Constitution & Federalism Practice Review

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts, constitutional principles, compromises, foundational documents, and government branches from Chapters 2 and 3.

Constitution

Created to replace the Articles of Confederation and establish a stronger national government.

Federalism

A system where power is divided and shared between the national government and state governments.

Articles of Confederation

The original plan of government whose national government was too weak because it could not effectively tax, regulate interstate commerce, or enforce its decisions.

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

An agreement that created a two-house legislature consisting of the House (representation based on population) and the Senate (equal representation for each state).

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement about counting enslaved people for representation and taxation purposes.

Separation of Powers

The division of government power among three distinct branches to prevent one person or group from becoming too powerful.

Legislative Branch

The branch of government that makes laws.

Executive Branch

The branch of government that enforces and carries out laws.

Judicial Branch

The branch of government that interprets and evaluates laws.

Checks and Balances

A principle that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the others to prevent any single branch from becoming too powerful.

Enumerated / Expressed Powers

Powers specifically written and given to Congress in the Constitution.

Implied Powers

Powers not directly written in the Constitution but reasonably necessary to carry out expressed powers.

Necessary and Proper Clause

A constitutional clause allowing Congress to make laws needed to carry out its constitutional powers.

Anti-Federalists

A group that feared the national government would become too powerful and threaten individual liberties, demanding a Bill of Rights to protect individual rights.

Federalist 10

Madison's argument that a large republic can control the effects of factions because many different groups make it harder for one group to dominate.

Federalist 51

Madison's argument for separation of powers and checks and balances, asserting that government should be designed so power checks power.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution that protect individual rights.

Judicial Review

The power of courts to check constitutionality and determine whether laws are constitutional.

Popular Sovereignty

The idea that government gets its authority from the people and that the people hold the power.