principles of democracy. “supreme law of the land” in the united states, the us constitution is...
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Principles of DemocracyPrinciples of Democracy
““Supreme Law of the Land”Supreme Law of the Land”
In the United States, the US In the United States, the US Constitution is the Supreme Law. No Constitution is the Supreme Law. No law and no person can override the law and no person can override the Constitution.Constitution.
The Principles of DemocracyThe Principles of Democracy
Are the basic rules that the people of Are the basic rules that the people of the United States live by. We made the United States live by. We made our US Constitution and all of our our US Constitution and all of our laws follow these principles.laws follow these principles.
Are 7 basic principles or rules for all Are 7 basic principles or rules for all of us to follow in order to peacefully of us to follow in order to peacefully live together as one nation.live together as one nation.
Principles of DemocracyPrinciples of Democracy
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTYPOPULAR SOVEREIGNTY Limited GovernmentLimited Government FEDERALISMFEDERALISM RepublicanismRepublicanism SEPARATION OF POWERSSEPARATION OF POWERS Checks and BalancesChecks and Balances INDIVIDUAL RIGHTSINDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
Click on the Click on the PrinciplesPrinciples below below to continue to continue
Popular Sovereignty Limited Government
Federalism Separation of Powers
Individual RightsChecks and Balances
Republicanism
Finished ALL of the above? Then click here for review
Popular SovereigntyPopular Sovereignty
Political power rests with the people Political power rests with the people who can create, alter and abolish who can create, alter and abolish their government.their government.
In our country, this principle is found In our country, this principle is found in the Constitution’s __________in the Constitution’s __________
PreamblePreamble
““We the PeopleWe the People of of the United States, the United States, in order to form a in order to form a more perfect union, more perfect union, …. do ordain and …. do ordain and establish this establish this Constitution for the Constitution for the United States of United States of America.”America.”
We, the People can …We, the People can …
Amend the Constitution to keep up Amend the Constitution to keep up with today’s generationwith today’s generation
Elect our representatives to go to Elect our representatives to go to Congress to express our wishesCongress to express our wishes
Petition the government to do Petition the government to do something we wantsomething we want
And lots more!!And lots more!!
Remember –Remember –
Popular Sovereignty Popular Sovereignty means We, the People means We, the People control our control our government!government!
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Limited GovernmentLimited Government
Does this mean we Does this mean we can tell our can tell our government what government what to do or what not to do or what not to do?to do?
YES!!!YES!!!
In the Constitution, the people In the Constitution, the people established the government to serve established the government to serve us. We were tired of the abusive King us. We were tired of the abusive King and fought for independence. We did and fought for independence. We did not want to be abused by another not want to be abused by another king or government so we made king or government so we made rules for government.rules for government.
Powers grantedPowers granted
Government can only do certain things Government can only do certain things likelike Pass new laws or taxes if a majority of our Pass new laws or taxes if a majority of our
representatives in Congress agreesrepresentatives in Congress agrees Coin moneyCoin money Make treaties with foreign nationsMake treaties with foreign nations Raise an army and navyRaise an army and navy Regulate trade between the states Regulate trade between the states
[interstate commerce][interstate commerce]
Powers deniedPowers denied
Government can NOT do certain Government can NOT do certain thingsthings We have no titles of nobility in the United We have no titles of nobility in the United
StatesStates Congress cannot pass a law today that Congress cannot pass a law today that
says what we did yesterday was wrong says what we did yesterday was wrong (ex post facto)(ex post facto)
Only the national government can Only the national government can declare wardeclare war
Limited GovernmentLimited Government
Congress and the state governments Congress and the state governments are restricted by what the are restricted by what the Constitution says.Constitution says.
-- Think of the Constitution as the -- Think of the Constitution as the government’s parents!government’s parents!
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FederalismFederalism
o Is the distribution of power between Is the distribution of power between the national government, the states’ the national government, the states’ governments and local governments.governments and local governments.
Refers to the different Refers to the different levelslevels within within our government. our government.
FederalismFederalism
Compare to a Compare to a building with 3 building with 3 floors …floors …
NationalNational
StateState
LocalLocal
Each level of government has its own Each level of government has its own responsibilities.responsibilities.
Sometimes, these responsibilities are Sometimes, these responsibilities are shared or overlap [known as shared or overlap [known as concurrent powers] . For example, concurrent powers] . For example, taxes: national = income tax, state taxes: national = income tax, state = sales tax, local = property tax= sales tax, local = property tax
Sometimes, these responsibilities Sometimes, these responsibilities belong to just one level. For example,belong to just one level. For example,
National = can declare war,National = can declare war,
States = can determine driver’s States = can determine driver’s license requirements or license requirements or high school diploma requirementshigh school diploma requirements
FederalismFederalism you are a citizen of the United you are a citizen of the United
States (National)States (National) you are a resident of the state of you are a resident of the state of
Texas (State)Texas (State) You are a resident of Travis You are a resident of Travis
County (Local)County (Local)
… … 3 governments working under 3 governments working under one Constitutionone Constitution
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RepublicanismRepublicanism
A form of government where the A form of government where the people vote for representatives to people vote for representatives to make laws and run the government make laws and run the government on their behalf [to take care of the on their behalf [to take care of the people]people]
Republicanism’s tie to Republicanism’s tie to Popular Sovereignty?Popular Sovereignty?
The People control the government by The People control the government by voting for elected representatives voting for elected representatives
the representatives meet with other the representatives meet with other representatives to make laws for the representatives to make laws for the public good public good
if the representatives abuse if the representatives abuse the people, the people take back their the people, the people take back their “consent” and vote them out of office “consent” and vote them out of office
then the people vote for elected then the people vote for elected representatives ….representatives ….
