AP United States Constitution (Ch. 2)
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Created by:
renacotti Plus on December 30, 2009
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33 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 amendment | a written change to the Constitution |
| antifederalists | people who opposed the constitution |
| Articles of Confederation | a written agreement ratified in 1781 by the thirteen original states, weak central gov. strong state gov. |
| checks and balances | A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power |
| Connecticut Compromise | Constitutional Convention proposal that created a House proportionate to population and a Senate in which all states were represented equally |
| Constitution | the body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a government |
| Continental Congress | the legislative assembly composed of delegates from the rebel colonies who met during and after the American Revolution |
| Declaration of Independence | a 1776 document stating that the 13 English colonies were a free and independent nation |
| Federalist Papers | a series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay published in NY newspapers and used to convice readers to adopt the new constitution |
| Mayflower Compact | 1620 - The first agreement for self-government in America. It was signed by the 41 men on the Mayflower and set up a government for the Plymouth colony |
| New Jersey Plan | New Jersey delegate William Paterson's plan of government, in which states got an equal number of representatives in Congress |
| separation of powers | a principle of govt. whereby constitutional authority is shared by 3 separate branches of govt. |
| Shay's Rebellion | Early 1787, rebellion by farmers in debt, which was quickly stopped stopped by President George Washington |
| Three-fifths Compromise | An agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 to count 3/5 of slave population in state representatives |
| Virginia Plan | Initial proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by the Virginia delegation for a strong central government with a bicameral legislature dominated by the big states |
| factions | Interest groups arising from the unequal distribution of property or wealth that James Madison attacked in Federalist Paper No. 10. |
| natural rights | the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and property |
| Federalists | supporters of the stronger central govt. who advocated the ratification of the new constitution |
| Marbury v Madison | established concept of judicial review, first time supreme court declared something 'unconstitutional' |
| Social Contract | an implicit agreement among people that results in the organization of society |
| enumerated powers | the expressed powers of Congress that are itemized and numbered 1-18 in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution |
| Elastic Clause | Clause in the Constitution that allows Congress to pass laws necessary to carry out its enumerated powers |
| limited government | basic principle of American government which states that government is restricted in what it may do, and each individual has rights that government cannot take away |
| judicial review | the power of the Supreme Court to declare laws and actions of local, state, or national governments unconstitutional |
| Confederation government | Loose unit of independent states. In this type of government each state has it's own government. Each state retains its independency. |
| Supremacy Clause | constitutional declaration (Article VI) that the Constitution and laws made under its provisions are the greatest law of the land |
| amendment process | the way in which changes are added to the Constitution, 2/3 vote in congress, 3/4 of states |
| bicameral legislature | A law making body made of two houses (bi means 2). Example: Congress (our legislature) is made of two house - The House of Representatives and The Senate. |
| electoral college | a group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president |
| executive agreement | an agreement between the President and the leader of another country |
| Great Compromise | Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population in the other house |
| Madisonian Model | A structure of government proposed by James Madison in which the powers of the government are separated into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. |
| ratification | formal approval, final consent to the effectiveness of a constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty |
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