NAME   DATE   CLASS 

21st-Century Skills
The Constitution

1801." Address. March 30, 2017. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-33-02-0116-0004.

http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-10-02-0234.; (b)Jefferson, Thomas. "First Inaugural Address, 4 March
(t)"Founders Online: The Federalist Number 39, [16 January] 1788." National Archives and Records Administration.
Lesson 1  Principles of the Constitution

Information Literacy:  Recognizing Historical

Perspectives
Learning the Skill
Review the basic principles that the U.S. Constitution embodies.
Write a definition for each of these principles. Refer back to the
chapter for guidance.

Principles of American Government Outlined in the Constitution

Popular sovereignty a government based on consent
Limited government less power
Separation of powers vesting power in different bodies

Individual rights rights one person has

Republicanism idea of self rule

Federalism devision of sharing power

Checks and balances stops people from being to powerful

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Practicing the Skill  Identify the particular constitutional principle that seems
to be the subject in each quote. In the space provided, mark down the
principle you think it is.

“Each State, in ratifying the Constitution, is considered as a sovereign body,

independent of all others, and only to be bound by its own voluntary act. In
this relation, then, the new Constitution will, if established, be a federal, and
not a national constitution.”
—James Madison, The Federalist, No. 39
Federalism

“[I]t is proper you should understand what I deem the essential principles of
our government. ... Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or
persuasion, religious or political.”
—Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1801
individual rights
NAME   DATE   CLASS 

"First Inaugural Address, 4 March 1801." Address. March 30, 2017. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-33-02-0116-0004.
1788." National Archives and Records Administration. http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-10-02-0234.; (4)Jefferson, Thomas.
Administration. http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-10-02-0178.; (3)"Founders Online: The Federalist Number 39, [16 January]
documents/Madison/01-10-02-0266.; (2)"Founders Online: The Federalist Number 10, [22 November] 1787." National Archives and Records
(1)“The Federalist Number 47, [30 January] 1788,” Founders Online, National Archives, last modified March 30, 2017, http://founders.archives.gov/
21st-Century Skills Cont.
The Constitution

“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the

same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary,
self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition
of tyranny.”
—James Madison, The Federalist, No. 47
checks and balances

“The fabric of American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of the
consent of the people.”
—Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist, No. 22
popular sovereignty

Applying the Skill  Now, choose one of the same passages and write what
you think the speaker or writer meant.

“Each State, in ratifying the Constitution, is considered as a sovereign body, independent of

all others, and only to be bound by its own voluntary act. In this relation, then, the new
Constitution will, if established, be a federal, and not a national constitution.”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

—James Madison, The Federalist, No. 39
each state has its own powers

“[I]t is proper you should understand what I deem the essential principles of our government.
... Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political.”
—Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1801
be fair to all people
NAME   DATE   CLASS 

21st-Century Skills Cont.

The Constitution

Madison/01-10-02-0178.
[22 November] 1787." National Archives and Records Administration. http://founders.archives.gov/documents/
http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-10-02-0266.; (b)"Founders Online: The Federalist Number 10,
(t)“The Federalist Number 47, [30 January] 1788,” Founders Online, National Archives, last modified March 30, 2017,
“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands,
whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may
justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”
—James Madison, The Federalist, No. 47
cant become to powerful

“The fabric of American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of the consent of the people.”
—Alexander Hamilton, The Federalist, No. 22
you need consent from most people to make changes

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.