| A | B |
|---|
| Republic | The form of government where people elect representatives to run the country |
| Constitution | The document containing the basic set of laws, which contains the rules for writing and passing laws that affect US citizens |
| Federal System | The government system where the national government and the state government share different degrees of authority |
| National/Federal Level of Government | The level of government that has authority over matters that affect the country, including printing money, raising armies, and making treaties with foreign countries |
| State Level of Government | The level of government that has authority over the affairs of an individual state, whose powers include establishing schools, local governments, and rules for marriage and divorce |
| Shared Powers | The authority that both the state and federal levels of government have, including the powers to raise taxes, set up court systems, and make laws to provide for the public health and welfare |
| Local Government | The level of government that has authority over matters that affect cities, towns, and/or counties |
| Virginia Plan | The plan proposed by Edmund Randolph that would have based the number of representatives in Congress on the population of the state (which was better for larger states) |
| New Jersey Plan | The plan proposed by William Patterson that would have given each state one vote in Congress, which was better for smaller, less populated states |
| The Great Compromise | The plan, modified from the one proposed by Roger Sherman, which combined elements of the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan |
| Legislative Branch | The branch of government (on all three levels) which has the power to make the laws |
| Executive Branch | The branch of government (on all three levels) which has the power to carry out, or enforce, the laws |
| Judicial Branch | The branch of government (on all three levels) which has the power to interpret laws to settle differences over the meaning of the law |
| Congress | The name of the body that is the head of the Legislative Branch of government on the federal level |
| President | The person who is the head of the Executive Branch of the federal government, who is limited to serving two four-year terms. This person must sign or veto laws passed by Congress. |
| Supreme Court | The most powerful court body, which is the head of the Judicial Branch of government and who has the power to decide of a law follows the Constitution |
| Checks and Balances | The system designed to keep one branch of government from becoming more powerful than another |
| Amendment | The name for the process by which the government can change the Constitution when needed |
| General Assembly | The name of the body that is the head of the Legislative Branch for Kentucky's state level of government |
| Governor | The person who is the head of the Executive Branch of the state level of government |
