U.S. Constitutional Principles, Federalism and Amendments

U.S. Constitutional Principles and Amendments

Popular sovereignty (power to the people) / Limited government (states that government is restricted in what it may do) / Separation of powers (the branches of government are three independent and coequal branches) / Checks and balances (system that allows the branches to check each other's actions) / Judicial review (power of a court to determine the constitutionality of a government action) / Federalism (the powers of government are divided between a central government and several local governments).

Amendments 11–27

11. Immunity of States from certain lawsuits.
12. Changes to Electoral College procedures.
13. No slavery.
14. Citizenship, due process, equal protection.
15. No denial of vote (race not a qualification to vote).
16. Power of Congress to tax income.
17. Popular election of U.S. Senators.
18. Prohibition of alcohol (18th Amendment).
19. Woman suffrage.
20. Change of dates for the start of presidential and congressional terms.
21. Repeal of Prohibition.
22. Limit on presidential terms.
23. District of Columbia vote in presidential elections.
24. Ban on tax payment as a voter qualification.
25. Presidential succession, vice-presidential vacancy, and presidential disability.
26. Voting age lowered to 18.
27. Congressional pay changes.

The Federalist and Judicial Independence

The Federalist: Alexander Hamilton wrote that “independent judges” would prove to be “an essential safeguard against the effects of occasional ill humors in society.” In The Federalist No. 51, James Madison called the judicial power one of the “auxiliary precautions” against the possible dominance of one branch of government over another.

Virginia Plan

The Virginia Plan called for a new government with three separate branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislature (Congress) would be bicameral. Representation in each house was to be based either upon each State’s population or upon the amount of money it gave for the support of the central government. Members of the lower house, the House of Representatives, were to be popularly elected in each State. Members of the upper house, the Senate, were to be chosen by the House from lists of persons nominated by the State legislatures.

New Jersey Plan

The New Jersey Plan called for a “federal executive” of more than one person. The executive would be chosen by Congress and could be removed at the request of a majority of the States’ governors. The “federal judiciary” would be composed of a single “supreme tribunal.”