The 7 Principles of the US Constitution

State governments handle issues within their own territory and the Federal government handles issues that are nationwide.

• Popular Sovereignty

• Checks and Balances

• Federalism

• Republicanism

The President vetoes a law passed by Congress.

• Separation of Powers

• Limited Government

• Popular Sovereignty

• Checks and Balances

A poor man is arrested for a crime he did not commit. He requests a lawyer because the 6th amendment says you have the right to counsel.

• Limited Givernment

• Individual Rights

• Federalism

• Checks and Balances

Governments power and authority comes from the people living under that government.

• Popular Sovereignty

• Republicanism

• Federalism

• Limited Government

The powers of government are split between the states and the central government.

• Republicanism

• Federalism

• Separation of Powers

• Limited Government

The Supreme Court rules that a law passed by Congress discriminates based on race and strikes that law down as unconstitutional.

• Separation of Powers

• Federalism

• Popular Sovereignty

• Checks and Balances

The Legislative Branch makes the laws. The President executes the laws. The Judicial Branch interprets the laws.

• Checks and Balances

• Limited Government

• Republicanism

• Separation of Powers

The people that make up the government can be arrested for crimes they commit. They cannot do whatever they please.

• Republicanism

• Federalism

• Limited Government

• Checks and Balances

We are not a direct democracy. We are a representative democracy. We elect people that share our values and they then conduct the affairs of government as our trustees.

• Federalism

• Limited Government

• Republicanism

• Individual Rights

The 1st Amendment protects our rights to free speech, a free press, our right to petition, our right to assemble, and our right to practice our religion of choice.

• Individual Rights

• Republicanism

• Limited Government

• Popular Sovereignty