Waples Ap Gov chapter 2 vocab

Federalists:

Supporters of the U.S. Constitution and a strong federal govt 

Antifederalists:

People who opposed the Constitution

Virginia Plan:

“large state” proposal for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation in houses

New Jersey Plan:

“small state proposal at the constitutional convention that called for equal representation of each state in congress

checks and balances

a system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches

bicameral

two house legislature

bills of attainder

when the legislature declares someone guilty without a trial

Brutus No.1

An antifederalist paper arguing that the country was too large to be governed as a republic and that the constitution gave too much power to the national government

constitution

a document that sets out the fundamental principles of governance and establishes the institutions of government

Constitutional convention

a meeting attended by state delegates in 1787 to fix the articles of confederation

elastic clause

language in Article 1, Section 8, granting Congress the powers necessary to carry out its enumerated powers

enumerated powers

authority specifically granted to a branch of the government in the constitution

executive branch

the institution responsible for carrying out laws passed by the legislative branch

Expost facto Laws

laws punishing people for acts that are not crimes at the time they were committed

faction

a group of self-interested people who use the government to get what they want, trampling the rights of others in the process

federalism

the sharing of power between the national government and the states

great compromise

an agreement for a plan of government that drew upon both the Virginia and New Jersey plans; it settled issues of state representations by calling for a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives apportioned proportionately and a Senate apportioned equally

implied powers

authority of the federal government that goes beyond its expressed powers

Judicial branch

The institution responsible for hearing and deciding cases through the federal court

legislative branch

the institution (branch) responsible for making laws

Shays Rebellion

A popular uprising against the government of Massachusetts- lead to reconsideration of the powers of the Articles of Confederation

Three Fifths compromise

an agreement reached by delegates at the constitutional convention that a slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person in calculating state’s representation

Writ of Habeas Corpus

The right of people detained by the government to know the charges against them.