3.1-Identify the principles in the
North Carolina Constitution
and local charters
Compare the North Carolina Constitution with
the U.S. Constitution
1. How are the parts different?
2. List the principles of NC Constitution
3. How is the Declaration of Rights and the Bill
of Rights similar?
4. What year was NC’s 1st Constitution adopted?
5. What year was final Constitution approved
and what year did it take effect?
6. List the changes to the final Constitution-3.4
7. How can the NC Constitution be amended?-
3.4
#7-3.4-How can the NC Constitution be
amended?
1. Proposed by General Assembly
2. Ratified by voters
3. Referendum-Election in which citizens vote
directly on a public policy question that is put
on the ballot
#2-Principles of NC-1. checks and balances,
popular sovereignty, separation of powers
NC has 3 branches
Judicial, executive, legislative
General Assembly
Bicameral-1. Senate=50/leader-Lt. Gov.
2. HOR=120/leader-speaker of
house
Bills introduced but presiding officers must
sign before goes to governor
Governor must sign bill for it to become law
Governor-elected/serve 4 yrs
Lt. Governor-elected/4yrs
Council of State-elected/4 years
Cabinet-appointed by Governor
NC SUPREME COURT NC COURT OF APPEALS
Supreme Court-hears Hears cases on appeal
cases from appeals form district and
court and ALL DEATH superior courts
PENALTY CASES No jury trial
Interprets law Judges elected for 8
7 justices serve 8 years years
elected
SUPERIOR COURTS DISTRICT COURTS
Trial court Trial Court
Judges elected 8 years Judges elected 4 years
Felonies-serious cases Divided into criminal,
Civil cases over 10,000 juvenile, and civil
Misdemeanors
Civil less than 10,000
2 types of Largest unit of
local gov’t is
local gov’t-
county
Counties and NC has 100
cities or counties
municipalities Ran by COUNTY
COMMISSIONER
S and hired
COUNTY
MANAGER
Commissioner Manager-
s-make handles day to
decisions, day work of
carries out county
decisions,
manages
budget, levies
taxes
TYPE OF CITY GOV’T- TYPE OF CITY GOV’T-
MAYOR COUNCIL COUNCIL MANAGER
#1-Mayor Council #2-Council Manager
-Elected Mayor and -Elected council
elected council hires/fires manager
- -
Legislative branch of city is city
council
Executive Branch of city is
mayor if no mayor then it’s the
manager
STATUES ORDINANCES
Laws created by Law passed by
General city or county
Assembly(state board
law
Controls a specific function of gov’t
School districts
Have power to collect taxes for services they
provide
Report to the state
ABC-Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board of Elections-registers voters and
manages elections in each county
Mental Health-each county has 1
Public Health/Health Dept.-each county has 1
Social Services-each county has 1
State=State Troopers-over entire state
County=Sheriff and deputies-handle areas
outside city
City=Chief of Police-over town/city cops-
jurisdiction is in particular town/city only
Clerk of Court-power Jurors-determine guilt
to issues arrest, search or innocence
warrants citizen of state, 18 or
Magistrate-accept older, able to speak
payment for fines and language, list of jurors
misdemeanors, come from voter
marriages, appointed registration and
for 2 yrs. drivers license
Clerk of Court-elected, guides court system
Sheriff-elected, over deputies, handles
problems in unincorporated areas
Register of Deeds-elected, keeps county
records-like land deeds, birth and death
certificates
Public officials are elected-gives people power
and these officials know that they can lose
position based on actions
Can be impeached or removed from office
State v. Mann-in the case of slaves a master’s
power was absolute
Leandro v. NC-NC schools do not have to
provide equal funding but equal
opportunity=ruling based on NC Constitution
Swann v. Charlotte Mecklenburg-schools must
be integrated and students must be bussed to
do this
NC must make laws that do not violate federal
law
States cannot deny citizens civil rights and
must treat all citizens the same
Annexation-process by which a city expands
by taking over unincorporated areas-Red
Springs annexes Shannon
-YES-get services like trash pick up, sewage,
water
-NO-pay new taxes, zoning
Money-NC has to have a BALANCED BUGET-
expenditures can’t exceed revenues
-State did lottery to help have balanced budget
Should we have a lottery?
Charter schools-schools that are funded with
state money but are independent from school
board-can be closed if don’t perform
Political corruption-public leaders that engage
in illegal activity:
Bribery-accepting illegal payments, gifts
Gerrymandering
Taxes Permits-building
INCOME- Licenses-drivers,
SALES- fishing, hunting,
ESTATE- business
EXCISE User fees- tolls
INHERITANCE Disposal fees-removal
of waste
PROPERTY
Fines-for crimes-
parking tickets
When Sarah goes shopping she pays what type
of tax?
After Dan’s mother died he had to pay taxes on
the house she left him?
Every year the value of Larry’s house goes up
so does his __________ taxes!
To go hunting this deer season Mac must go
buy _______
Other revenues for state
Sale Bonds-gov’t issues bonds then pays back
bond holder at a later date with interest
Intergovernmental revenues-Money from
another level of gov’t
Federal grants in aid-$ from fed. gov’t to build
roads, Medicaid
LEVELS OF GOV’T 1.
2.
3.
Community College Jails, Prisons, Youth
System-State/ Local Detention-State
Cooperative Extension Mental Health-Fed/state
Service-Fed./state- Public Health-Fed/state
research and education in
agriculture, environment Public Schools-fed/s/l
Court Facilities- Social Services-mental
State/local illnesses, child abuse etc-
Fed/state
Board of Elections-
Fed/state Ambulance-local
Public utilities-drinking Libraries-local
water, etc-state