| A | B |
|---|
| Legislative Branch | Makes Laws |
| Judicial Branch | Interprets Laws |
| Executive Branch | Carries Out Laws |
| Checks and Balances | A system where the branches have powers over one another to ensure no one branch becomes too powerful |
| Separation of Powers | an idea from Montesquieu that says powers of government need to be separated into branches |
| Veto | a power of the executive branch where they can refuse to sign a bill into law |
| Override | a power of the legislative branch that allows them to go over a veto and pass a law |
| Impeach | a power of the legislative branch that allows them to formally charge a president or judge with crimes |
| Federalism | a system by which the powers of government are split between the national and state levels |
| Federalists | believed in a strong national government; supported the U. S. Constitution |
| Anti-Federalists | believed in strong state governments and wanted a Bill of Rights for citizens |
| Representative Government | electing officials to rule on your behalf |
| Virginia Plan | the plan of government that focused on population based representation in the legislative branch |
| New Jersey Plan | the plan of government that called for equal representation for each state |
| Great Compromise | the agreement that called for a lower house based on population and the upper house to be set on state equality |
| 3/5 Compromise | the agreement that explained how slaves would be counted towards representation |
| Bicameral | a term that means two houses |
| Congress | legislative branch made up of the House of Representations and the Senate |
| President | leader of the federal executive branch |
| Supreme Court | the highest body in the federal judicial branch |
| Amendment | the ability to change, add to, or modify the U. S. Constitution |
| Ratification | formal approval |
