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Ch 3 Vocabulary
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Constitution | A detailed, written plan for government. |
| Bicameral | A legislature consisting of two parts, or houses. |
| Confederation | A group of individuals or state governments. |
| Ratify | To vote approval of. |
| Constitutional convention | Meeting of state delegates in 1787 leading to adoption of new Constitution. |
| Great compromise | Agreement providing a dual system of congressional representation. |
| Three-fifths compromise | Agreement providing that enslaved persons would count as three-fifths of other persons in determining representation in Congress. |
| Electoral college | A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president. |
| Federalists | Supporters of the constitution. |
| Federalism | A form of government in which power is divided between the federal, or national, government and the states. |
| Anti-Federalists | Those who opposed ratification of the constitution. |
| Preamble | The opening section of the constitution. |
| Legislative branch | The lawmaking branch of government. |
| Executive branch | The branch of government that carries out laws. |
| Judicial branch | The branch of government that interprets law. |
| Amendment | Any change in the constitution. |
| Popular sovereignty | The notion that power lies with the people. |
| Rule of law | Principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern. |
| Separation of powers | The split authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. |
| Checks and balances | A system in which each branch of government is able to check, or restrain, the power of the others. |
| Expressed powers | Powers that Congress has that are specifically listed in the constitution. |
| Reserved powers | Powers that the constitution does not give to the national government that are kept by the states. |
| Concurrent powers | Powers shared by the state and federal governments. |