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U. S. Constitution’s Purposes

1. To authorize government

2. To outline structure of government

3. To define & limit powers.

4. To establish legal contract & identify rights of the people.

5. To outline political affairs.

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Why we need government?• Federalist #51: “But what is government itself

but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” James Madison

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Liberty• Liberty to be a basic value• Madison wanted to create a Constitution

that would build a national government best to protect & maximize liberty.

• Constitution’s preamble: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

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U. S. Constitution Principles• Government’s role should be to referee

natural conflicts that develop among “factions” in society.

• Authors imbedded principles as obstacles in the Constitution to blunt wishes of majority. This helps to control conflict that is part of human nature created by “factions.” They are:

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Constitution Principles

•1). The Constitution created a “republic” form of government.

•2). The Constitution created “separation of powers.”

•3).The Constitution created “checks and balances.”

•4). The Constitution created “federalism.”