Mr.

The BIG 6 Ideas of the US Constitution

 

The Articles of Confederation were too weak.  The Founding Fathers were searching for a way to make a new government strong, but not too strong; allowing THE PEOPLE a voice, but not too strong a voice; having each branch be separate and powerful, but have a formula for each branch to check each other's power to make sure neither branch becomes too strong; let the states be their own small country, but pay allegiance to the federal government; basically, let everyone from the poorest to the richest, the individual to the largest group, the state to the federal government have a voice in our country... Not so easy a task to fulfill.

 

Here are the BIG IDEAS that helped direct our Founding Fathers to find that perfect balance we call 'Murica!

Each of the three branches of government have their own separate powers (see Separation of Powers), and each branch has powers to limit, or check, the powers of the other branches to prevent the other branches from being too influential.

 

Anytime you have ever played a game, there has most likely been a set of rules that control how the game is played. Each player cannot do whatever he wants. These rules tell each player what he can and cannot do so that the game is played fairly and so that no one player has a bigger advantage than another to win. Just like there are rules when we play games, the branches of the U.S. federal government have a set of rules that they must follow.

is defined as a tradition of political thought that stresses the interconnection of individual freedom and civic participation with the promotion of the common good.

 

Thomas Jefferson and Plato both said it was our duty to participate in our government.  In order to be free of government tyrrany, we must involve ourselves in how the government works so we can all benefit.

There are THREE separate branches of US government; each with distinct and separate responsibilities.

 

The legislative branch is a two house Congress, also known as a bicameral legislature, made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It has the power to make federal laws that apply to the entire nation.

 

The executive branch has the power to carry out and enforce federal laws using federal departments and agencies, a cabinet and regulations.

 

The judicial branch is comprised of federal courts and has the power to interpret federal laws by hearing arguments about the meaning of laws and how they are carried out.