PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION

Why did the Founding Fathers separate the power to make, enforce, and interpret laws between different branches of government?

• to prevent one branch of government from becoming too powerful

• to make the national government more efficient

• to increase the power of the presidency

• to ensure that Congress would act according to the will of the people

Which of the following best completes the title of this table?

Use the table to answer the question.

Title:____________?­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­________________

Branch Power

Legislative Makes laws

Executive Enforces laws

Judicial Interprets laws

• The Federal System

• Separation of Powers

• Checks and Balances

• Popular Sovereignty

The Founding Fathers divided the power to make, enforce, and interpret laws between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.

What might have happened if they had given all of these powers to the executive branch?

• The balance of power among the different branches would make government more efficient.

• The president could have grown too powerful, leading to tyranny.

• Congress would have had more occasions to override presidential vetoes.

• Supreme Court justices would have had to strike down more laws as unconstitutional

How does the system of checks and balances reinforce the separation of powers?

• by giving each branch of government powers to limit the other branches

• by dividing the government duties among three branches

• by defining the roles of each branch of government in three separate articles

• by dividing power between the national and state levels of government

Congressional Bills Vetoed, 1981–2008

President: Regular Vetoes | Pocket Vetoes | Total Vetoes

Ronald Reagan 39 39 78

George H.W. Bush 29 15 44

William Clinton 36 1 37

George W. Bush 12 0 12

Which constitutional principle does the information in the table illustrate?

• popular sovereignty

• social contract

• federal supremacy

• checks and balances

Which principle of the Constitution is demonstrated by the following picture:

• Popular sovereignty

• Federalism

• Checks and balances

• Separation of Powers

Which principle of the Constitution is demonstrated by the following chart:

Level Power

National: Declare war, make treaties, appoint

ambassadors, make amendments to

U.S. Constitution

State: Issue drivers licenses, marriages,

education, run elections

• checks & balances

• separation of powers

• federalism

• popular sovereignty

The U.S. Constitution which lists powers for the Federal Government known as “delegated / enumerated” powers established which principle of the Constitution?

• separation of powers

• checks & balances

• popular sovereignty

• limited government

Which Enlightenment philosopher promoted the idea of separating the power of the government into three branches?

• John Locke

• Thomas Paine

• Baron de Montesquieu

• Thomas Jefferson

The Supreme Court striking down a law as unconstitutional is an example of?

• checks & balances

• popular sovereignty

• limited government

• federalism