The New Government and the U.S. Constitution

Vocabulary terms covering the events of the 1787 Constitutional Convention, the proposed government plans, major compromises, the structure of the three branches, and the ratification process.

Constitutional Convention

A meeting held in 1787 in Philadelphia to change the government, where $55$ delegates set up a new system.

Rhode Island

The only state that did not send delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

George Washington

The official who served as the officer during the Constitutional Convention.

James Madison

The individual who kept records during the Constitutional Convention and was one of the authors of the Federalist Papers.

Virginia Plan

A 'big state plan' introduced by Edmund Randolph that proposed throwing out the Articles, creating $3$ branches, and establishing a two-house legislature where representation was based on population.

New Jersey Plan

A 'small state plan' introduced by William Paterson that proposed a stronger central government with a single-house Congress where each state had equal delegates.

The Great Compromise

Also known as the Connecticut Compromise, it established a House of Representatives based on population and a Senate with an equal number of delegates per state.

3/5s Compromise

A plan for counting enslaved people where every $5$ slaves counted as $3$ free persons for the purpose of representation.

Popular sovereignty

The principle that the government is ruled by the people.

Legislative branch

The branch of government consisting of two houses of Congress that makes the laws.

Executive branch

The branch of government headed by the president that enforces the laws.

Judicial branch

The branch of government consisting of the courts that interprets the laws.

Checks and balances

A system allowing branches to make sure no one branch gets too much power, such as the executive veto or legislative impeachment.

Veto

The power of the Executive Branch to reject legislation, which can be overridden by a $rac{2}{3}$ vote of both houses of Congress.

Impeach

The power of the Legislative Branch to bring charges against and remove high officials.

Amendments

Changes to the Constitution that require a two-step process: proposal by a $rac{2}{3}$ vote of both houses and ratification by $rac{3}{4}$ of state legislatures.

Federalist

People who supported the Constitution.

Anti-federalist

People who opposed the Constitution because they thought it endangered state independence and believed a Bill of Rights should be added.

Federalist Papers

A collection of $85$ essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay in support of the Constitution.

Ratification

The process of approving the Constitution; initially required $9$ of $13$ states to take effect.