What are the 5 principles of the US government and what each means?

The five principles of the U.S. government are popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism. Popular sovereignty means that the government derives its authority from the consent of the governed. Limited government ensures that governmental powers are restricted by law, protecting individual rights. Separation of powers divides government responsibilities into distinct branches (executive, legislative, and judicial) to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power. Checks and balances allow each branch to monitor and limit the actions of the others, while federalism divides power between national and state governments, allowing for a balance of authority.