United States Constitution PDF

The United States Constitution presents the American solution to the challenge of government. This solution is based on seven key principles. Popular sovereignty is the principle that the leaders of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, who are the sourc...

The United States Constitution presents the American solution to the challenge of government. This solution is based on seven key principles. Popular sovereignty is the principle that the leaders of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, who are the source of all political legitimacy. The preamble makes clear that it is the people of the United States who hold the power and who establish a system of government for their own well being. A republican form of government is a type of government in which the citizens of a country have an active role in the affairs of the government, and the government is not headed by a hereditary ruler such as a king. People rule through elected representatives. Those representatives make laws and conduct government on behalf of the people. The Framers were wary of a government that might take away people's rights or favor certain groups. At the same time, they realized that the nation needed a stronger government that the Articles of Confederation Had provided. Their goal was to establish limited government, in which the powers of government are strictly defined. A limited government has only those powers that are given to it by the people. Federalism, The United States has a federal government where the many state gove governments and the single federal government share power. This system is known as federalism. ​ The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; Coin money regulate interstate and foreign trade, maintain armed forces, and create federal courts. States cannot exercise these powers. ​ The Constitution reserves all other powers to the states. These are known as “reserved powers.” The reserved powers clause is not found in the body of the Constitution itself, but is part of the Tenth Amendment. To explore this concept, consider the following reserved powers definition. ​ Concurrent Powers: raise taxes, borrow money, provide for public welfare, and carry out criminal justice. ​ Separation of powers, division of the legislative, executive, and judicial functions of government among separate and independent bodies. Such a separation, it has been argued, limits the possibility of arbitrary excesses by government, since the sanction of all three branches is required for the making, executing, and administering of laws. Separation of powers is the idea that a just and fair government must divide power between various branches. Each branch of government can check, or limit the power of the other branches. Individual rights are the rights needed by each person to pursue their lives and goals without interference from others or the government. These rights include: ​ The right to life ​ The right to liberty  ​ The right to the pursuit of happiness ​ The right to property ​ The right to freedom of action Amending the Constitution: The first step is a formal proposal of an amendment. Congress can do this by a two-thirds vote– two thirds of the state legislatures can call a convection to propose an amendment, this method hasn’t been used. The second step in the amendment process is ratification. Ratification of an amendment requires approval by three-fourths of the states. States can ratify the amendment at either a state convention or through a vote by the state legislature.