The Principles and Articles of the United States Constitution Worksheet.

POS-305: Principles and Articles of the United States Constitution Worksheet Part I: Principles of the Constitution * Self-Government: The principle of self-government outlines the roles of individual citizens in defining the authority of the government. Through the principle of self-government, citizens partake directly in deciding how they are governed through voting and representation. Self-government bases its value on steering accountability while also serving as the foundation of democracy in the US (Graber, 2015). * Separation of Powers: This principle outlines how governmental power at the federal level is divided into three distinct branches with each branch being independent and performing a unique role. The separation of powers provides for the legislative, executive, and judicial branches as the primary arms of the government. This principle is vital in ensuring that governmental power is not concentrated in one entity (Gillman, 2017). It also ensures a balanced government structure. * Checks and Balances: This principle is designed to ensure that each of the branches of the government can monitor and influence the actions of others. It is in the spirit of this principle that the president can veto legislation passed by Congress and the judiciary review all the laws and their compliance with the Constitution (O’Neill, 2022). This principle is vital in steering constitutionalism in the US besides emphasizing cooperation and accountability among all the branches. Part II: Balance of Power The system of checks and balances in the federal government helps to limit the concentration of power in various ways. Principally, it is the only mechanism that ensures that each of the three government branches operates according to how they are mandated constitutionally (Dinan, 2018). Each branch is mandated to check the authority of the others in an attempt to steer accountability and a balanced distribution of power. Bearing their ability to monitor each other, the US is accustomed to prospects like the president vetoing leg...