STRONG BUT NOT TOO STRONG The American Government System.

STRONG BUT NOT TOO STRONG BUT NOT TOO STRONGSTRONG

The American Government System

Whom do you trust?

[Think, don’t say!] Which classmate would you trust to manage all the

money for a May trip to Washington, D.C., that you have been fundraising

for all year?

Why would you trust him or her?

Think of someone you would NOT trust with those funds ...

What rules would you create to make sure the person in charge

didn't do something wrong?

Do you agree?

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Great men are almost always bad men.”

― Lord Acton, 1887

corrupt – to destroy the honesty and integrity of a person

“If men were angels, no government would be

necessary. 

If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal

controls on government would be necessary.”

- James Madison

We are not all angels

Think about it …

Do you know anyone (think of friends, family, and community) who is truly, truly good ... who always focuses on

others? 

Is everyone that way?  Why?

Are all mayors, governors, presidents, and Senators “angels”?  Why?

Key Ideas

If you don't put controls on government officials, they often do things that are not in the people's interests.

Our government is built strong, so it can get a lot done, but we have a lot of controls so it cannot do TOO much.

Few examples of democracy

When James Madison came to the Constitutional Convention, he had read

many books about governments throughout the world, throughout the

centuries.

In most countries in the 1700s, some form of monarch or dictator ruled.

Democracy was rare ... most experiments in democracy didn’t last.

Why do you think this was true?

King Edward presiding over the British Parliament in the late 13th century.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Medieval_parliament_edward.Jpg

Americans were tired of dictators …

Colonists had always had a king, but as British citizens they had guaranteed

rights.

In their minds, King George III had become a dictator who was taking away

the rights of his citizens.

To many colonists, the British legislature was no better. They passed all kinds of laws against the colonists. The colonists had no representatives in

the Parliament.

Not another King George!

At the Constitutional Convention, most of the men in the room feared the idea of an American version of King George III who would ignore and abuse the citizens.

Watch out!

Once your president becomes a dictator, it is hard to make him

behave.

He's put himself ABOVE your laws. 

Dictators cancel elections, suspend the legislature, take away citizens’ rights, shut down newspapers, and imprison people who criticize them.

So first we created a really weak government.

During the American Revolution, the new United States created a

government plan called the Articles of Confederation.

The government created by the Articles was SO limited, Congress

couldn't get much done. 

There was not even really a President.

We needed a stronger government!

This government got the new United States through the war, but our nation was quickly falling apart.

No President!

No courts!

Every state made its own money States had their o

wn

armies and naviesCongress was broke!

States could make treaties

Strong but not TOO strong

The challenge was to make a government STRONG ENOUGH to keep the 13 new states together but NOT SO STRONG that it would take power away from the people and the states. 

A more powerful government

Articles of Confederation

Constitution

Congress asked states to pay taxes, couldn’t

enforce

Congress requires individuals to pay taxes

No federal courts Federal courts

President of the Congress

President with own powers

State armies and navies U.S. Armed Forces

69% of states had to vote to approve laws

50% + 1 of both houses must vote to approve

laws; President can veto

Principles of the Constitution

The "principles" (ideas) of the

Constitution help limit the power of a strong national

government.

1. Limited government

2. Popular sovereignty

3. Individual rights

4. Republicanism

5. Federalism

6. Separation of powers

7. Checks and balances

1. Limited government

The government is controlled by laws. If our leaders violate the Constitution, we can get rid of them or their laws.

“a government of laws and not of men”

– John Adams

“the people rule”

2. Popular Sovereignty

According to the Declaration of Independence …

— All men … are endowed … with certain unalienable Rights – Life, Liberty and the

pursuit of Happiness.

— To secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

— Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute

new Government …

3. Individual Rights

The government cannot take away certain “unalienable” rights from the citizens.

Our individual rights are explained in the first ten amendments to the Constitution –

the Bill of Rights.

Some lawmakers would not approve the Constitution until the Bill of Rights was

added.

No cruel or unusual

punishment

Freedom of speech

Right to face your accuser

Right to an attorney

Right to a speedy public trial

Freedom of religion

No unreasonable search and seizure

Freedom of the press

Freedom to assemble peaceably

4. Republicanism

“Reps of the public”

The citizens do not make laws and public decisions directly. Instead, we vote for representatives who make decisions.

We vote for Mayor, City Council, School Board, Governor, state legislators, some

judges, President, Senator.

If a representative does not do a good job of representing our interests, we can

vote for someone else next time.

5. Federalism

If the national (federal) government made all the decisions, they might

have too much power.

The Constitution says that the federal (national) government

should only do the things the state and local governments cannot do.

F E DE R AL I S

M

federal

state

local

6. Separation of powers

If the president had all the power, s/he might abuse it, so the Constitution split

up the government's power into 3 branches:

A LEGISLATIVE branch to make the laws

An EXECUTIVE branch to enforce the laws

A JUDICIAL branch to interpret the laws

SE PA RATI ON OFPO WE RS

Leg

Ex

Jud

7. Checks and balances

Each branch of government has the power to keep the other two branches from violating the law or becoming too powerful.

Examples: The Supreme Court can rule that a law is unconstitutional.

The President can veto a law.

Congress must approve Presidential appointments, like the Attorney General or a Supreme Court justice.

veto laws

impeach

rule laws unconstitutional

approve appointments

appoint judges

rule actions illegal

An Example

The President must ask Congress to “authorize” war.

Congress must approve funding for the war.

As Commander in Chief, the President is responsible for running the war (through the Armed Forces). S/he is advised by the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Supreme Court can rule that the President’s actions during war violate the law.