Chapter 2 Flashcards
Articles of Confederation
Weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War
Constitutional Convention
Meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution
Shay’s Rebellion
1787 rebellion in which ex-Revolutionary War soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosure of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes
Virginia Plan
Proposal to create a strong national government
New Jersey Plan
Proposal to create a weak national government
Great Compromise
Plan to have a popularly elected House based on state population and a state-selected Senate, with two members for each state
Republic
Government in which elected representatives make the decisions
Judicial review
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
Faction
Group with a distinct political interest
Federalists
Those who favor a stronger national government
Antifederalists
Those who favor a weaker national government
Coalition
An alliance of groups
Bill of Rights
First ten amendments to the constitution
Habeas corpus
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
Ex post facto law
A law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was committed
Amendments
New provision in the constitution that has been ratified by the states
Line-item veto
Executive’s ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature
Unalienable
Human right based on nature or God
