Articles of Confederation and Constitutional Convention

Founders

Political leaders of the colonies who influenced government

Separation of Powers

the division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

3/4

fraction of states that must approve a change (to amend) to the U.S. Constitution.

amendment

A change to the Constitution

Virginia Plan

"Large state" proposal for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress.

New Jersey Plan

The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the state's population. It favored states with smaller populations.

Legislative Branch

Branch that makes laws

Judicial Branch

Branch that interprets the laws

Articles of Confederation

1st central government (national government) of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to enforce laws or regulate trade)

The biggest success of the Articles of Confederation

Winning the American Revolution

Great Compromise

Compromise made by Constitutional Convention in which states would have equal representation in one house of the legislature and representation based on population in the other house

House of Representatives and Senate

two houses of congress

Congress

the legislature of the United States government

Representatives

People who are chosen to speak and act for their fellow citizens in government

U.S. Senate

the upper house of the U.S. Congress; each state gets two representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives

the lower (and larger) house of Congress; representation based on a state's population.

Superior

Federal laws are more powerful than state laws; they are \_____.

Supreme Law of the Land

The U.S. Constitution's description of its own authority, meaning that all laws made by governments within the United States must be in compliance with the Constitution. Federal laws are superior to state laws. This is the Supremacy Clause.

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people; rule by the people. We the People!

Limited Government

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.

central government

a national national government; federal government

Shay's Rebellion

A 1787 rebellion in which ex-Revolutionary War soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes; shows the weakness of the Articles of Confederation

3/5 Compromise

the decision at the Constitutional convention to count slaves as 3/5 of a person for the purpose of deciding the population and determining how many seats each state would have in Congress

Bicameral

A legislature consisting of two parts, or houses

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments