Ch 3
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54 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Confederation | group of individual state governments joined for a common purpose |
| Constitution | written plan of government |
| Bicameral | means the legislature is divided into two parts or houses |
| Constitutional Convention | meeting of state delegates in 1787 leading to adoption of a new Constitution |
| Electoral College | this is a group of people named / selected by each state legislature to select the President or V. P. |
| Great Compromise | agreement (compromise) providing a dual system of congressional representation (a senate and a house) |
| Three-fifths Compromise | Compromise that included part of the slave population in calculating representation |
| Federalism | Form of government where power is divided between the Federal (or National) level and the state level |
| Federalists | Supporters of the Constitution like large landowners who wanted property protection |
| Anti-Federalists | those who opposed the Constitution because they believed a strong central government would take away American liberties |
| Amendment | any change in the Constitution |
| Bill of Rights | the first 10 amendments of the Constitution that insures our basic freedoms / rights |
| Preamble | opening statement of the Constitution that states the goals and purposes of government |
| Executive Branch | the division of government that enforces the laws |
| Legislative Branch | this is the lawmaking body of government also called Congress |
| Judicial Branch | the division of government that interprets the laws and sees that they are fairly applied |
| Checks and balances | the ability of each government to branch to limit the power of other branches |
| Separation of Powers | this is the division of authority among the 3 branches of government |
| Popular Sovereignty | this is the idea that power lies with the people |
| Rule of Law | this is the idea that law applies to everyone |
| Expressed Powers | powers that are specifically granted to the national government also called enumerated powers |
| Reserve Powers | powers that can be exercised only by state governments |
| Concurrent Powers | powers exercised by both the national and state governments |
| New Hampshire | the first colony that organized as a state and developed its own constitution |
| Federal Arsenal | What did Daniel Shay and his supporters attack? |
| Shay's Rebellion | What event highlighted the weakness of the Articles to provide adequate public security? |
| Treaty of Paris of 1783 | This ended the Revolutionary War for America |
| Ordinance of 1785 | this helped provide for the systematic growth (expansion) of the new nation |
| Northwest Ordinance | one of the most significant accomplishments of the Articles of Confederation. It set up procedures to apply for statehood |
| Magna Carta | Where did the states get the idea get the ideas found in the 'bill of rights' that they set up in their state constitution |
| the Constitution | What is the highest law in the land? |
| Ratified by 9 of the13 states | What did it take for the constitution to become the supreme law of the land |
| Patrick Henry | Who was the Virginia Delegate who refused to attend the Constitutional Convention because he didn't believe in a strong National government |
| George Washington | Who presided over the convention? |
| James Madison | Who is considered the 'Father of the Constitution'? |
| Revise the Articles | What was the original purpose of the Second Constitutional Convention |
| Three-fourths | How many states must ratify a proposed amendment before it becomes a law? |
| Article I | Which article sets up the legislative branch, lawmaking body? |
| Article II | Which article sets up the executive branch which is responsible for carrying out (enforcing) laws |
| Article III | Which article creates the Judicial branch the interprets the laws and sees they are fairly applied? |
| Article VI | Which article explains the relationship between states and the national government and the states? |
| Article V | Which article explains how the Constitution can be amended (changed)? |
| Article VI | Which article contains the "supremacy clause"? |
| Article VII | Which article explains how the Constitution was supposed to to take effect |
| Supreme Court | Who has the final authority on interpreting the Constitution? |
| Montesquieu | Who is the French philosopher who developed the idea of 'separation of powers'? |
| The Supremacy Clause | How are conflicts between state laws and national laws resolved? |
| Consent of the Governed | Which principle of democracy is being exemplified when voters reject or replace representatives who serve them poorly? |
| Veto laws | How does the executive branch exercise 'checks and balances'? |
| Override Veto or Impeach President | How does the legislative branch exercise 'checks and balances'? |
| Declare acts unconstitutional | How does the judicial branch exercise 'checks and balances'? |
| Expressed Powers (National level) | What level of government has sole authority to coin money, maintain army and navy, declare war and regulate trade between states and other nations? |
| Reserve Powers (State level) | What level of government has authority to regulate trade within a state, protect public welfare, and establish local governments? |
| Concurrent Powers (Both levels) | What is the term for powers that are shared by both state and national level - like establishing courts, enforcing laws, collecting taxes and borrowing money |
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