Chapter 2 Flashcards
American Revolution
war waged against GB for freedom from tyranny of England
Second Continental Congress
the event in which delegates were sent that created the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence
the founding document that declared separation from England
Articles of Confederation
the document that was created right after the American Revolution to set up the government; this document gave national government little real power
Constitutional Convention
the meeting where the Constitution was written
Virginia Plan
the national government was significantly more powerful than that found under the Articles; the plan proposed a bicameral or two-house legislature with representation in both houses based on population which favored the large population states such as Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts; the people would choose members of the lower house, while state legislatures would choose members of the upper house
New Jersey Plan
proposed a unicameral or one-house legislature with equal representation regardless of state population and favored the small population states such as New Jersey and New Hampshire; it proposed a multi-person chief executive chosen by the legislature
Great Compromise
it established the structure of the United States Congress and how the states would be represented
Connecticut Compromise
the compromise was brokered by the Connecticut delegation
House of Represenatitives
direct election by the people; based upon state population
Senate
representation is equal with each stae possessing two, regardless of population; state legislatures choose each state’s Senators, later changed to direct election by the people
Twenty - Second Amendment
limits the president to two terms of office
Electoral College
electors are chosen by their respective political parties to serve this role; representation is based largely upon population
Impeachment
the formal means of removing the president from office
Judicial Branch
the highest court in the land–the Supreme Court
amendment
changes to the Constitution
Three-Fifths Compromise
an agreement reached in 1787 at the Constitutional Convention that counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of representation and taxation
Necessary and Proper Clause
allows for the future expansion and evolution of the poer of the federal government
Reserved Powers Clause
“The Powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people”
implied powers
federal the Necessary and Proper Clause assumes that the federal government possesses these powers beyond what are listed in the Constiitution
enumerated powers
Reserved Powers Clause assumes that the federal goveernment possesses these powers, or those listed in the Constitution, wiht all others being given or reserved to the states
Federalists
the forces in favor of the Constitution
Anti-federalists
those opposed the Constitution
The Federalist
periodic essays published in newspapers throughout the states, laying out simple terms the basic provisions of the Constitution
federalism
mulitple levels of sovereign government existing at the same time
