The U.S. Constitution

Prepare:Prior to writing your initial post, read Chapters 1 and 2 of American Government. In addition, watch the video provided on the U.S. Constitution, .

Reflect:The U.S. Constitution is the cornerstone of our federal government. The Constitution establishes a basic operational framework that enables the three branches of government executive, legislative, and judicial to interact and function as a unit. Embedded in this operational framework are two key principles: separation of powers and a system of checks and balances.

Write:In your initial post, explain why the separation of powers and the system of checks and balances are important for our democracy. Provide recent, real-world examples of the separation of powers and checks/balances in action (one example each). Also, discuss how the Constitution protects individual and group rights. Again, provide a recent real-world example of these Constitutional protections being applied here in the U.S. You must fully respond to all parts of the prompt and write your response in your own words.

Support your position with APA citations from two or more of the assigned resources required for this discussion. Please be sure that you demonstrate understanding of these resources, integrate them into your argument, and cite them properly. Your initial post should be 200 to 250 words and be written in complete sentences.

Respond to Peers:By Day 7, respond to at least two of your classmates’ initial posts. Your peer responses should be 75 to 100 words each. Demonstrate your understanding of the topic by respectfully asking questions, raising new points for consideration, or requesting clarification from your fellow students. For example, you may want to compare your real-world examples to those of your classmates and see how they are similar or different and discuss why.