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Creating the Con.
Creating the Constitution Vocab
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| federalism | sharing power between the federal and state governments |
| legislative branch | the lawmaking branch of government |
| executive branch | branch of government that executes, or carries out, the law; headed by the president |
| electoral college | special group of electors chosen to vote for president and vice president |
| judicial branch | the branch of government that includes the courts that settle disputes and questions of the law |
| checks and balances | a system by which each branch of government limits power of other branches |
| amendment | a change, correction, or improvement added to a document |
| popular sovereignty | the belief that government is subject to the will of the people |
| limited government | Government with limited powers strictly defined by law |
| enumerated power | power specifically given Congress in the Constitution |
| reserved power | power belonging only to the states |
| concurrent power | power shared by the states and federal government |
| separation of powers | a principle by which powers are divided among different branches of government to make sure no one branch has too much power |
| implied power | power not enumerated in the Constitution but suggested in its language |
| judicial review | power of the court to judge whether or not actions of other branches are constitutional |
| due process | the legal rules & procedures the government must observe before depriving a person of life, liberty, or property. |
| equal protection | the equal application of the law regardless of a person's race, religion, political beliefs or other qualities |
| naturalization | the process of becoming a citizen of another country |