The United States Constitution is the document that is responsible for the making of the United States government that we know of today. The primary goal of the Constitution was to establish a government in which the United States citizens could be governed. The seven principals of the Constitution were established as rules and limitations of power that the new government had to follow to ensure that power was not abused, equally shared, and in the best benefit of the people.
They included popular sovereignty, republicanism, federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, limited government, and individual rights. Each of these principals play a crucial role to ensure that the government can promote general welfare, establish justice, that the newfound government was made to last.
Popular sovereignty is the principal of democracy in which political authority is given to the hands of the people. This is important because it gives people the ability to make decisions on their own and allows people as a group to exercise their power over the government. An example of popular sovereignty is how Americans have the choice for participation in elections and to vote on laws. I believe that this is important because if the power was not given to the people than the people's rights would not be protected, their needs and wants would not be heard, and there would be no democracy.
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Republicanism is the principal that states that citizens are to be given a choice to vote for representatives in which would carry out the people's needs. This principal corresponds directly with the popular sovereignty principal because for someone to be able to vote for whoever they choose, that person would of have to be given the right to make decisions people the power belongs to the people. I believe that this is important because if the people were not given the right to choose who goes into office, the government would eventually take over and then America would not be as we know as a democracy.
Federalism, in short terms, is the sharing of the power between the state and national government. This was established for the reason being of the state were to handle to problems of local and lesser issues such as state commerce and welfare while the national government can handle bigger issues such as the negotiation between other countries and national bankruptcy. I like to think that the establishment of the federalism principal is important because minor issues won't be taken to the national level whereas they can focus on something more important.
The separation of powers principal divided the power of the government into three different branches. This was a must for the framers because they didn't want one group to hold too much power. Those three branches included the executive branch, legislative branch, and the judicial branch. Each branch was given different responsibilities to carry out in the government as well as power over the other branches. This principal is important because it doesn't allow one branch to overpower another branch, prevents a branch from preforming another branches task, and it also allows all the branches to check on the others when necessary.
The checks and balances principal corresponds directly with the separation of powers principal. The framers wanted the three branches to be able to limit each other's powers so that each branch can only have control over their given power as well as to make sure that that each branch is treated fairly. This is important because this principal protects the liberties of the people insuring them that one branch cannot become too powerful.
Limited government is the principal that restricts the power of which the government can hold. This principal also falls into terms saying that no one is above the law, meaning that even government leaders are not given the authority to abuse their powers because they too can be prosecuted for their actions. This in my opinion is one of the most important principals because it doesn't allow anyone to get away with overpowering the government which makes sure that the peoples rights and liberties can be protected as well as government representatives cannot bypass any laws for their own benefit.
The last principal of the Constitution is individual rights. This principal gives protection to all citizens of their basic rights and liberties in which are stated as the first ten amendments of the constitution known as the Bill of Rights, shielding people from an overly powerful government. An example from the Bill of Rights includes the right of freedom of speech and religion. This allows an individual to practice any religion that they choose as well as to speak out against or for anything that they may please. This principal is important because it gives citizens the power of certain freedoms without the interference of the government.
The ratification of the Constitution was a long and brute process but in the end brought a newfound form of government that has proven to be successful and is in effect to this day.
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