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The Preamble: Domestic Tranquility Domestic Tranquility

The preamble outlines the key purposes of the US Constitution which are to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty. The key principles of the Constitution are popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, republicanism, and individual rights. The three branches of government have distinct roles with checks and balances to limit any one branch from becoming too powerful. The Bill of Rights protects individual liberties including freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, petition and rights in criminal proceedings.

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Bruce Wayne
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27 views

The Preamble: Domestic Tranquility Domestic Tranquility

The preamble outlines the key purposes of the US Constitution which are to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty. The key principles of the Constitution are popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, republicanism, and individual rights. The three branches of government have distinct roles with checks and balances to limit any one branch from becoming too powerful. The Bill of Rights protects individual liberties including freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, petition and rights in criminal proceedings.

Uploaded by

Bruce Wayne
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Preamble

To form a more perfect The states work together as one unified nation, not
union as separate nations.
To establish justice The justice system requires that the law be applied
fairly to every American.
To ensure domestic The government can ensure domestic tranquility or
tranquility peace and order at home.
To provide for the To protect citizens against foreign attack, the
common defense national government can raise armies and navies.
However, the military is under civilian, or
nonmilitary, control.
To promote the general The national government promotes the general
welfare welfare, or the well-being of all its citizens.
To secure the blessing A major goal of the Constitution is to protect the
of liberty liberty, or freedom, of Americans.

Principals of the Constitution

Popular Sovereignty The principle that government gets its authority from the people,
therefore people have a right to change or abolish their
government.
Limited Government The principle that government has only the powers that the
Constitution gives it. Everyone, no matter how important, must
obey the law.
Separation of Powers The idea of limiting government power by dividing it among
different branches of government.
Checks and Balances Each branch of government has power to check, or limit, actions
of the other branches.
Federalism The principle of dividing power between the federal government
and the states.
Republicanism A form of government in which citizens elect representatives to
carry out their will.
Individual Rights Individual rights include freedom of speech, freedom of religion,
and the right to trial by jury.
Checks and Balances

Roles of the Three Branches


The Bill of Rights
Safeguards individual rights—freedom of religion, speech, the press, the right to assemble peacefully, the
1 right to petition the government to change its policies.

“A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and
2 bear arms shall not be infringed.”

Congress may not force citizens to put up troops in their homes.


3
Citizens are protected from unlawful searches of their homes and property.
4
People cannot be forced to incriminate, or give evidence against, themselves.
5
People are guaranteed the right to a speedy and public trial by a fair jury. The accused have a right to
6 know the charges against them and who is making the charges

Provides for juries in civil, or non criminal, trials.


7
Forbids excessive bail or fines and “cruel and unusual punishments.”
8
Citizens’ rights are not limited to those listed in the Constitution.
9
All powers not given to the national government or denied to the states are reserved for the states or for
10 the people.

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