Challenge-The Federalist Era

Vocab for the Federalist Era Vocab

Republic

A form of government where power is held by citizens who elect representatives to govern and make decisions on their behalf.

Democracy

A system of government where the people exercise power directly or by electing representatives through voting.

Sovereign

Self-governing and independent of outside authority.

Federalist

An early American political supporter who favored the adoption of the U.S. Constitution and a strong central government.

Anti-Federalist

An early American political group or individual who opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, favoring states' rights over a strong national government.

Ratify

To formally approve, confirm, or accept a legal document or agreement.

Constitution

A written plan that provides the basic framework and fundamental principles of a government.

Federalism

A political system in which power is shared and divided between national and state governments.

Executive Branch

The arm of government responsible for enforcing and administering laws.

Legislative Branch

The lawmaking arm of government responsible for drafting and passing statutes.

Judicial Branch

The arm of government responsible for interpreting laws and evaluating their constitutionality.

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to prevent any single branch from becoming too powerful.

Checks and Balances

A constitutional mechanism allowing each branch of government to monitor and limit the powers of the other branches.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution that protect civil liberties and individual freedoms.

Amendment

A formal change, addition, or revision made to a constitution or legal document.

Precedent

An earlier court decision or legal action that serves as an authoritative guide for deciding future cases.

Judicial Review

The authority of courts to examine legislative and executive acts and declare them unconstitutional.

Veto

The constitutional authority of an executive leader to reject or refuse to sign a bill passed by the legislature.

Override

The constitutional power of a legislature to enact a rejected bill into law, typically requiring a supermajority vote.

Social Contract

An agreement between the government and the governed that defines the rights and duties of each.