| Question | Answer |
| bicameral | two-house |
| Great Compromise | Sherman's plan for the constitution which was a compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan |
| Three-Fifths Compromise | This counted each slave as 3/5 of a person |
| ratified | approved |
| Federalists | supporters of the Constitution; wanted a strong national government |
| Anti-Federalists | opposed the Constitution |
| Amendments | changes |
| Federalism | Division of power between state and federal (national) government |
| Concurrent powers | Powers shared by the federal and state governments- for example, collecting taxes and establishing courts |
| Reserved powers | powers that the Constitution neither gives to the federal government nor denies to the states- for example, the states have the reserved powers to establish schools and form police organizations |
| Checks and Balances | Gives each branch of government ways to limit the powers of the other two |
| Impeach | accuse |
| The three branches of the federal government | executive, legislative, & judicial |
| Powers of the Judicial Branch | interprets the laws;has final say in all cases involving the Constitution; can declare laws unconstitutional |
| Powers of the Executive Branch | Executes the laws; appoints federal judges; can veto acts of Congress; can call Congress into special sessions |
| Powers of the Legislative Branch | Creates the laws; can override a presidential veto; approves appointment of judges; approves treaties; can impeach the President and federal judges |
| Virginia Plan | Developed by James Madison: had 2 houses in the legislature, both based on population; large states loved this plan |
| New Jersey Plan | William Patterson: had one house in the legislature; all states get the same number of representatives; small states loved this plan |
| Purpose of the Constitutional Convention | to form a new government |
| Who could vote? | White men who owned property |
| What was wrong with the Articles of Confederation | they gave the states too much power |
| What are the 6 goals of our government | form a more perfect union; establish justice; insure domestic tranquility; provide for common defense; promote general welfare; secure blessings of liberty |
| The Federalist Papers | published essays that were pro-Constitution; these helped to persuade the American people to support the new Constitution |
| electoral college | put in place to elect the President because the founding fathers didn't trust the average American to vote wisely for President |