| A | B |
|---|
| Federalists | people supported the Constitution and encouraged states to ratify it |
| legislative branch | branch of government responsible for making laws |
| executive branch | branch of government respnsible for carrying out laws passed by Congress |
| constitution | a document that sets out the principles of government for a nation |
| bill | a proposed law |
| Federalist Papers | essays written to encourage states to vote to ratify the Constitution |
| amend | to change |
| veto | to reject a law |
| judicial branch | branch of government that makes sure laws are carried out fairly |
| the Constitution | the "supreme law of the land" |
| republic | a nation in which voters elect representatives to govern them |
| due process | guarantees the protection of citizens who are brought to trial |
| Land Ordinance of 1785 | law that set up a system for settling the Northwest Territory |
| Articles of Confederation | first Constitution of the United States of America |
| Constitutional Convention | meeting set up to revise the Articles of Confederation |
| Senate | the upper house of Congress with two members from each state |
| House of Representatives | the lower house of Congress with number of state representatives based on population |
| checks and balances | system giving each branch of government power to check or control the other branches |
| Congress | body of government made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives |
| federalism | system of government allowing for sharing of powers between the state and the national governments |
| President | head of the executive branch of government |
| Anti-Federalists | people opposed to the Constitution, often because it had no bill of rights |
| bill of rights | lsit of freedoms a government is supposed to protect |
| Bill of Rights | first ten amendments to the Constitution |
| electoral college | group actually responsible for selecting the President |
| compromise | an agreement reached after each side has given up some of its demands |
| separation of powers | system that gives each branch of government its own duties |
| New Jersey Plan | plan for a new government had a one house legislature and allowed one vote for each state |
| Three-Fifths Compromise | agreement that allowed a percentage of the slave population to be counted to decide representation in the House of Representatives |
| Virginia Plan | plan for a new government with a two house legislature and all representation based on population |
| Great Compromise | agreement that set up Congress as we know it today |
| Thomas Jefferson | considered the autor of the Constitution |
| Northwest Ordinance | law setting up system for adding new states to the United States |
