| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Constitutional Convention | the convention of United States statesmen who drafted the United States Constitution in 1787 |
| James Madison | father of the consitution; took care of recording; proposed virginia plan |
| Republicanism | A philosophy of limited government with elected representatives serving at the will of the people. Government is based on consent of the governed. |
| Popular sovereighty | rule by the people |
| Federalism | the distribution of power between a federal government and the states within a union |
| Limited Government | In this type of government everyone, including all authority figures, must obey laws. Constitutions, statements of rights, or other laws define the limits of those in power so they cannot take advantage of the elected, appointed, or inherited positions. |
| Separation of power | The division of a central government into two or more branches, each having its own responsibilities and authorities. |
| Checks and Balances | system that allows each branch to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power |
| Individual Rights | Theses are protected by the Bill of Rights and include economic rights related to property, political rights related to freedom of speech and press, and personal rights related to bearing arms and maintaining private residences. |
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