Remember: in a Remember: in a Republic, the Republic, the representatives work representatives work for the people!for the people!
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Separation of PowersSeparation of Powers
Each branch of government is given Each branch of government is given an equal, but different, set of powersan equal, but different, set of powers
The US Constitution is divided into The US Constitution is divided into different Articles (like chapters in different Articles (like chapters in your book)your book)
Each of the first 3 articles Each of the first 3 articles deals with a different branch of deals with a different branch of government –government –
Article I Article I Legislature (Congress) Legislature (Congress) Article II Article II Executive (President) Executive (President) Article III Article III Judiciary (Supreme Court Judiciary (Supreme Court
and other courts)and other courts)
ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities
Each branch has a different Each branch has a different responsibility in our government ---responsibility in our government ---o Legislative branch -- makes our lawsLegislative branch -- makes our lawso Executive branch – enforces our lawsExecutive branch – enforces our lawso Judicial branch – interprets our laws Judicial branch – interprets our laws
This diagram illustrates the This diagram illustrates the separation of powersseparation of powers
US Constitution
Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch
Congress President Supreme Court
Makes Laws Enforces Laws Interprets Laws
o Separation of PowersSeparation of Powerso Think: each branch of government not only Think: each branch of government not only
has different powers but also different has different powers but also different buildings!buildings!o Capitol = LegislativeCapitol = Legislativeo White House = ExecutiveWhite House = Executiveo Supreme Court building = JudiciarySupreme Court building = Judiciary
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Checks and BalancesChecks and Balances
The ability of each branch of The ability of each branch of government to oversee the government to oversee the other branches, to prevent other branches, to prevent abuse and to keep everything abuse and to keep everything in “balance” or…in “balance” or…
No branch is number one over No branch is number one over the other two.the other two.
Example: Example: Congress Congress passes a law passes a law the President the President thinks is wrong. thinks is wrong. The President The President checks checks Congress by …Congress by …
Using the VETO Using the VETO [to refuse to sign [to refuse to sign and make into and make into law].law].
Congress thinks Congress thinks the President is the President is wrong. wrong. Congress Congress checks the the President by …President by …
Re-passing the law with a Re-passing the law with a 2/3 vote or override.2/3 vote or override.
The Supreme Court thinks The Supreme Court thinks Congress or the President is Congress or the President is wrong. The Court can …wrong. The Court can …
Declare the law or Declare the law or action unconstitutionalaction unconstitutional
by using by using judicial reviewjudicial review to to compare the law or action to compare the law or action to what the Constitution ‘says’.what the Constitution ‘says’.
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Checks and BalancesChecks and Balances
Keeps our system evenKeeps our system even
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Individual RightsIndividual Rights
EachEach person in the United States person in the United States has rightshas rights
The Declaration of The Declaration of Independence spoke ofIndependence spoke of
these as beingthese as being “ “unalienable” orunalienable” or
not separate from younot separate from you
By limiting government and By limiting government and separating powers the separating powers the
Constitution provides ….Constitution provides ….
For your Rights!For your Rights!
More protection is More protection is provided by….the Bill of provided by….the Bill of
Rights!Rights! The First 10 amendments The First 10 amendments
to the Constitution to the Constitution Prohibits Congress or the Prohibits Congress or the
national government from national government from taking away your basic taking away your basic rights rights
Can you list Can you list some some examples of examples of your rights your rights found in the found in the Bill of Rights?Bill of Rights?
11stst Amendment – Amendment – Freedom of SpeechFreedom of Speech Freedom of the PressFreedom of the Press Freedom of AssemblyFreedom of Assembly Freedom to PetitionFreedom to Petition Free Exercise of ReligionFree Exercise of Religion No Government Established No Government Established
ReligionReligion
44thth Amendment – no Amendment – no unreasonable search without unreasonable search without a warranta warrant
55thth Amendment – right to not Amendment – right to not incriminate yourselfincriminate yourself
66thth Amendment – right to Amendment – right to attorney attorney
These aren’t the only These aren’t the only rights you have…rights you have…
In case they forgot to list In case they forgot to list some rights, the 9some rights, the 9thth Amendment covers all Amendment covers all other rights not listed in other rights not listed in Amendments 1-8. Amendments 1-8. Example: right to privacyExample: right to privacy
Are your rights Are your rights absolute? absolute?
Can you exercise Can you exercise your rights at any your rights at any time?time?
Sorry, the answer is no.Sorry, the answer is no.
Your rights are Your rights are limited by the limited by the rights of the rights of the person standing person standing next to you. next to you.
Are your rights absolute?Are your rights absolute?
Think of your Think of your rights as a rights as a bubble that bubble that walks around walks around with you. When with you. When you go down the you go down the hall, your rights hall, your rights bump into bump into someone else’s someone else’s rights!rights!
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Let’s review –Let’s review – Principles of Democracy Principles of Democracy
are…are…the rules our society used to the rules our society used to form our governmentform our government
the rules we still use today the rules we still use today to guide usto guide us
Principles of Principles of Democracy include …Democracy include …
Popular SovereigntyPopular Sovereignty Limited GovernmentLimited Government Individual rightsIndividual rights FederalismFederalism Separation of PowersSeparation of Powers Checks and BalancesChecks and Balances RepublicanismRepublicanism
Quiz:Quiz:
1.1. Name the Principles of DemocracyName the Principles of Democracy
2.2. What are the first 10 amendments What are the first 10 amendments to the Constitution?to the Constitution?
3.3. What is federalism?What is federalism?
4.4. What are the branches of What are the branches of government and what do they do?government and what do they do?
5.5. Name 2 powers granted to the Name 2 powers granted to the government by the Constitution.government by the Constitution.