USC - Constitutional Principles of Government Lesson

 

Constitutional Principles of Government

The Framers included key principles into the Constitution. They believed that if the government remained genuine to these six principles, then the goals and objectives of the Constitution could indeed be accomplished.

• Checks and Balances - In order to prevent the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government from becoming too powerful, the Framers of the Constitution established a system of checks and balances. The checks and balances system regulates the power of one branch over another.      
• Popular Sovereignty - The people are in control of the establishment of government and are in control of the power.
• Separation of Power - In order to prevent one area of the government from becoming too powerful, the government is divided into the legislative, judicial, and executive branches.
• Limited Government - Individual rights are protected by the government.
• Republicanism - Emphasizes the participation of citizens for the common good of the community. 
• Federalism - Power is divided between the national and state governments.

 

Another topic that is closely related to the Constitutional Principles is Judicial Review.

The judicial branch of government has the power to strike down laws deemed unconstitutional.