Unit 4: Congress 1

Question 1

Popular Sovereignty

Answer 1

• All political power resides with the people. The people are the source of government power. Government exists because the people choose to give up some of their freedom in order for the government to create order
• “We the People

Question 2

Limited Government

What are the 2 key aspects

Answer 2

• Government may only do the things that people give it the power to do
• The people are the source of government power, and government only has the power that the people give it
• Government has to obey the law aka Constitution
• Constitutionalism & Rule of Law

Question 3

Constitutionalism

What are the 2 key aspectsof Limited Government

Answer 3

• Government must be conducted according to constitutional principles
• The Government ITSELF has the follow the law

Question 4

Rule of Law

What are the 2 key aspectsof Limited Government

Answer 4

• Government and its officers are always subject to (never above) the law
• One step further then Constitutionalism, ALWAYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS must follow the law just like you and I

Question 5

Separation of Powers

Answer 5

• Government is distributed among three independent branches of government
• Framers wanted a stronger national government, but also feared what the government would do with power. So they divided the power among the branches, limited the power of each
• Each branch has a distinct job that no other branch can do

PURPOSE: Dividing the power of government limits the amount of power that the each of them has

Question 6

Checks and Balances

Answer 6

• Each branch is subject to a number of constitutional checks -restraints- by the other branches
• Divided Government When one part of government is run by Democrats and the other is run by Republicans

Ex. Being able to veto a law, Impeachment is a check and balance, they can check the executive and sometimes judicial branch with impeachment

Question 7

Judicial Review

Answer 7

• Technically a check and balance, but so important that it gets its own principle
• The power of the courts to determine whether what government does is in accord with what the Constitution allows The power of the court to determine the constitutionality of a government action and overturn actions that are unconstitutional
• Implied in the constitution, established by Marbury v. Madison in 1803

Question 8

Federalism

Answer 8

• The division of power among a central government and several regional (State) government
• Power of the national government is for big problems, and the speciality of the local government for smaller problems (like potholes)
• A compromise between Federalists and Anti-Federalists. States would retain some of their powers - like running schools and licensing drivers - and the federal government would have its own separate powers - like regulating trade and waging war