TOPIC: Political development and intuition
Briefly explain the following fundamental principles as found in the U.S. Constitution and identify how each is at work in the American political system. – Limited Government: Include Constitutional structures designed to keep the power of government in check and protect citizens’ freedom. – Establishment of a Republic: Include evidence that the U.S. government is based on the authority of the people, and identify alternative systems of government. – Federalism: Include examples of conflicts in the relationship between the national and state levels of government. – Separation of Powers: Include the three branches of government, functions of each, members, and selection procedures. – Checks and Balances: Include its purpose, and cite at least one example per branch of government Use of research -All ideas are supported by research -A minimum of three outside, scholarly sources are cited in the paper and included in the reference page -All material must be written in students’ own words with only very limited direct quotes from other sources 20 Use of proper grammar and spelling -Proper spelling, grammar, complete sentences and paragraph breaks as appropriate must be used. -Recommended length: 2-3 paragraphs per principle, maximum 1500 words (5 double-spaced pages), 12 pt font, 1″ margins 10
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Limited Government: The U.S. Constitution sets limits on the powers of the government in order to protect the freedom and rights of citizens. This principle is reflected in the structure of the government itself, which is divided into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. Each branch has its own specific powers and responsibilities, and they are designed to check and balance one another in order to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power. Additionally, the Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments to the Constitution) protects the basic rights and freedoms of citizens, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, and limits the government’s ability to infringe upon these rights.
Establishment of a Republic: The U.S. government is based on the authority of the people, and is therefore a republic. In a republic, the people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf, rather than the people making decisions directly. This system of government is designed to ensure that the government is responsive to the needs and wants of the people, and that it is accountable to them. Alternative systems of government include democracies, in which the people make decisions directly, and autocracies, in which a single ruler or small group holds all power.
Federalism: The U.S. government operates on a federal system, in which power is divided between the national government and the state governments. This division of power allows for a balance between the needs and interests of the individual states and the needs and interests of the country as a whole. However, conflicts can arise between the national and state levels of government, particularly when there are differences in policy or when one level of government tries to exert too much control over the other.
Separation of Powers: The U.S. government is divided into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch (Congress) is responsible for making laws, the executive branch (the President and their administration) is responsible for enforcing laws, and the judicial branch (the courts) is responsible for interpreting laws and deciding cases. Each branch has its own specific powers and responsibilities, and they are designed to check and balance one another in order to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power.
Checks and Balances: The system of checks and balances is a key principle of the U.S. Constitution that helps to prevent any one branch of government from gaining too much power. This system allows each branch of government to exercise some control over the actions of the other branches, and to ensure that the government as a whole is accountable to the people. For example, the President has the power to veto legislation passed by Congress, but Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate. The courts also have the power to review the actions of the other branches and declare them unconstitutional if they exceed their authority.
