GC.06

Describe limited government within the Constitution, including: • Checks and balances • Popular sovereignty • Civilian control of the military • Rule of law • Federalism • Separation of powers • Judicial review P

What am I learning today?

The methods our Founding Fathers put in place to limit our nation’s government.

Why am I learning this?

We need to know the ways we protect ourselves from having a national government that is too powerful for its people.

How will I know I learned this?

Understanding the different processes in place to keep our government in check.

Teaching Six Big Ideas in the Constitution

Checks and Balances

https://www.history.com/topics/us-government/checks-and-balances

Popular sovereignty

https://www.thoughtco.com/popular-sovereignty-105422

Civilian control of the military

Rule of law

Federalism (Layer Cake or Marble Cake?)

Reading:

Federalism and How It Works

Separation of Powers (not to be confused with Checks and Balances)

Judicial review (Marbury v Madison)

Reading

Judicial Review

Recap- Group Work – 7 Groups….

Checks and Balances: a. How do the principles of checks and balances prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful? b. Give an example of a real-life situation where the system of checks and balances came into play to protect individual rights. c. What role does the separation of powers play in maintaining checks and balances within the government?

Popular Sovereignty: a. Explain the concept of popular sovereignty and its significance in a democratic government. b. How does the idea of popular sovereignty relate to the notion of government deriving its power from the consent of the governed? c. In what ways can citizens exercise their popular sovereignty in the United States?

Civilian Control of the Military: a. Why is it important for civilian authorities to have control over the military in a democratic society? b. Can you name a historical event where the principle of civilian control of the military was challenged or threatened in the United States? c. How does the Constitution ensure that the military remains under civilian authority?

Rule of Law: a. Define the rule of law and explain its role in limiting government power. b. Provide examples of how the rule of law ensures equal treatment of citizens under the law. c. What constitutional provisions uphold the principle of the rule of law in the United States?

Federalism: a. Describe the concept of federalism and its impact on the distribution of power between the federal government and state governments. b. How does federalism contribute to limiting the scope of government authority in the United States? c. Give an example of an issue where federalism has led to tension between the federal and state governments.

Separation of Powers: a. Explain the three branches of government and their respective powers as outlined in the Constitution. b. How does the separation of powers prevent any one branch from accumulating too much power? c. Can you provide a recent example of a situation where the separation of powers played a crucial role in government decision-making?

Judicial Review: a. Define judicial review and its significance in the American legal system. b. How does the principle of judicial review allow the judiciary to check the actions of the legislative and executive branches? c. Can you name a landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review?