| A | B |
|---|
| checks and balances | the system established by the U.S. Constitution that gives each of the branches of government the power to limit the power of the other two |
| commerce clause | a provision in Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution granting Congress the power to make laws concerning foreign trade as well as trade among the states and with Native American nations |
| common market | a group of countries or states that allows the members to trade freely among themselves |
| Delegate | person chosen or elected to represent a group of people |
| dual sovereignty | the concept that state governments have certain powers the federal government cannot overrule |
| electoral college | the group that elects the U.S. president; each state receives as many electors as it has congressional representatives and senators combined |
| executive branch | the section of the U.S. government headed by the president; responsible for enforcing the law |
| Federalism | the support of a government where power is shared between the central, national government and that of states or provinces |
| Framers | delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention who helped shape the content and structure of the U.S. Constitution |
| fugitive slave clause | a provision in Article 4 of the U.S. Constitution that prevented free states from emancipating enslaved workers who had escaped from their masters in other states |
| judicial branch | the section of the U.S. government that includes the courts and legal system, led by the Supreme Court; responsible for interpreting the law |
| legislative branch | the section of the U.S. government led by Congress; responsible for making the law |
| separation of powers | the division of governmental power among the three branches of U.S. government: the executive branch, the judicial branch, and the legislative branch |
| slave importation clause | a provision in Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution that established that the United States would not consider prohibiting the international slave trade in the United States until 1808 |
| Supreme Court | the highest court in the United States |
| Three-Fifths Compromise | the agreement that determined that only three-fifths of the total population of enslaved persons in a state would be counted for purposes of taxation and representation |
| Amendment | a formal change to a law, usually referring to a formal change to the U.S. Constitution |
| Antifederalists | a person who opposed the U.S. Constitution of 1787 because of its emphasis on a strong national government |
| Bill of Rights | the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution; a list of guarantees to which every person in a country is entitled |
| Federalists | a person who supported the U.S. Constitution of 1787 as it was written during the process of ratification |
| Statue | a formal, written law |
