Guided Reading Activity 4-1
Goals of the Constitution

Directions: After reading chapter 4 section 1 and completing your outline. You will learn more about the goals of the Constitution. Refer to your homework page to fill in the blanks.

I. Goals of the Constitution

A. The [?] to the Constitution lists six goals for the government.
B. To establish justice, the Constitution provides a national system of [?].
C. The Constitution gives the federal government the power to maintain armed forces to provide for the .
D. To preserve the Constitution guarantees that no American’s basic rights will be taken away now or for posterity.

II. Major Principles

A. The Declaration of Independence states that the government receives its authority from the people, a principle known as .
B. Under , voters choose who will represent them.
C. Article I of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights ensure that government is to only those powers granted by the people.
D. The system of allows for the power to govern to be shared between the national government and the states.
E. To achieve separation of powers, the federal government is divided into three parts: the , , and branches.
F. With a system of and , each branch of government can limit the power of the other branches.
G. Individual rights are protected by the first 10 amendments, known as the .

III. A Living Constitution

A. The Constitution can be altered or adapted through the process.
B. The various branches of government use to extend their powers beyond those specifically identified in the Constitution.