Civics
Unit 1.1
Name___________________________
Date___________________ Per._____
FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN GOV’T
DECLARING OUR INDEPENDENCE
On _________________, the United States of America declared their independence from __________________ (or Britain).
The Declaration of Independence stated America’s reasons for wanting to break away from England.
_______________________________________ wrote the Declaration of Independence.
GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS
MAJOR TYPES OF GOVERNMENT
___________________ – One person controls
power
In a ________________________ of government
all key powers are given to the national (or central)
government.
___________________ – Small group controls
power
In a ________________________ of government
the power is divided between the national government
and state governments.
___________________ – Rule is by the people
 ________________________ - People govern
themselves by voting individually as citizens.
 ________________________ - The people
elect their representatives.
CHARACTERISTICS OF DEMOCRACY
Four characteristics of a true democratic government:
1) __________________________________________ – all people are guaranteed the same freedoms and rights
at all times
2) __________________________________________ – majority does rule, but the minority has the right to ask
for changes
3) __________________________________________ – everyone’s vote carries the same weight; “one person,
one vote”
4) __________________________________________ – group of individuals with common interests who organize
to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct government, and determine public policy
FIRST ATTEMPT AT DEMOCRACY - THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
The States wanted a confederation, or “___________________________________________________,” among the 13
independent states rather than as strong national government.
In ___________, all 13 states ratified the Articles of Confederation.
Weaknesses of the Articles
1) Congress did not have power to tax
2) Laws needed approval of 9 of the 13 states
3) No executive branch
4) Congress could not regulate trade
5) Amending required the consent of all states
6) No national court system
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Civics
Unit 1.2
Name___________________________
Date_________________ Per._______
THE CONSTITUTION
DECISIONS AND COMPROMISE
Virginia Plan = Create a congress with __________________________________________________ of the state.
New Jersey Plan = Create a congress with ________________________________________________ (regardless
of size, population, or money).
Connecticut (Great) Compromise = Create a _______________________________________________.

Upper house – Senate – representation equal for all states

Lower house – House of Representatives – representation based on population of the state.
_____________________________________ = counted slaves as 3/5 of a person

Good for the South – they had more representation in Congress

Good for the North – South had to pay more money in taxes to the federal government
RATIFYING THE CONSTITUTION
The ______________________________________ favored the Constitution.
The ______________________________________ opposed the new Constitution. There was no Bill of Rights.
The Federalist were a collection of essays in support of the Constitution. Who wrote them?
In __________ George Washington became president (and the Constitution came into effect).
STRUCTURE OF THE CONSTITUTION
The _______________________________ is the “___________________________________ of the land.”
1)
__________________________________ states why the Constitution was written.
2)
The Constitution contains ____________________________________.
Each article covers a general topic.
Article I
– Legislative Branch
Article V
–
The Amendment Process
Article II – Executive Branch
Article VI –
National Supremacy
Article III – Judicial Branch
Article VII –
Ratifying the Constitution
Article IV – Relations Among the States
3)
The Constitution consists of ________________________ or changes. It has been formally amended ____ times.
THE BILL OF RIGHTS
In _________ the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution.
The Bill of Rights ______________________ the powers of the national government.
The Bill of Rights originally applied _____________________________________________________.
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Civics
Unit 1.3
Name___________________________
Date_________________ Per._______
SIX MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT
1. POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY
The power to rule belongs to the people. People of the nation are the sources of
government power. The government can govern only with the consent of the
governed.
In other words - ____________________________________________________
2. LIMITED GOVERNMENT
Government is not all powerful; it can do only those things that the people have given it
the power to do. Government must obey the law. This is referred to as “rule of law” or
“constitutionalism.” The government and government officials are subject to the law,
never “above the law.”
In other words - ____________________________________________________
3. SEPARATION OF POWERS
The Constitution distributes the powers of the central government among the three
branches—legislative, executive, judicial. Each branch has its own responsibilities.
Each branch addresses different tasks of the whole society . . . separation of powers
is meant to increase the efficiency of government.
In other words - ____________________________________________________
4. CHECKS AND BALANCES
Each branch of the government would have some control over the other branches.
The principle of checks and balances would prevent any one branch from ignoring or
overriding the decisions of the other branches.
In other words - ____________________________________________________
5. JUDICIAL REVIEW
This is the power of the Supreme Court to declare an act of Congress to be
unconstitutional. Nowhere in the Constitution is this power stated. However, the
interpretation of the Supremacy Clause by Chief Justice Marshall in the case of
Marbury v. Madison (1803) set a precedent for the Court to act as the guardian of
the Constitution.
In other words - ____________________________________________________
6. FEDERALISM
The Constitution divided the powers of government between the central or national
government and the state or regional governments. Neither kind of government was
given all the powers. They are independent of each other in terms of certain powers;
however, they must cooperate on certain shared or concurrent powers.
In other words - ____________________________________________________
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Civics
Unit 1.4
Name___________________________
Date__________________ Per.______
CHECKS AND BALANCES OF THE THREE BRANCHES
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
LEGISLATIVE OVER EXECUTIVE
-Congress over President-
LEGISLATIVE OVER JUDICIAL
-Congress over Supreme Court-
1.
1.
2.
3.
2.
4.
3.
5.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
EXECUTIVE OVER LEGISLATIVE
-President over Congress-
EXECUTIVE OVER JUDICIAL
-President over Supreme Court-
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
JUDICIAL BRANCH
JUDICIAL OVER LEGISLATIVE
-Supreme Court over Congress-
JUDICIAL OVER EXECUTIVE
-Supreme Court over President-
1.
1.
2.
2.
Listed below are some of the checks and balances of the three branches of government. In the spaces provided write:

