LIMITED GOVERNMENT IN AMERICAUSHC Indicator 1.5:

Explain how the fundamental principle of limited government is protected by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, including democracy, republicanism, federalism, the separation of powers, the system of checks and balances, and individual rights.

Learning Objectives

1. The students will be able to identify the ways in which the founding fathers expanded individual rights by limiting the federal government.

2. The students will be able to identify the three branches of government, their functions, and why a separation of powers was created in the Constitution.

3. The students will be able to analyze the Bill of Rights and the reason it was added to the Constitution before receiving ratification.

Anticipatory Set

Review: List 3 weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation that were amended at the Constitutional Convention.

1.

2.

3.

• Academic Vocabulary• Key Concepts and Skills

Skill Development (“I Do”)

Limited Government

The Constitutional Convention did strengthen the Federal Government, but at the same time, it also expanded rights to individuals.

There were two ways the Founding Fathers achieved this…

Achieving Limited Government

Establish a Democracy: Government derives its power from the consent of the people.

Establish a Republic: The voters elect representatives to make legislative decisions in their best interest.

Add the Bill of Rights: Protection of the people from the government.

Separation of Powers: Creating three branches instead of one.

Federalism: Both National and State Governments are given powers.

Checks and Balances: Each branch holds power over the other.

Expanding Individual Rights

Limiting Federal (Central) Government

Separation of Powers

Executive Branch-- Enforces the Laws

Legislative Branch:-- Makes the Laws

Judicial Branch:-- Interprets the Laws

The Federal Government is split into three branches and are each given a specific task:

Checks and Balances

Each Branch has power over the other so as to avoid one branch becoming too powerful.

Please refer to the chart on the next page to better understand the process.

Image retrieved from ccsd-issued smartboard lesson

Checks and Balances

Each Branch has power over the other so as to avoid one branch becoming too powerful.

Please refer to this chart to better understand the process:

The Bill of Rights

Also known as the First 10 Amendments to the Constitution.

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists: AF’s believed the Constitution did not grant enough individual rights, and would not ratify until this need was met.

We will cover the first ten amendments shortly.

-- Articles I-III of Constitution-- Bill of Rights

Guided Practice

Analyze Articles I-III of Constitution

1. Judging by the articles, why do you believe the framers separated federal power to three branches, then made checks against each branch?

Bill of Rights

Do you believe there are amendments that were added that truly speak of the time period they were a part of? If so, which one(s)?

Do you believe that any of the ten amendments listed are relative to today’s world? In other words, did the framers make a relevant constitution that applies to us today, 200+ years later?

-- One Minute Paper

Closure

1-Minute Paper

Answer the following prompt

“Popular Sovereignty means that power resides in the people. In your opinion, does the Constitution lay out what the government can do, or does portray how the people run the government?

-- Constitutional Comic Book Activity

Independent Practice

Independent Practice

Use the transcript of the Constitution to help you!

Refer to the handout “Constitutional Comic Book Activity” for further questions.

You have 45 minutes to work on the comic book.

Differentiation: Instead of formatting it like a comic book, write a short story of the event, not including illustrations.

-- Paragraph

Assessment

Assignment

Respond, in paragraph form, to this prompt:

Synthesize the ways in which the framers created a limited government through democracy, federalism, and republicanism, as well as through the expansion of individual rights and protections from the Federal Government.

Sources

All printed activities derive from the National Archives website, archives.gov.

Graphic of Checks and Balances: ccsd-issued smartboard lesson.