Constitution 1
This is a written plan that outlines the basic laws and principles of a government.
What is a Constitution?
A change or addition made to a law, document, or constitution; e.g., the First Amendment.
What is an amendment?
Fundamental rights that belong to all people, often listed as life, liberty, and property (or pursuit of happiness).
What are natural rights?
Rights held by individual people that the government must respect and protect, like freedom of religion.
What are individual rights?
What is the term for when different branches of government each have specific jobs so no one branch controls everything?
What is separation of powers?
The idea that the authority of government comes from the people and their consent; shown when citizens vote.
What is popular sovereignty?
A government system where power is split into legislative, executive, and judicial branches so no single branch controls everything.
What is separation of powers?
A loose union of independent states that keep most power for themselves — the U.S. used this before adopting the Constitution.
What is a confederation?
The formal name for the list of complaints against a ruler or government written to justify a call for change (used in the Declaration of Independence).
What are grievances?
What is a political system in which people elect representatives to make laws on their behalf?
What is republicanism?
This system divides power between a national government and state governments; for example, states run schools while the national government handles defense.
What is federalism?
A legislature with two separate chambers—like the Senate and the House—is described by this term.
What is bicameral?
The right of a state or group to have supreme authority over its own affairs (as long as it doesn’t conflict with the Constitution).
What is sovereignty?
The action of making a document officially valid by formal approval
What is ratification?
What word means a formal change or addition specifically made to the Constitution itself?
What is an amendment?
A complaint listed by colonists against King George III that helped motivate the Declaration of Independence is called this.
What is a grievance?
The principle that the government’s power is limited by law or a constitution to protect citizens’ freedoms is called this.
What is limited government?
A system where each branch of government can limit the powers of the others so none becomes too powerful (example: veto and override).
What are checks and balances?
The leader can refuse to sign a law passed by Congress; this power is part of which system that prevents one branch from controlling everything?
What are checks and balances?
What is the name for a government system where power is shared between a central authority and regional (state) governments?
What is federalism?
The formal approval process that made the Constitution take effect after nine states completed it is called this.
What is ratification?
The political idea that people elect representatives to make laws and govern for them (citizens vote for members of Congress).
What is republicanism?
An agreement where each side gives up part of what it wants to reach a solution — used during the Constitutional Convention over representation in Congress.
What is a compromise?
Explain in one sentence how federalism and popular sovereignty are connected in the U.S. system of government.
Federalism divides power between national and state governments while popular sovereignty means that the people are the source of the government's power, so voters choose leaders at both levels.
What term describes the supreme authority a state has to govern itself without outside interference?
What is sovereignty?