STRONG BUT NOT TOO STRONG

1. STRONG BUT NOT TOO STRONG The American Government System

2. Whom do you trust? [Think, don’t say!] Which classmate would you trust to manage all the money for a May trip to Washington, D.C., that you have been fundraising for all year? Why would you trust him or her? Think of someone you would NOT trust with those funds ... What rules would you create to make sure the person in charge didn't do something wrong?

3. Do you agree? “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” ― Lord Acton, 1887 corrupt – to destroy the honesty and integrity of a person

4. We are not all angels “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.  If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” - James Madison

5. Think about it … Do you know anyone (think of friends, family, and community) who is truly, truly good ... who always focuses on others?  Is everyone that way?  Why? Are all mayors, governors, presidents, and Senators “angels”?  Why?

6. Key Ideas • If you don't put controls on government officials, they often do things that are not in the people's interests. • Our government is built strong, so it can get a lot done, but we have a lot of controls so it cannot do TOO much.

7. Few examples of democracy When James Madison came to the Constitutional Convention, he had read many books about governments throughout the world, throughout the centuries. In most countries in the 1700s, some form of monarch or dictator ruled. Democracy was rare ... most experiments in democracy didn’t last. Why do you think this was true?

8. King Edward presiding over the British Parliament in the late 13th century. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Medieval_parliament_edward.Jpg

9. Americans were tired of dictators … Colonists had always had a king, but as British citizens they had guaranteed rights. In their minds, King George III had become a dictator who was taking away the rights of his citizens. To many colonists, the British legislature was no better. They passed all kinds of laws against the colonists. The colonists had no representatives in the Parliament.

10. Not another King George! At the Constitutional Convention, most of the men in the room feared the idea of an American version of King George III who would ignore and abuse the citizens.

11. Watch out! Once your president becomes a dictator, it is hard to make him behave. He's put himself ABOVE your laws.  Dictators cancel elections, suspend the legislature, take away citizens’ rights, shut down newspapers, and imprison people who criticize them.

12. So first we created a really weak government. During the American Revolution, the new United States created a government plan called the Articles of Confederation. The government created by the Articles was SO limited, Congress couldn't get much done.  There was not even really a President.

13. We needed a stronger government! This government got the new United States through the war, but our nation was quickly falling apart. States could make treaties No President! No courts! Congress was broke! States had their own armies and navies Every state made its own money

14. Strong but not TOO strong The challenge was to make a government STRONG ENOUGH to keep the 13 new states together but NOT SO STRONG that it would take power away from the people and the states. 

15. A morepowerful government

16. The "principles" (ideas) of the Constitution help limit the power of a strong national government. Limited government Popular sovereignty Individual rights Republicanism Federalism Separation of powers Checks and balances Principles of the Constitution

17. 1. Limited government The government is controlled by laws. If our leaders violate the Constitution, we can get rid of them or their laws. “a government of laws and not of men” – John Adams

19. 2. Popular Sovereignty “the people rule” According to the Declaration of Independence … —All men … are endowed … with certain unalienable Rights – Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — To secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. — Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government …

21. 3. Individual Rights The government cannot take away certain “unalienable” rights from the citizens. Our individual rights are explained in the first ten amendments to the Constitution – the Bill of Rights. Some lawmakers would not approve the Constitution until the Bill of Rights was added.

22. No cruel or unusual punishment Freedom of speech Freedom of the press Right to an attorney Right to face your accuser Freedom of religion Right to a speedy public trial Freedom to assemble peaceably No unreasonable search and seizure

23. 4. Republicanism “Reps of the public” The citizens do not make laws and public decisions directly. Instead, we vote for representatives who make decisions. We vote for Mayor, City Council, School Board, Governor, state legislators, some judges, President, Senator. If a representative does not do a good job of representing our interests, we can vote for someone else next time.

25. 5. Federalism If the national (federal) government made all the decisions, they might have too much power. The Constitution says that the federal (national) government should only do the things the state and local governments cannot do.

26. F E D E R A L I S M federal state local

27. 6. Separation of powers If the president had all the power, s/he might abuse it, so the Constitution split up the government's power into 3 branches: A LEGISLATIVE branch to make the laws An EXECUTIVE branch to enforce the laws A JUDICIAL branch to interpret the laws

28. Leg Ex Jud

29. 7. Checks and balances Each branch of government has the power to keep the other two branches from violating the law or becoming too powerful. Examples: • The Supreme Court can rule that a law is unconstitutional. • The President can veto a law. • Congress must approve Presidential appointments, like the Attorney General or a Supreme Court justice.

30. approve appointments impeach rule laws unconstitutional veto laws rule actions illegal appoint judges

31. An Example • The President must ask Congress to “authorize” war. • Congress must approve funding for the war. • As Commander in Chief, the President is responsible for running the war (through the Armed Forces). S/he is advised by the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. • The Supreme Court can rule that the President’s actions during war violate the law.