Six Basic PrinciplesSix Basic Principles

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The Constitution did not give the The Constitution did not give the American people many details American people many details

about their government. Instead, about their government. Instead, the Framers wrote it around six the Framers wrote it around six

broad ideas, or principles. broad ideas, or principles.

Popular SovereigntyPopular Sovereignty

Popular sovereignty Popular sovereignty means that all means that all government power government power belongs to the people. belongs to the people. The people give the The people give the government the power it government the power it holds. Through the holds. Through the Constitution, the Constitution, the American people set up American people set up their government and told their government and told it what it could do.it what it could do.

Limited GovernmentLimited Government

Limited government Limited government means that the means that the government has only the government has only the powers that the people powers that the people give it. The government give it. The government must obey the must obey the Constitution. And the Constitution. And the people who work in people who work in government, its officials, government, its officials, must always obey the must always obey the law.law.

Separation of PowersSeparation of Powers

Separation of powers Separation of powers means that three means that three separate parts, or separate parts, or branches, share the branches, share the government's power. government's power. These branches are the These branches are the executive (president), executive (president), the legislative the legislative (congress), and the (congress), and the judicial (courts). Each judicial (courts). Each branch has specific jobs.branch has specific jobs.

Checks And BalancesChecks And Balances The Constitution made sure none of The Constitution made sure none of

the branches could become too the branches could become too powerful. Each branch has ways to powerful. Each branch has ways to limit the power of the other two. This limit the power of the other two. This principle is called checks and principle is called checks and balances. The president can say no, or balances. The president can say no, or veto, one of the congress's laws. Or veto, one of the congress's laws. Or Congress can refuse to approve an Congress can refuse to approve an official the president wants to official the president wants to appoint, such as a justice of the appoint, such as a justice of the Supreme Court. Or the court can Supreme Court. Or the court can strike down an action of the executive strike down an action of the executive branch. At times, the branches have branch. At times, the branches have disagreed. Because of our democratic disagreed. Because of our democratic system and its checks and balances, system and its checks and balances, the branches try to compromise.the branches try to compromise.

Judicial Review Judicial Review

Judicial review is a part of Judicial review is a part of the checks-and -balances the checks-and -balances system. This power lets system. This power lets courts decide what the courts decide what the words in the Constitution words in the Constitution mean. The courts can also mean. The courts can also say if something the say if something the government does is government does is unconstitutional, or against unconstitutional, or against the Constitution.the Constitution.

Federalism Federalism

The Framers used the The Framers used the principle of federalism to principle of federalism to divide the government's divide the government's power between a central power between a central government and smaller government and smaller regional governments. In regional governments. In the United States, this the United States, this division is between the division is between the national government in national government in Washington, D.C., and the Washington, D.C., and the 50 States.50 States.