Social Studies: US Government and Economy

Grade Level: 11
Name: Eduardo Rodriguez
2016

Unit 1: Principles of American Government

Start Date: 22nd of August 2016
Date of Submission: 30th of August

Assignment Task 1
Introduction to the Six Principles of the US Constitution
Section 1: Technical Terminologies
1. Principles: A proposition that is the base of specific reasoning.
2. Popular Sovereignty: The government or state is made by the people, usually by
representatives chosen through popular vote.
3. Constitutionalism: Describes the way in which no government or entity is above the
law.
a. Constitutional: A law which isnt in conflict with the constitution.
b. Unconstitutional: Describes a law which is in conflict with the constitution.
4. Checks and Balances: A process in which a branch of a government is overseen by
other branches to make sure no branch has excessive power.
5. Veto: Right to reject a decision.
6. Judicial Review: A process in which the judicial branch of a government processes
unconstitutional acts.
7. Limited Government: No government can execute duties beyond the power invested in
it by the people.
8. Separation of Powers: Order where the functions of a government are separated in
branches.
9. Federalism: The division of political powers between large and small groups, like a state
government and the federal government.
10. Legislative: Describe the power to make laws.
a. Legislature: Legislative body or state.
b. Legislation: Law or set of laws made by a government.
Section 2: Open-ended questions.
1. The US citizens run the government because they choose representatives that, in a
metaphorical way, amplify their voices by proposing and enforcing the rules that each
citizens have to follow.

For example, if a citizen x is pro-gay rights then x will choose a

representative of the party that supports pro-gay rights. This method easily allows the
citizens to be heard and to be represented, no matter the social and economical status of
the citizens.

2. The principle of limited government is a positive way of keeping the government in its
rightful position by not letting it go over the limitations set forth by the constitution. The
strengths of this principle is that it ensures that the government will not make changes
that can extremely change the state of public order. The negative side of this principle is
that if the government absolutely and in emergency needs to make a change that is
outside the limitations set forth by the constitution, it will not be able to do it because it is
followings strict regulations.
3. The idea that no one is above the law, in the US government, is followed in a very
appropriate degree. In comparison to other countries, the US, from my outsider point of
view, seems like it has a governmental system put in place that really restricts anyone
from stepping outside the boundaries of the law. However, this years US presidential
elections, in my opinion, have proven that there is space within a political party to not
follow election regulations by shaping the system into choosing a specific candidate.
However, the US, being a big country in terms of population and power, still is able to
ensure in an advanced level that no one is above the law.
4. The checks and balance system works in the US government because each of the three
branches of the government ensure that the powers are balanced. For example, if the
congress passes a law that is unconstitutional, then the judicial branch can step up and
veto the law.
5. I will answer this questions by giving you an example. One organizes documents in a
computer by placing them in different folders so that one folder doesnt get overwhelmed
with files. A similar situation happens in the US government. There is one common file,
the government, and inside it there are three more files, the branches, that separate the
type of files being placed in each folder. The powers, in contrast, are separated so that
each branch doesnt possess too much of it.
6. The judicial reviews conducted on government acts are essential to the correct
functioning of the government because this process ensures that no act or law is passed
that is unconstitutional. If there were no judicial reviews, the other branches of the
government would be free to act accordingly to their own standards, which will surely
cause social disturbance.
7. I think Federalism is advantageous to the US citizens because it allows each small
government to produce and control their own budget. Moreover, it allows the small
governments to invest their money in things that they know that their people need. In
addition, federalism is the best arrangement for the US government because since it is
such a huge country, it needs centralize the powers in specific regions in order to meet
the demands of every citizen.

Section 3: Comparative Essay

The Principle of US Constitution That All Nations Must Have

There is a principal (priciple?) in the US constitution that every country should follow,
this principle refers to the separation of political power between a state government and a federal
(or national) government, and it is called federalism. It is of high importance that each country
follows the federalism principle, or at least a slightly modified version of it, in order to be able to
control their nation in an efficient way. With federalism(,) each state would be able to manage
their own budget and taxing, to control their own laws, and for the central or federal government
to focus on international endeavors.
Primarily, federalism would further allow each state to manage their own budget and
taxing. For example, the governor of that state would be helped by his mayors, who have all
lived and are a major part of their community, to help plan the future investments that the state
will do. If the state is planning to build a stadium, they can raise taxes, if they want to build a
park, they set the budget and do it, if it is a populous cities and it needs a better public
transportation system, they can do it within the limits imposed by the capability of the state to do
such project. All in all, it can be very advantageous for the people to have a small government to
propose projects and to be able to choose the lifestyle they want to live.
Additionally, the state government can slightly alter laws to suit the needs and wants of
their people. For example, if the majority of the people within a state are Republicans (in US
political parties) they can change the more liberal laws (like legal abortion) and turn them into
more conservative laws so the people feel that theyre represented within the confines of their
region. For example, there are states which have voted against the prohibition against the
consumption of cannabis, and if the people have voted for that to happen then it will surely
increase the social morale of the citizens of that state.
Lastly, federalism would allow the federal government to stop worrying if the citizens of
every single city in their country has enough schools, enough parks, enough electricity, etc. They
will be able to efficiently defend their country, whether it is in the UN Security Council or
against international threats, to make sure that the economy is growing, to make sure that the
immigration is controlled, to make sure that the national debt is being paid, to make sure that
their country is being represented politically in other countries, etc.
In summary, if each country followed the federalism principle in the US constitution,
they would be able to control their own budget and taxes, control their own laws, and to focus on

international duties. Other principles would surely be important, but I think federalism is
necessary for the efficient functioning of a government. It is imperative to understand that
change is the only thing that can make us a better society.