| A | B |
|---|
| Constitution | a document presenting a plan of government that is used in the US now |
| Articles of Confederation | The first constitution of the United States |
| Constitutional Convention | The meeting that gave birth to the Constitution we use today |
| Virginia Plan | James Madison's plan for the new government |
| Legislative Branch | The law making part of government(Congress) |
| Executive Branch | The part of government that carries out the laws(governor or president) |
| Judicial Branch | The part of government that contains the courts(Supreme Court) |
| Bicameral | A legislature that is in two parts |
| Compromise | When each side agrees to give up something in order to come to an agreement |
| Amendment | An addition or change to a document |
| Bill of Rights | The first ten amendments to the Constitution |
| Ratify | To approve |
| Separation of powers | The dividing of the power between the three different parts of the government |
| Checks and Balances | A system in which each part of the government has power over the other parts |
| Veto | To reject a bill passed by the legislature |
| Congress | The name of the legislative part of the US government |
| Senate | A part of Congress; members serve 6 years |
| House of Representatives | A part of Congress; members serve 2 years |
| Supreme Court | The highest court in the US |
| James Madison | Father of the Constitution |
