Chapter 6 Flashcards
Constitutional convention
A meeting held in Philadelphia at which delegates from the states wrote the constitution
James Madison
American statesman, he was the fourth president of the United States, the author of some of the Federalist Papers, and is called the “father of the Constitution” for his proposals at the constitutional convention
Virginia Plan
The plan for government proposed at the consist union also convention in which the national government would have supreme power and a legislative branch would have two houses with representation determined by state population
New Jersey Plan
A proposal to create unicameral legislature with equal representation of states rather than Representation by population
Great compromise
An agreement worked out at the consituational convention establishing that a state’s population would determine representation in the lower house legislature while each state would have equal representation in the upper house legislature
3/5 compromise
An agreement worked out at the constitutional convention stating that. Only 3/5s of the slaves in a state would be counted when determining a state population for representation in the lower house of congress
Popular sovereignty
The division of the government that proposes bills and passes them into laws
Legislative branch
The Davison of the federal government that includes the president and the administrative departments; enforces the nation’s laws
Executive Branch
The division of the federal government that includes the president and the administrative departments; enforces the nation’s laws
Judicial branch
The division of the federal government that is made up of the national courts: interprets laws, punishes criminals, etc.
Executive Branch
The division of the federal government that includes the president and the administrative departments; enforces the nation’s laws
Judicial branch
A system established by the constitution that prevents any branch of government from becoming too powerful
Checks and balances
U.S system of government in which power is distributed between a central government and individual states
