| A | B |
|---|
| constitution | the basis for the United States's government |
| separation of powers | division of power between the three branches of government |
| United States Constitution | supreme law of the land |
| Preamble | introduction to the U.S. Constitution |
| three branches of government | executive, legislative, and judicial |
| checks and balances | gives one branch of government checks over the others to keep them from becoming too powerful |
| popular sovereignty | government based on the will of the people |
| Articles of Confederation | created a weak central government |
| federalism | means the national government shares power with the state governments |
| elastic clause | allows Congress to stretch its powers to make laws on subjects not specifically mentioned in the Constitution |
| Great Depression | caused one of the biggest changes in federalism |
| Bill of Rights | protects individual liberties and the rights of people accused of crimes |
| judicial branch | People serving in this branch are NOT elected by voters. |
| executive branch | headed by the president at the national level or the governor at the state level |
| legislative branch | divided into two houses (bicameral) |
| bicameral | two houses of Congress |
| veto | refusal to approve a bill |
| amendments | additions or changes to a constitution |
| ordinance | a local law |
| levy | power to set and collect taxes |
| police power | passing laws to protect public health, morals, safety, or welfare |
