CHAPTER 4

PREAMBLE

• "We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish the Constitution for the United States of America."
• -The United States Constitution

GOALS OF THE CONSTITUTION

• The Preamble states the six goals for the United States government.
• The Constitution is based on seven principles.
• The Framers wrote the Constitution in a way so that it could be amended or edited and added to.

THE MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSTITUTION

• Popular sovereignty: people are the source of the government's power
• Republicanism: people elect their representatives and they aren't ruled by monarchy
• Limited government: Constitution states the certain powers of the government
• Federalism: power is divided between the national & state governments
• Separation of Powers: each of the 3 branches of government has its own responsibility
• Checks and Balances: the branches balance out each other's powers
• Individual Rights: citizens' basic rights are guaranteed and protected in the Bill of Rights

A LIVING CONSTITUTION

• Amendments were intentionally made difficult to ratify to prevent the constant change of the Constitution.
• The Congress has the power to adapt to the changing conditions of the nation through: elastic clause (it has certain powers that aren't stated directly in the Constitution), commerce clause (it has the power to make laws that control trade and international communication).
• 4 things that make a case for a Living Constitution: the ability to amend the Constitution, the ability to interpret the Constitution, the powers of the president, and the role of the judicial branch (the judicial branch can determine whether a law has been broken or not)

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

• The legislative branch is in charge of making the nations laws.
• The executive branch carries out the laws made by the legislative branch.
• The judicial branch is made up of the Supreme Court and many other smaller courts.
• The Framers created the branches in a way that they couldn't function without one another.

THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

• Makes the nation's laws
• Consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate
• Is the ONLY branch that has the power to declare war and collect taxes
• Can : override a veto from the president with a 2/3 vote, impeach (remove) the president from office and judges from their position, reject appointments of both judges and presidents, and refuse to approve treaties.
• It has the most power out of the 3 branches because it's power comes DIRECTLY from the people

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THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH

• Carries out laws made by legislative branch
• Consists of the President, Vice President, departments and agencies (the Cabinet)
• President's different roles: Chief Executive/ Legislative Leader (carries out laws), Chief Diplomat (addresses foreign affairs and treaties), Commander in Chief* (head of the military) *the Commander in Chief can also use this power to "discipline" the nation, Chief of State (symbolic representative of all Americans)

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THE JUDICIAL BRANCH

• Interprets the Constitution and because of this power it is able to declare whether or not certain actions of the other 2 branches are constitutional or not.
• Consists of: lower courts (district courts that handle criminal, civil, kidnapping, and tax evasion cases and appeal courts that handles disagreements between district courts and can order retrials) and the Supreme Court (top of the U.S. Legal System)

CHIEF JUSTICE AND JUDICIAL REVIEW

• Chief Justice: leader of the Supreme Court, duties of the Chief Justice depend on the circumstances of the nation itself
• Main duty of normal justices is to hear and rule on cases (in other words) to listen to and determine a verdict [a decision or judgement placed upon a person according to the Law].

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CITIZENS' RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Americans are entitled to certain rights that are stated and protected in the Constitution.
• Citizens must also participate in certain duties to help the government in its work for the country.

CITIZENS' RIGHTS

• Due Process of Law: according to the 5th amendment, all people must treated according to the principles and procedures of the Constitution.
• All American citizens have the basic right to be treated fairly under the law despite race or political and religious belief.
• Basic Freedoms: freedom of speech, religion, press (newspapers and etc.), assembly, and THE RIGHT TO PETITION.

CITIZENSHIP

• Citizen: a person who is loyal to and entitled to protection from their birth nation
• Naturalization: the process through which a person born in a different country can be become a citizen of a nation

CITIZENS' DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Duties: things that citizens are required to do by law (serving in the military, jury duty, paying taxes, following the law)
• Responsibilities: things that citizens should do in order to keep the government stable, but aren't required to do by law (respecting all other races, being honest, supporting family, and volunteering)

THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION