| A | B |
|---|
| constitutionalism | government must be conducted according to the Constitutional principles |
| rule of law | government and its officiers are always subject to the law. they are never above it |
| separation of powers | basic principle set forth by the Constitution in that each branch has powers that are separate of the other branches |
| checks and balances | means that each branch is subject to a number of constitutional checks or restraints by the other branches |
| judicial review | power to decide whether what government does is in accord to what the Constitution proviedes |
| federalism | the division of power among a central government and seveal regional governments |
| amendment | changes in the written words of the Constitution |
| formal amendment | changes or additions that become part of the written language of the Constitution itself |
| Bill of Rights | First 10 amendments of the Constitution that guarantee certain freedoms to all individuals |
| informal amendment | the process by which many changes have been made in the Constitution that have led to changes in the document's written words. these usually involve the day-to-day operations of government |
| executive agreement | a pact made by the President directly with the head of a foreign state |
