Showing posts with label Constitutional Principles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Constitutional Principles. Show all posts

Friday, September 27, 2019

Constitutional Principles


Register for the AP Exam: Must be registered and paid for all AP exams by October 1st!


Homework due Monday: Read and answer the questions from this Annotated Brutus I 

Homework due Tuesday: Read and answer the questions from Federalist 51

CONSTITUTION TEST next Thursday: Constitution Test Review Sheet (must pass to graduate!)

Unit 1 Identification Terms--you should be done with the first section and working on the second section (Constitution)


Review of Checks & Balances Worksheet
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Learning Objectives:
PMI-1.A: Explain the constitutional principles of separation of powers and checks and balances.
PMI-1.B: Explain the implications of separation of powers and checks and balances for the U.S. political system.
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One reason the Constitution has endured for so long and our country has been so successful is the effectiveness of the constitutional principles. These ideas, embodied in the Constitution, are designed to limit power and protect the rights of the people from tyrannical government.

Here are the key constitutional principles:





















In-class check for understanding (GoogleDoc of these examples):
Constitutional Principles


Evaluate and explain what Constitutional Principle (Limited Government, Separation of Powers, Checks & Balances, Popular Sovereignty, Federalism) is illustrated in each of the following examples.


_________________1. Congress passes the Affordable Care Act.


_________________ 2. The Supreme Court upholds the challenge to the Affordable Care Act and rules it constitutional.


_________________ 3. The Department of Health and Human Services begins implementing the national part of the Affordable Care Act.


_________________ 4. States set up their own health care exchange programs for people to buy low cost insurance as part of the Affordable Care Act.


_________________ 5. Two of Missouri’s representative lose their re-election bid after supporting the Affordable Care Act.


_________________ 6. Congress votes to defund (not provide money in the budget) to the Department of Health and Human Services for the Affordable Care Act.


_________________ 7. The national government cannot restrict your religious beliefs.


_________________ 8. Congress proposes an amendment to repeal the 22nd Amendment and it is ratified by the states.


_________________ 9. The President orders a military strike against Syria.


_________________ 10. Congress moves to impeach President Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice.

__________________11. The police are not allowed in your home without a warrant.

__________________ 12. The citizens of Missouri vote against the Right to Work proposal.

__________________ 13. Only the national government can coin money.

__________________ 14. The president nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.



Videos for Review:













Thursday, September 26, 2019

Checks & Balances


ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Register for the AP Exam: Must be registered and paid for all AP exams by October 1st!


Homework due Friday: Complete the Checks & Balances worksheet (make a copy).

Homework due Monday: Read and answer the questions from this Annotated Brutus I 


CONSTITUTION TEST next Thursday: Constitution Test Review Sheet (must pass to graduate!)

Unit 1 Identification Terms--you should be done with the first section and working on the second section (Constitution)
_____________________________________________________
Learning Objective:
PMI-1.A: Explain the constitutional principles of separation of powers and checks and balances.
PMI-1.B: Explain the implications of separation of powers and checks and balances for the U.S. political system.
PMI-1.A.1: The powers allocated to Congress, the president, and the courts demonstrate the separation of powers
and checks and balances features of the U.S. Constitution.



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Checks & Balances

“The Constitutional Convention of 1787 is supposed to have created a government of ‘separated powers.’ It did nothing of the sort. Rather, it created a government of separated institutions sharing powers.” -Richard Neudstadt

In addition to separation of powers, the Framers crafted a government of limited powers by creating a system of checks and balances to ensure that each branch had some control over the others and that no one branch could ever have complete control.  Here are a few websites that explain checks and balances along with a few examples.

Social Studies Help Center: How does our system of checks and balances help limit power?

US Constitution Online: Constitutional Topic--Checks & Balances

American System of Checks & Balances

Checks and Balances: Internal Constraints on Government Power

The charts and videos below help illustrate how the system works with specific checks.




HOMEWORK: Complete the Checks & Balances worksheet (make a copy).


Videos for Review: