| A | B |
|---|
| federal system | a political system in which the power is shared between a national government and the states |
| compromise | an agreement in which each side agrees to give up something to get something more important |
| Anti-Federalist | a person who opposed the Constitution before 1789 |
| Federalist | a person who supported the Constitution and a strong national government before 1789 |
| Preamble | the introduction to the United States Constitution |
| legislative | branch of govt. that makes laws |
| executive | branch of govt. that carries out laws |
| judicial | branch of govt. that acts like a referee: explains the laws |
| checks and balances | a system in which each branch of government is able to limit the power of the other branches |
| popular sovereignty | the idea that people should have the right to rule themselves |
| Articles of Confederation | Our first govt.; called for "a league of friendship" between the 13 states |
| Daniel Shays | a farmer from Massachusetts who led 700 other farmers in rebellion against the Mass. govt. |
| Virginia Plan | Proposed by James Madison said new govt would be made up of a tw0-house legislature and representation in BOTH houses would be based on population |
| New Jersey Plan | smaller states favored this plan; like the A.O.C. each state would have one vote in a national congress |
| Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise) | said our govt. would be divded into 3 branches: Legislative (made up of the houses; in the HOR representation would be based on population and in the SEnate=Equal representation) Executive branch (president) and a judicial branch (Supreme Court) |
| smaller states favored this plan; like the A.O.C. each state would have one vote in a national congress | Compromise that allowed southern states to count a slave as 3/5th a person for determining representation (& taxation) |
| Electoral College | officially elects the President |
| Bill of Rights | first 10 amendments to the Constitution |
| The Federalists Papers | written by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton to gain support for ratifying the Constitution |
| ratify | to vote approval for |
| Baron de Montesquieu (3 syllable) | philosopher who came up with idea of seperation of Powers into 3 branches |
| James Madison | took notes at the Consitutional Convention; known as the Father of the Constitution |
| George Washington | elected President of the Constitutional Convention; and 1st president of the US |
| articles | 7 sections that follow the Preamble |
| the Necessary and Proper clause | allows Congress to exercise powers not specifically mentioned in the Constitution (also called the "elastic clause" |
| rule of law | this means that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern |
| expressed powers | powers specifically granted to Congress Ex. Power to declare war |
| reserved powers | powers"reserved" or kept by the states Ex. Establishing schools, making laws for marriage and divorce |
| concurrent powers | powers that both levels of government (national and states) can exercise Ex. power to collect taxes, set up courts and prisons |
