Chapter 2 Flashcards
Unalienable
A human right based on nature or God
Articles of Confederation
A weak constitution that governed America during the revolutionary war, until 1787 (when the constitution was signed)
Constitutional Convention
A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution
Shay’s Rebellion
A 1787 rebellion in which ex-revolutionary war soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes
Virginia Plan
Proposal to create a strong national government
Republic
A government in which elected representatives make the decisions
Judicial review
The power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional
Federalism
Government authority shared by national and local governments
Enumerated powers
Powers given to the national government alone
Reserved powers
Powers given to the state government alone
Concurrent powers
Power shared by the national and state governments
Checks and balances
Authority shared by three branches of government
Separation of powers
Constitutional authority is shared by three different branches of government
Federalists
Those who favor a stronger national government
Antifederalists
Those who favor a weaker national government
Faction
A group with a distinct political interest
Coalition
Alliance of groups
Habeas Corpus
An order to produce an arrested person before a judge
Bill of attainder
A law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime (only used in times of emergency)
Ex post facto law
A law that makes an act criminal, even though the act was legal when it was committed
Bill of Rights
First 10 amendments to the constitution
Line-item veto
And executive’s ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislation
