1. Chapter 8
Government, Citizenship, and
Constitution (1787-Present)
SECTION 1:
GOALS AND PRINCIPLES OF
THE CONSTITUTION

2. The Constitution Has 3 Main Parts
The Preamble
The Articles
The Amendments

3. The Preamble

4. Preamble
 The Preamble is an introduction.
 The Preamble sets 6 goals
 1. To form a more perfect union
 2. Establish Justice
 3. Insure Domestic Tranquility
 4. Provide for the Common Defense
 5. Promote the General Welfare
 6. Secure the Blessings of Liberty

5. Form a more perfect union
The States need to work together as a unified nation.

6. Establish Justice
To create laws and a system to solve disputes

7. What does domestic mean?
Happening in the home

8. Insure domestic tranquility
To make sure we have peace in our homes

9. Provide for the common defense
To be able to raise armies for our defense

10. Promote the general welfare
To make sure we are happy and healthy

11. Sure the blessings of liberty
To make sure we are a free country

12. Preamble Goals
Preamble Goal What does it mean ?
Form a more perfect union The States need to work together as a unified
nation.
Establish Justice To create laws and a system to solve disputes
Insure Domestic Tranquility To make sure we have peace in our homes
Provide for the Common Defense To be able to raise armies for our defense
Promote the General Welfare To make sure we are happy and healthy
Secure the Blessings of Liberty To make sure we are a free country

13. The Articles
 There are 7 Articles in the Constitution
 The first 3 set up the legislative, executive, and
judicial branches of government.
 The 4th deals with state relations
 The 5th allows us to amend or change the
Constitution
 The 6th sets the Constitution as the Supreme
Law and more important than state laws.
 The 7th allows us to ratify or accept the
Constitution

14. Amendments
 The First 1o are called the Bill of
Rights (1791)
 After that there have been 17 more
Amendments to the Constitution

15. Seven Basic Principles
 Popular Sovereignty
 Limited Government
 Separation of Powers
 Checks and Balances
 Federalism
 Republicanism
 Individual Rights

16. Popular Sovereignty
 Ideas started to change from a king ruling to
the people ruling, “We the people…”
People have the right
to alter/abolish their government
 The people hold ultimate authority

17. Limited Government
 Wanted to avoid tyranny of a king in new government
 The government only has the powers the Constitution gives
it
 EVERYONE must obey the law

18. Separation of Powers
 Constitution divides government into 3
branches
 What are they?

19. Checks and Balances
 Why is it important to have a government system
where there are checks and balances?
 Safeguard against abuse of power
 Each branch has power to check/limit the actions of
the other 2

20. Federalism
 Division of power between federal
government and states
 Powers not given to federal government
belong to states

21. Republicanism
 Citizens elect representatives to carry
out their will
 Once in office can vote how they
wish, but need to keep the peoples views
in mind

22. Individual Rights
 Constitution protects individual
rights
Freedom of speech
Freedom of religion
Right to trial by jury