| A | B |
|---|
| Constitution | A nation's basic law. It creates political institutions, assigns or divides powers in government, and often provides certain guarantees to citizens. |
| Declaration of Independence | The document approved by representatives of the American colonies in 1776 that stated their grievances against the British Monarch and declared their independence. |
| Natural Rights | Rights inherent in human beings, not dependent on government which include life, liberty, and property. |
| Consent of the Governed | The idea that the government derives its authority by sanction of the people. |
| Limited Government | The idea that certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens. |
| Articles of Confederation | The first constitution of the United States, adopted by Congress in 1777 and enacted in 1781. |
| Shays' Rebellion | A series of attacks on courthouses by a small band of farmers led by a Revolutionary War Captain Daniel Shay's to block foreclosure proceedings. |
| U.S. Constitution | Document written in 1787, ratified in 1788 (set in effect in 1789) that sets forth the institutional structure of U.S. government and the tasks these institutions perform. |
| Factions | Parties or interest groups that James Madison warned would arise from the unequal distribution of property or wealth and attacked as having the potential to cause instability in government. |
| New Jersey Plan | The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state regardless of state's population. |
| Virginia Plan | The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for representation of each state in Congress in proportion to that state's share of the U.S. population. (Proportional Representation) |
| Connecticut Compromise | The compromise that established two houses of Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate. |
| Writ of habeas corpus | A court order requiring jailers to explain to a judge why they are holding a prisoner in custody. |
| Separation of Powers | A feature of the Constitution that requires each of the three branches of government to be relatively independent of the others so that one cannot control the others. |
| Checks and Balances | Features of the Constitution that limit government's power by requiring that power be balanced among the different governmental institutions. |
| Republic | A form of government in which the people select representatives to govern them and make laws. |
| Federalists | Supporters of the U.S. Constitution at the time the states were contemplating its adoption. |
| Anti-Federalists | Opponents of the U.S. Constitution at the time the states were contemplating its adoption. |
| Federalist Papers | A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail. |
| Bill of Rights | The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, drafted in response to some of the Anti-Federalist concerns. |
| Equal Rights Amendment | An amendment passed by Congress in 1972 stating that "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on the account of sex." It failed to be ratified by 3/4 of the states. |
| Marbury v. Madison | The 1803 case in which the Supreme Court asserted its right to determine the meaning of the U.S. Constitution. |
| Judicial Review | The power of the courts to determine whether acts of Congress and, by implication, the executive are in accord with the U.S. Constitution. |
