Principles of Government Standard SSCG 3 The student
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Principles of Government Standard: SSCG 3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the United States Constitution. a. Explain the main ideas in debate over ratification; include those in The Federalist. b. Analyze the purpose of government stated in the Preamble of the United States Constitution. c. Explain the fundamental principles upon which the United States Constitution is based; include the rule of law, popular sovereignty, separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism. Essential Question: What principles is our government founded on? Learning Target: I can explain the fundamental principles upon which the United States Constitution is based; include the rule of law, popular sovereignty, separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism.
Reviewing the Concepts Separation of Powers - division of basic government roles into branches so no one branch of government gets all the power
Separation of Powers Practice – Who has the power? Federal, State, or Both? Prints money Can declare laws unconstitutional Enforces the laws Selected by the Electoral College Decides what a law means Selected by popular vote Declares war Appoints Supreme Court Justices, federal judges, ambassadors and cabinet members Includes the president, vice president, and the cabinet Approves presidential appointments Divided into the House and Senate Makes a State of the Union address each year Punishes pirates! Collect taxes Makes treaties with other countries
Reviewing the Concepts Checks & Balances each branch of government can exercise controls over other branches
James Madison & Federalist #51 • The Federalist Papers – series of anonymous essays written to advocate the ratification of the new constitution. • Madison wrote Federalist #51 in 1788. • It was addressed to the people of the State of New York where a lively debate was underway over the ratification of the Constitution. • It was subtitled as follows: “The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments. ”
James Madison & Federalist #51 • Madison wrote Federalist 51 to explain how separation of powers with checks and balances protects liberty. • Madison borrowed the concept of separation of powers from Montesquieu, a French political philosopher. • Government has three types of powers – lawmaking, law enforcing, and law interpreting • If any person or group held all three powers, the rights of the people could be threatened
James Madison & Federalist #51 • The best protection against any one branch growing too powerful is to empower the members of each branch to oppose the encroachments of the other branches. • The constitutional powers of the branches of government overlap. The members of each branch have an incentive to reign in another branch if they believe the other branch is overstepping its authority.
James Madison & Federalist #51 Let’s read an excerpt from Federalist #51. Read once through – underline any text that sounds to you like Separation of Powers; circle any text that sounds like Checks & Balances. Answer each of these questions in a thoughtful response using RACES: 1. What does Madison’s statement “If men were angels, no government would be necessary” mean? How does that relate to separation of powers and checks & balances? 2. How do these principles – separation of powers and checks & balances – protect liberty?
