Political leaders of the colonies who influenced government
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Separation of Powers
the division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government
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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
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3/4
fraction of states that must approve a change (to amend) to the U.S. Constitution.
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amendment
A change to the Constitution
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Virginia Plan
"Large state" proposal for the new constitution, calling for proportional representation in both houses of a bicameral Congress.
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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.
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Legislative Branch
Branch that makes laws
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Judicial Branch
Branch that interprets the laws
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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)
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The biggest success of the Articles of Confederation
Winning the American Revolution
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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
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House of Representatives and Senate
two houses of congress
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Congress
the legislature of the United States government
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Representatives
People who are chosen to speak and act for their fellow citizens in government
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U.S. Senate
the upper house of the U.S. Congress; each state gets two representatives.
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U.S. House of Representatives
the lower (and larger) house of Congress; representation based on a state's population.
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Superior
Federal laws are more powerful than state laws; they are \_____.
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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.
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Popular Sovereignty
A belief that ultimate power resides in the people; rule by the people. We the People!
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Limited Government
A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.
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central government
a national national government; federal government
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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
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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
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Bicameral
A legislature consisting of two parts, or houses
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Federalism
A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments
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