CHAPTER 3
SECTION 1: THE SIX BASIC PRINCIPLES
SECTION 2: FORMAL AMENDMENT
SECTION 3: CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE
BY OTHER MEANS
PREAMBLE - a noteworthy
introduction to the Constitution.
ARTICLES - the seven sections of
the Constitution
THE SIX BASIC PRINCIPLES
1) POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY - signifies that the
people have sole responsibility of the government.
2) LIMITED GOVERNMENT - declares that no
government is all-powerful and that it must do only
what the people want it to do.
RULE OF LAW - government and its officers are
always subject to and not above the law.
THE SIX BASIC PRINCIPLES
3) SEPARATION OF POWERS - means that the
basic powers of governing are distributed evenly
through three (3) branches of government.
Article I - Legislative / Article II - Executive / Article III - Judicial
4) CHECKS and BALANCES - that each branch is
subject to a number of constitutional checks
(restraints) by the other branches.
VETO - the President’s power to reject a law from
THE SIX BASIC PRINCIPLES
5) JUDICIAL REVIEW - is the power of courts to
determine whether what government does is in
accord with what the Constitution provides.
UNCONSTITUTIONAL - to declare illegal, null and void, of no
force and effect a governmental action found to violate some
provision in the Constitution
4) FEDERALISM - is the division of power among a
central government and several regional
governments
FORMAL AMENDMENT
AMENDMENT - allowing for changes in
written works.
FORMAL AMENDMENT - changes that
become part of a written document.
4 methods of amending
Amendments to the Constitution
AMENDMENT
SUBJECT
YEAR
TIME REQUIRED FOR
RATIFICATION
Bill of Rights
1791
2 years, 2 months, 20 days
11th
Immunity of States from certain
lawsuits
1795
11 months, 3 days
12th
Changes in electoral college
procedures
1804
6 months, 6 days
13th
Abolition of slavery
1865
10 months, 6 days
14th
Citizenship, due process, equal
protection
1868
2 years, 26 days
15th
No denial of vote because of
race, color, or previous
enslavement
1870
11 months, 8 days
1st - 10th
Amendments to the Constitution
AMENDMENT
16th
17th
SUBJECT
Power of Congress to tax income
Popular election of U.S. Senators
YEAR
TIME REQUIRED FOR
RATIFICATION
1913
3 years, 6 months, 22 days
1913
10 months, 26 days
18th
Prohibition of alcohol
1919
1 year, 29 says
19th
Woman suffrage
1920
1 year, 2 months, 14 days
20th
Change of dates for start of
presidential and Congressional
terms
1933
10 months, 21 days
21st
Repeal of Prohibition
1933
9 months, 15 days
Amendments to the Constitution
AMENDMENT
SUBJECT
YEAR
TIME REQUIRED FOR
RATIFICATION
22nd
Limit on presidential terms
1951
3 years, 11 months, 6 days
23rd
District of Columbia vote in
presidential elections
1961
9 months, 13 days
24th
Ban of tax payment as voter
qualification
1964
1 years, 4 months, 27 days
25th
Presidential succession, vice
president vacancy, and
presidential disability
1967
1 year, 7 months, 4 days
26th
Voting age of 18
1971
3 months, 8 days
27th
Congressional pay
1992
202 years, 7 months, 12 days
Bill of Rights -
set out the great constitutional guarantees
freedom of belief and expression
fair and equal treatment before the law
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE BY
OTHER MEANS
EXECUTIVE AGREEMENT - a pact made by the
President directly with the head of foreign state.
do not need to be approved by Senate
TREATY - an agreement between two or more
sovereign states.
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE BY
OTHER MEANS
ELECTORAL COLLEGE - the group that makes
the formal selection of the nation’s President
CABINET - an advisory body to the President
SENATORIAL COURTESY - long established
custom in that the Senate will approve only those
presidential appointees who are acceptable to the
senator or senators of the President’s party.