E if it is a power possessed by the executive branch,

L if it is power possessed by the legislative branch,

J if it is a power possessed by the judicial branch.
1.
2.
___
___
3.
4.
___
___
5.
6.
7.
___
___
___
Can veto acts of Congress.
Can impeach and remove the President and
Vice-President.
Can declare executive acts unconstitutional.
Can propose amendments to overturn Court
decisions.
Appoints federal judges.
Can override a Presidential veto.
Appointed for life, so as to be free from
executive and legislative control.
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8.
___
9.
10.
___
___
11.
12.
13.
14.
___
___
___
___
Can refuse to confirm Presidential
appointments.
Can suggest laws or policies.
Can declare acts of Congress
unconstitutional.
Can refuse to ratify treaties.
Can pardon federal offenders.
Can impeach and remove federal judges.
Can declare war.
Civics
Unit 1.5
Name___________________________
Date___________________ Per._____
FORMAL AMENDMENTS VS. INFORMAL AMENDMENTS
FORMAL AMENDMENT – change or addition that becomes part of the ___________________________
of the Constitution itself. There are ____ formal amendments.
All formal amendments have been _____________________ and _____________________.
BILL OF RIGHTS (1791) - FIRST TEN AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
The Bill of Rights was created to prevent the national government from becoming too strong.
It originally applied only to the national government.
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, petition
Right to bear arms (own a gun) would not be infringed (violated)
No soldier in time of peace shall be quartered in a private citizen’s home without the homeowner’s consent
People and their personal property cannot be searched without a warrant, issued by a judge
Due process; No double jeopardy; No self-incrimination; Eminent domain
Guarantee of a speedy trial; Guarantee of a public trial; The right to confront witnesses; The right to have legal
counsel (an attorney); Impartial jury of your peers
In a civil suit (lawsuit between two persons or groups), the defendant has the right to a trial by jury if the amount
in question is over twenty dollars
No excessive bail; No cruel and unusual punishment shall be used against a convicted criminal
Powers that are not specifically granted to the national government are to be retained by the people
Powers that are not specifically granted to the national government are to be retained by the states


INFORMAL AMENDMENT – changes that _____________________________ in the _____________
of the Constitution itself, but ____________________________ of the Constitution.
There are four ways to informally amend the Constitution:
1. ______________________________ – Congress has passed laws that have enlarged or clarified
many of the Constitution’s provisions.
2. ______________________________ – Presidents have used their power to “add” to the Constitution.
One example is an executive agreement (an agreement made directly between the president and the head
of state of another country).
3. ______________________________ – As federal courts settle cases involving constitutional
questions, they interpret the meaning of the Constitution’s sometimes vague words and phrases.
4. ______________________________ – The Constitution has been informally enlarged through
customs that have developed over time. Political parties are a good example. The Constitution does not
mention political parties.
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Civics
Unit 1.6
Name___________________________
Date________________ Per.________
POWERS OF THE GOVERNMENT
NATIONAL POWERS
1. ____________________________ are those powers directly expressed or stated in the Constitution.
Examples: tax, regulate INTERSTATE commerce (trade), coin money, make war, eminent domain
2. __________________________ are the powers that the national government requires to carry out
the powers that are expressly defined in the Constitution. They are not directly stated in the Constitution.
Examples: The power to setup an IRS
The basis for the implied powers is the necessary and proper clause. It is called the elastic clause
because it allows congress to stretch its powers. All implied powers must come from an expressed power.
3. ______________________________ are powers that the national government may exercise simply
because it is a government.
Examples: regulate immigration, acquire territory
STATE POWERS
________________________________ are powers that are reserved strictly to the states.
States have authority over matters not found in the constitution, such as the regulation of public school
systems.
Examples:
1) __________________ 2)
_____________________ 3) ___________________
NATIONAL AND STATE POWERS
_________________________ are those powers that both the national government and the states have.
Examples: tax, courts, eminent domain
List which type of power is associated with each of the statements below.
Some statements have more than one answer. Use pages 95-97 in your book to help you.
1. ___________________ Power to draft Americans into the military
2. ___________________ Power to make war
3. ___________________ Power to establish courts
4. ___________________ Power to coin money
5. ___________________ Power to limit the number of immigrants to the U.S.
6. ___________________ Power to build an interstate highway system
7. ___________________ Power to regulate a public school system
8. ___________________ Power to regulate INTERSTATE commerce
9. ___________________ Power of eminent domain
10. ___________________Power to make and enforce laws
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Civics
Unit 1.7
Name___________________________
Date_________________ Per._______
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE GOVERNMENT
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT – NATIONAL (FEDERAL) LEVEL
Location
Executive Branch
 _____________________
 _________________
Legislative Branch
Judicial Branch
 _____________________
 __________________
 __________________
 _________________
 _________________

CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT – STATE LEVEL
Location
Executive Branch
 _____________________
 ________________
Legislative Branch
Judicial Branch
 _____________________
 __________________
 __________________
 ________________
 ________________
RESERVED POWERS OF THE STATE
RECALL –
REFERENDUM –
INITIATIVE –
THESE THREE CAN ONLY BE DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL (RESERVED POWERS).
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