Exploring the Principles of the US Constitution

Limited Government

Separation of Powers

Federalism

Popular Sovereignty

John Adams, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry

Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay

The government has unlimited power

The government derives its power from the consent of the governed

The government can create laws without any restrictions

The government is above the law

Judicial Branch

Executive Branch

State Government

Legislative Branch

To enforce laws

To execute laws

To make laws

To review laws

By allowing the legislative branch to make all decisions

By allowing each branch to veto the actions of the others

By giving all power to the executive branch

By eliminating the judicial branch

To create laws

To enforce laws

To execute laws

To review and possibly invalidate actions of the legislative and executive branches

The executive and legislative branches

The federal and state governments

The judicial and executive branches

The state and local governments

Powers explicitly granted to the federal government

Powers shared with the federal government

Powers forbidden to the states

Powers not granted to the federal government nor forbidden to the states

Alexander Hamilton

Thomas Jefferson

John Adams

James Madison