| A | B |
|---|
| constitution | a plan for governing |
| republic | a form of government in which people elect representatives to run a country |
| ambassador | a representative from one country to another |
| inflation | an economic condition in which it takes more and more money to buy goods |
| territory | land that belongs to a national government but is not a state |
| township | a square of land in the Northwest territory that measured six miles per side. Today is it a type of local government |
| ordinance | a law or a set of laws |
| convention | an important meeting |
| delegate | a representative |
| Preamble | the introduction of the Constitution |
| compromise | to give up something in order to reach an agreement |
| federal system | a governing system in which the states share the authority to govern with the federal government |
| bill | an idea for a new law |
| debate | to argue opposite sides of an issue |
| Union | The United States of America |
| legislative branch | the branch of government that makes the laws |
| executive branch | the branch of government that sees that the laws are carried out |
| judicial branch | the branch of government that settles disputes about the meaning of laws |
| separation of powers | the division of the national government into three branches instead of having one all powerful branch |
| majority | the greater part of a whole |
| census | a population count |
| elecrtoral college | a group of electors chosen by citizens to elect the president |
| veto | to reject a proposal passed by a legislature |
| impeach | to accuse an official of wrongdoing |
| justice | a judge who serves on the Supreme Court |
| override | to cancel |
| unconstitutional | going against the Contitution |
| checks and balances | a system that gives each branch of government different powers so that each branch can check on the others |
