| A | B |
|---|
| preamble | the opening sentence of the Constitution |
| rule of law | government and its officials are subject to laws |
| separation of powers | division of powers between three co-equal branches |
| checks and balances | system of rules to prevent any one branch from getting too powerfule |
| veto | power of an executive to deny a law's passage |
| judicial review | power of the court to declare laws unconstitutional |
| unconstitutional | when a law or action violates the constitution |
| federalism | national government shares power with state governments |
| amendment | formal change to the Constitution |
| bill of rights | first 10 amendments to the Constitution |
| executive agreement | power of President to have informal treaties |
| treaty | formal agreement between governments |
| electoral college | the group that actually casts votes for president |
| James Madison | Father of the Constition |
| George Washington | Presiding Officer at Convention |
| Independence Hall | Where the document was written |
| Bill of Rights | first 10 amendments to the constituion |
| Federalists | those who wanted to ratify the constitution |
| Anti-federalists | those who opposed the constitution |
| ratify | final approval of a document |
| constitution | a written plan of government |
| George Mason | A leading Virginian Anti-federalist |
| Ben Franklin | The oldest man at the Constitutional Convention |
| inauguration | when the government went into effect |
