| A | B |
|---|
| Unalienable | Based on nature and Providence rather then on the preferences of people |
| Articles of Confederation | A constitution drafted by the newly independent states in 1777 and ratified in 1781. It created a weak national government that could not levy taxes or regulate commerce. In 1789 it was replaced by our current constitution in order to create a stronger national goverment. |
| Constitutional Convention | A meeting of delegates in 1787 to revise the articles of confederation which produced a totally new constitution still in use today. |
| Shay's Rebellion | A rebellion in 1787 led by Daniel Shays and other ex-Revolutionary War soliders and officers to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes. The revolt highlighted the weaknesses of the Confederation and bolstered support of a stronger national government. |
| Great Conpromise | A compromise at the constitutional convention in 1787 the reconciled the intrests of small and large states by allowing the former predominate in the Senate and the latter in the House. Under the agreement each state recieved twp representatives in the Senate, regardless of size, but was allotted representives on the basis of population in the house. |
| republic | A form of democracy in which power is vested in representives selected by means of popular competitive elections. |
| judical review | The power of the courts to declare acts of the legislature and of the executive to be unconstitutional and hence null and void. |
| checks and balances | The power of the legislature, executive, and judical branches of goveremnet to block some acts by the other two branches. |
| federalism | A political system in which ultimate authority is shared between a central government and state or regional governments. |
| seperation of powers | A principle of American government whereby constitutional authority is shared by three seperate branches of government- the legislative, the executive, and the judical. |
| faction | According to James Madison, a group of people who seek to influence public policy in ways contrary to the public good. |
| federalists | Supporters of a stronger central government who advocated ratifaction of the Constitution. After ratification they founded a political party supporting a strong executive and Alexander Hamilton's economic policies. |
| antifederalists | Opponents of a strong central government who campaigned against ratification of the constitution in favor of a confederation of largely independent states. |
| Federalist Papers | A series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay that were published in New York newspapers in 1787-1788 to convince New Yorkers to adopt the new constitution. |
| Coalition | An alliance among different intrest groups or parties to achieve some political goal. |
| Writ of habeas corpus | A latin term meaning "You shall have the body." |
| Bill fo attainder | A law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime. |
| Ex post facto law | Latin term meaning "after the fact." A law that makes criminal an act that was legal when it was committed. |
| Bill of rights | A list of individual rights and liberties such as freedom of speech, press, and religion. |
| Amendments | Changes in or to, the US constitution. |
| Line-item veto | The power of an executive to veto some provisions in an appropriations bill while approving others. |
