American Government and Constitutional Principles

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering basic principles of American government, the failure of the Articles of Confederation, constitutional compromises, the Federalist debate, and the formal and informal amendment processes.

Separation of Powers

The division of government power into three distinct and independent branches: executive (President), legislative (Congress), and judicial (federal courts).

Checks and Balances

A constitutional system where each branch of government is restricted and restrained by the other two branches to prevent tyranny.

Judicial Review

The power established early in nation history giving federal courts authority to review government acts and nullify any that are unconstitutional.

Federalism

A governmental system dividing power between a central government and smaller local governments so that local problems can be handled at the local level.

Articles of Confederation

The initial national government framework featuring a single legislative body, state militias without national armed forces or federal courts, no national taxing authority, and no real president.

Shays' Rebellion

A 1786 series of small attacks on courthouses to prevent judges from foreclosing on farms, exposing national weakness and spurring the Constitutional Convention.

Framers

The 55 delegates from 12 states (excluding Rhode Island) who met in Philadelphia in 1787 and ultimately wrote a new U.S. Constitution.

James Madison

The 'Father of the Constitution' and principal author of the Bill of Rights who designed key constitutional protections against tyranny.

New Jersey Plan

A proposal at the Philadelphia Convention calling for equal representation for each state in Congress, serving as the blueprint for the modern Senate.

Virginia Plan

A proposal at the Philadelphia Convention calling for congressional representation based on state population, laying the groundwork for the modern House of Representatives.

Connecticut Compromise

Also known as the Great Compromise, this solution established a bicameral legislature with equal representation in the Senate and population-based representation in the House of Representatives.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement reached between Northern and Southern states counting every $5$ slaves as $3$ persons for congressional representation and tax calculation purposes.

Federalist Papers

A collection of 85 published articles authored by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay defending and advocating for the ratification of the Constitution.

Federalists

Supporters of the Constitution who advocated for its quick ratification, arguing that a strong central government was necessary for the nation to survive.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution, led by figures like Thomas Jefferson, who argued that the central government was too powerful and would weaken state sovereignty and individual rights.

Bill of Rights

The first $10$ amendments added to the Constitution in 1791 (out of $12$ proposed in 1789) designed to protect individual political liberties.

Formal Amendment

A legal process under Article V that directly alters or adds to the written text of the Constitution.

Article V

The section of the Constitution defining formal amendment procedures, requiring a $\frac{2}{3}$ proposal vote in Congress or national convention and ratification by $\frac{3}{4}$ ($75\%$) of the states.

Thirteenth Amendment

A formal constitutional amendment ratified to abolish slavery in the United States.

Fourteenth Amendment

A formal constitutional amendment granting citizenship and equal protection guarantees under the law.

Fifteenth Amendment

A formal constitutional amendment granting Black adult males the right to vote.

Informal Amendment

Changes in the application, practice, or spirit of the Constitution through unwritten tradition, political practice, technology, or judicial interpretations without altering the written wording.

Judicial Interpretation

An informal method of constitutional change where Supreme Court rulings (such as Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade) re-evaluate the practical meaning of constitutional provisions.