C.3 Constitution Vocabulary Flashcards
bicameral
a legislature consisting of two parts, or houses
amendment
any change in the Constitution
Preamble
the opening section of the Constitution
separation of powers
the split of authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches
concurrent powers
powers shared by the state and federal governments
Constitutional Convention
meetings of state delegates in 1787 for the creation of a new Constitution
ratified
to vote approval of
checks and balances
a system in which each branch of government is able to check, or restrain, the power of the others
federalism
a form of government in which power is divided between the federal, or national, government and the states
Shays’s rebellion
an uprising of Massachusetts farmers who did not want to lose their farms because of debt caused by heavy state taxes after the American Revolution
ordinances
laws, usually of a city or county
limited government
a government can only do what the people allow it to do
popular sovereignty
the idea that power lies with the people
enumerated powers
powers directly granted to the national government by the Constitution
legislative branch
the branch of government that interprets the laws
confederation
a group of individuals or state governments
reserved powers
powers the Constitution does not give to the national government but set aside for the states
Federalist Papers
series of essays written to defend the Constitution
constitution
a detailed written plan for government
article
one of seven main parts of the Constitution
Articles of Confederation
the first constitution of the US
Northwest Ordinance
1787 law that set up a government for the Northwest Territory and set up a plan for admitting new states to the Union
Electoral College
a group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president
federalist
a supporter of the Constitution
anti-federalist
a person who opposed ratification of the Constitution
rule of law
the principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern
Supremacy Clause
a clause stating that the Constitution and other laws and treaties made by the national government are the “supreme law of the land”
Great Compromise
agreement providing for a two house Congress
Ordinance of 1785
a law that set up a plan for surveying western lands
Three-Fifths Compromise
a compromise providing that enslaved persons would count as 3/5 of other persons in determining representation in Congress
executive branch
the branch of government that carries out the laws
judicial branch
the branch of government that interprets laws
