Republic: power of government lies with the people through elected officials. Framers saw people as...
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Transcript of Republic: power of government lies with the people through elected officials. Framers saw people as...
Part 1: Ideas Behind the Constitution
Republic: power of government lies with the people through elected officials.
Framers saw people as independent thinkers and PUBLIC SERVANTS
The people of Rome served out of devotion to the Republic
Why did the framers of the Constitution greatly admire the Roman Republic and , especially its citizens?
Republic faltered when citizens began to value luxury and comfort over FREEDOM and public service
Framers of the Constitution wanted to avoid this same fate
In order to avoid this they believed that the citizens of the US should be informed, educated, and independent
Rome as a warning?
"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship." "The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence: From Bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to complacency; From complacency to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage."
Natural RightsEveryone is under the lawTaxes cannot be raised without the consent of
the peopleFrequent ElectionsTrial by jury and Habeas CorpusPrivate Property
What principles found in the Magna Carta and the English Bill of Rights can be found in the Constitution?
Locke:*natural rights*agreement between government and
governed*violate rights = rebel
Montesquieu*Separation of Powers*Powers should be clearly defined and
divided
Locke and Montesquieu?
Part 2: Structure of the Constitution
Preamble: states the goals of the ConstitutionArticles: main body of the Constitution; sets
up framework and defines powers of the government
Amendments: formal changes
3 Parts?
Indicates that the power/authority of the government comes from its people.
Significant because if the authority comes from the people it can be taken away by the people
Indicates a government by the people and for the people
“We the people…”
Goal of the Preamble Purpose of Government
To form a more perfect Union
All states work together as a unified nation
To establish Justice
Everyone should be treated equally and fairly under the law.
To ensure Domestic Tranquility
The government has the responsibility to ensure peace and order at home.
To provide for the common defense
The government has the responsibility to protect its citizens against foreign attack.
To promote the general welfare
The government has the responsibility to promote the well-being of all its citizens
To secure the blessings of liberty
The government should value and protect the rights of its citizens
6 Major Goals of the Constitution
1. Legislative Branch2. Executive Branch3. Judicial Branch4. Relations between the states: states must
honor each other’s laws; procedure for new states
5. Amendment Process6. Constitution is the “supreme law of the
land”; states cannot make laws that violate the Constitution; Federal laws prevail
7. Procedure for ratification of Constitution
7 Articles (the body of the Constitution)
Formal ChangesFramers believed they needed to leave room
for the likelihood that the Constitution would need to be changed
Process is not easyOnly 27 amendments (Really only 25 changes)First 10 added in 1791 (Bill of Rights)Only 17 more 223 yearsAverage of about 1 every 13 yearsLast amendment was added 22 years ago.
Amendments?
Part 3: Principles of the Constitution
Popular Sovereignty ”we the people…”Asserts the people as the primary source of government’s authorityGovernment by the people
Limited Government Government has only the powers given to it by the ConstitutionResponse to what they saw as abuse of power by Britain
Separation of Powers Divides powers of government between 3 branches: legislative, executive, judicialSee chart on pg. 256
Checks and Balances Each branch has the ability to limit the actions of the other 2See chart on pgs. 257
Federalism Power of government is divided between the Federal government and the state governments Powers that are not clearly given to the Federal government are automatically given to the states
Republicanism Instead of direct participation the people participate by voting for representatives
Individual Rights Rights such as freedom of speech, religion, assembly… Bill of Rights
7 Principles of the Constitution