| A | B |
|---|
| Articles of Confederation | 1st plan of gov't in US. States had more power; weak central gov't. No executive branch, no power to tax |
| Constitutional Convention | Held to revise the Articles of Confederation. Created the Constitution |
| Federalism | System of gov't where power is shared between the central (national,federal) and state gov't. Central gov't more powerful |
| Delegated powers | Powers belonging to the federal gov't only. Ex. declare war, establish post offices,etc. |
| Reserved powers | Powers set aside for state gov'ts. Ex. marriage, drinking age,etc. |
| Concurrent powers | Powers the federal and state gov'ts share. Ex. taxation, law making |
| Separation of powers | Idea of Montesquieu. Division of power into 3 branches of gov't so no one group has too much power |
| Checks and Balances | Ways each branch has to limit the power of the other branches. Ex. president vetoes a law, Congress overrides a veto w/ a 2/3rd majority vote. |
| Great Compromise | At the Constitutional Convention over the issue of representation of states in Congress. Agreed to a bicameral legislature. The House of Representatives based on a states population. The Senate where each state gets two votes |
| Constitution | The Supreme Law of the Land. Strengthened the central gov't |
| Legislative Branch | Makes the laws. Made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate |
| Executive Branch | Enforces the laws. Made up of the president, vice-president and the cabinet |
| Judicial Branch | Explains or interprets the meaning of laws (ex. "cruel and unusual" punishment). Made up of the Supreme Court and other federal courts |
| Amendment | Procedure by which the Constitution can be changed. Only 17 amendments since the Bill of Rights. Makes the Constitution flexible |
| The Elastic Clause | Part of the Constitution which allows Congress to make laws "necessary" to carry out their powers. Also allows the Constitution to be flexible |
| Federalists | Supporters of ratifying the Constitution. Wrote 'The Federalist' papers defending the Constitution |
| Anti-Federalists | People who believed the Constition needed a Bill of Rights, which was added. |
| Electoral College | Grpup who officially elects the president based on the popular vote. Criticism of the system is the person who wins the popular vote may lose the election(Gore/Bush election) |
| Bill of Rights | 1st 10 amendments to the Constitution. Protects individuals from abuses by the federal gov't; gives people civil liberties. Ex. freedom of speech, press, no search and seizure,etc. |
| Treaties | Written by a president, must be ratified by the Senate. An example of checks and balances |
