History final

Federal

Government system in which power is divided between a central division and division and smaller divisions, such as states

Confederation

Government system based on an agreement in which separate political units work together, state governments have more power than the centeral government

Legislative

Branch of government that Makes laws

Constitution

System of beliefs and laws by which a country or state is governed

Continental congress

An assembly of representatives from the thirteen colonies that wrote the articles of confederation

Constitutional convention

A meeting that took place in Philadelphia for the purpose of amending the articles of confederation, wrote the US constitution instead

Articles of confederation

Original constitution of the United States

Confederation congress

Legislative branch of government established by articles of confederation; governing body of the United States

Judicial

Branch of government that interprets laws

Amend

Make changes to improve

House of representatives

lower house of Congress; # of representatives from each state is determined by the population of the state; votes on new laws; all tax and spending bills begin in the House; can impeach high ranking officials; selects president if there is not majority in the Electoral College

Senate

Upper house of congress; 2 senators from each state; votes on new laws; ratifies treaties with foreign governments; approves appointments made by the president; tries impeachment cases; selects vice-president if there is majority in the electoral college

Ratify

To formally approve

Representation

To have someone in a legislative body through which citizens exercise power

Executive

Branch of government that enforces laws; includes the president

Compromise

Make a deal where both sides give up something

Electoral college

Group of electors who cast their votes for the presidential candidate who wins majority of votes in their representative state

Congress

The law making body that includes the house of representatives and the senate

Federalist

Those who were in favor or ratifying the Constitution

Anti-federalist

Those who were not in favor of ratifying the Constitution

Bill of rights

First 10 amendments to the Constitution that describe guaranteed civilian and state rights

President

Executive leader of a presidential democracy; elected by citizens

Precedent

Something done that sets the expectation for future events

Cabinet

Group of president’s top advisors

Justice

Person trained to hear and make a ruling in court cases

Court

A place where a judge hears and rules on legal cases

Monarchy

Form of government in which one person rules, and the authority is inherited

Neutrality

The state of not supporting or helping either side in a conflict

Alliance

An agreement between two or more parties to cooperate on common interests

Political party

A group that wants to gain power in a government

Sectionalism

Being more concerned with interests of a group of people or region instead of the whole country

Deport

To be sent out of a country

Refugee

Someone who flees their home country for security reasons

States rights

Individual states have the right to pass and enforce laws independently and with little interference by the federal government

Diplomat

A person who represents his/her country in a foreign country

Treason

Act of betrayal

Immigrant

A person who comes to a country where he/she were not born to live

Missouri compromise

Agreement between pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups on the expansion of slavery into new territories

Canal

Waterway built for transportation and shipping; sometimes connects two bodies of water

Export

Goods sold to other countries

Tariff

A government tax on imports

Imports

Goods purchased from other countries

Public works

Things built for public use paid for by the government

American system

Economic policies created by henry clay; system to unite the US economic systems so the country would be able to support itself

Accomodationist

Naitive american who adopted euro-american traditions

Industrialized

A country whose economy is based on the production of goods by using machines and factories

Impressment

Act of capturing men and forcing them to serve in the navy

Monroe doctrine

US foreign policy created by james monroe that opposed european control in western hemisphere

Traditionalist

Native american who rejected all white culture

laissez-faire

A French phrase that means to let things alone; belief that the less government involvement in the economy, the better

Louisiana purchase

territory west of the Mississippi river to the Rocky Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada that the US bought from France for $15 million

embargo

a government order stopping trade with another country

loose construction

belief that the federal government has more power than what is stated in the Constitution; gives federal government more power

credit

money a person borrows that must be paid back

westward expansion

addition of territories by the United States across the North America from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean

expedition

a journey or voyage for a specific purpose

debt

money owed

strict construction

belief that the only powers given to the federal government are stated in the Constitution; Limits the power of the federal government