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The Six Basic Principles of the Constitution
The Constituion of the United States is built on six basic princaples of the government. The Framers of the Constitution drew on their knowledge and experience to craft a document that serves as "the supreme law of the land." The descriptions at the beggining of each unit will help you see how these six princaples and the Constituion itself-have proved an enduring yet flexible guide for governing the nation for over 200 years.
1. Popular Sovereignty
The preamble to the Constitution begins with this bold phrase: "We the People..." These words announce that in the United states, the people establish the government and give it power. The people are sovereign. Since the government recieves it's power from the people, it can govern only with their consent.
2. Limited Government
Because the people are the source of government power, the government has only as much authority as the people give it. Much of the Constitution, in fact, consists of specific limitations on government power. Limited government means that neither the government itself nor any government official is "above the law' and can overstep these bounds.
3. Seperation of Powers
Government power is not only limited; it is also divided. The Constitution assigns specific powers to each of the three branches: the legislative (Congress), the executive (President), and the judical (fedral courts). This seperation of powers is intended to prevent misuse of power by one branch of government.
4. Checks and Balances
The system of checks and balances extends the restrictions established by the seperation of powers. Each branch of government has the built-in authority and responsibility to restrain the power of the other two branches. This system makes government less efficient but also prevents tyranny by one branch of government.
5. Judical Review
Who decides whether an act of governement oversteps the limits placed on it by the Constitution? Historically, the judges in the federal courts have made the descisions. The principle of judical review was established early in the history of the nation. It means that the federal courst have the power to review government acts and to nullify, or cancel, any that are unconstitutional, or violate a provision of the Constitution.
6. Federalism
