| A | B |
| constitution | A plan of government |
| 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 the same 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 6 miles per side |
| ordinance | A law or set of laws |
| convention | An important meeting |
| delegate | A representative |
| Preamble | The introduction to the Constitution |
| compromise | To give up some of what you want in order to reach an agreement |
| federal system | A governing system in which the states share authority with the national 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 carries out the laws |
| judicial branch | The branch of the government that settles differnences about the laws |
| separation of powers | The division of of the national government into three branches instead of having one all-powerful branch |
| majority | The greater part of the whole |
| census | A population count |
| electoral college | A group of electors chosen by citizens to vote for the President |
| veto | A power the President has to reject a bill passed by Congress |
| impeach | To accuse a government official, such as the President, of wrongdoing |
| justice | A judge who serves on the Supreme Court |
| override | To cancel |
| unconstitutional | Going against the Constitution |
| checks and balances | A system that gives each branch of government different powers so that each branch can check the authority of the others |