| A | B |
|---|
| ratification | The final approval of a document. |
| federalism | Division of power between the national government and the state governments |
| checks and balances | this system ensures that no branch will have too much power as each has powers over the others |
| Supremacy Clause | National Laws are the highest law of the land, especially the U.S. Constitution |
| Senate | this is the upper house of Congress, where each state has equal representation |
| Bill of Rights | the first ten amendments to the Constitution which lists basic liberties of citizens |
| Great Compromise | This was the agreement to have a bicameral legislature, one house with equal representation and the other based on state population. |
| 3/5 Compromise | This provision dictated how slaves would be counted in the population. |
| Separation of Powers | Dividing the governing powers of the National Government between three coequal branches |
| Virginia Plan | This plan at the Constitutional Convention called for representation to be based on state population. |
| Executive Branch | this branch enforces the laws |
| Legislative Branch | this branch makes the laws |
| Judicial Branch | this branch interprets the laws |
| House of Representatives | this is the lower house of Congress, where each state’s representation is based on it’s population |
| New Jersey Plan | This plan at the Constitutional Convention called for a weak national government where each state would have equal representation. |
| Federalists | Those who supported the Constitution |
| Anti-Federalists | Those who opposed the ratification of the Constitution |
| James Madison | The Father of the Constution" |
| George Washington | He presided over the Constitutional Convention |
| VA Statute of Religious Freedom | Written by Jefferson, this established the principle in VA for separation of church and State |
| VA Declaration of Rights | Written by George Mason, this was used as a basis for the Bill of Rights |
| constitution | a written plan of government |
| Articles of Confederation | the first constitutional government of the United States |
| Federalist Papers | Written to encourage ratification of Constitution in NY and VA |
| Republicanism | Belief in having a government through elected officials |
