Chapter 2 The Constitution Flashcards
Articles of Confederation
A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War
Constitutional Convention
A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution
Shays’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
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
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 state governments
Enumerated Powers
Powers given to the national government alone
Reserved powers
Powers given to the state government alone
Concurrent powers
Powers shared by the national and state governments
Checks and Balances
Authority shared by the three branches of government
Separation of Powers
Constitutional authority is shared by three different branches of government
Faction
A group with distinct political interests