."

• 
  "No Senator or Representative shall, during the Time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil Office under the Authority of the United States . . ."

​The Executive Branch

-The president is the leader of the nation and has several powers: commander in chief, making treaties, and nominating officials. The president also signs or vetoes bills.
-Presidents have the implied powers such as executive privilege to keep conversations with advisors private and issuing executive orders (rules that manage the executive branch agencies and have the force of law).
-The president also represents the United States to the rest of the world.

​The Executive Branch

There are many other parts of the executive branch in addition to the president.

• Executive departments carry out laws related to the department's purpose. The heads of these departments serve as the president's cabinet and advise the president.

• The Executive Office of the President consists of experts who advise the president on various policies.

• The vice president advises the president, helps the president implement policy, and becomes the president if the president dies.

• Multiple government bodies in the federal bureaucracy, staffed by nonelected leaders and workers, carry out functions such as enforcing regulations and carrying out government services.

Match

Match the following

• signs bill into law

• provides expert advice

• becomes president if the president dies

• implements regulations and other functions

president

Executive Office of the President

vice president

federal bureaucracy

• president

• Executive Office of the President

• vice president

• federal bureaucracy

​The Judicial Branch

-The judicial branch is responsible for interpreting the law in court.
-The federal court system is made up of different levels of courts and people can appeal a ruling to a higher court.
-The Supreme Court is the highest court in America.

​The Judicial Branch

-In a court case, a plaintiff makes a legal claim against a defendant with the help of an attorney.
-In a criminal case, the plaintiff is the government and the defendant is the person accused of a crime.
In a civil case, the plaintiff and defendant are people or organizations opposing each other in a legal dispute.

Usually, a jury hears both sides' arguments and decides whether there is enough evidence against the defendant.

​The Judicial Branch

-Supreme Court judges, called justices, hold their positions for life.
-Justices are not elected; the president nominates justices, and the Senate confirms the appointments.
-Justices vary in whether they focus on the original meaning of the Constitution or view it through the context of society's changing values and needs.
The Supreme Court has the power of judicial review—it can examine acts by the legislative and executive branches and declare them unconstitutional.
-Examining precedents, or earlier decisions, established in earlier court decisions helps courts decide the outcomes of new cases.

Multiple Select

How is the position of Supreme Court justice different from the positions of president and member of Congress?

• 
  Justices are appointed, not elected.

• 
  Justices are federal officials, not state officials.

• 
  Justices have the power to veto bills.

• 
  Justices can hold their positions for life.

​Checks and Balances

-Let's go to Edio page 8 to review Checks and Balances and complete some matching!