7 Principles

the governments right to rule comes from the people

• Popular Sovereignty
• Federalism

The government has only the powers that the Constitution gives to it

• Federalism
• Limited Government

o Congress-legislative branch makes laws
o President-executive branch carries out the laws
o Courts-judicial branch explains and interprets the laws

• Checks and Balances
• Separation of Powers

Checks and Balances

• each branch of government has the power to check or limit the actions of the other two
• -division of power between the federal government and the states

Republicanism

• the government has only the powers that the Constitution gives to it
• citizens elect representatives to carry out their will

Division of power between the federal government and the states

• Federalism
• Limited Government

The Constitution protects individual rights such as freedom of speech, freedom religion etc.

• Individual Rights
• Republicanism

What year is the U.S. Constitution?

• 1777
• 1787

Who is the "Father of the Constitution?"

• George Washington
• James Madison

Where did they write the U.S. Constitution?

• In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787
• In Boston, Massachusetts at the Boston Convention