U. S Constitution
What is a colony?
a territory under the political control of another country
What does it mean to govern?
rule over a country, state, or group of people
Who were the colonists trying to escape?
King George III
What is an amendment?
an article added to the U.S. Constitution
What is a republic?
a government in which the power is held by the people and their elected representatives
What is a president?
the elected leader of a republic
How many original colonies were there?
thirteen
Where did the colonists come from?
England
What does guaranteed mean?
formally assured
What does contradict mean?
deny the truth of a statement by asserting that the opposite is true
What does compromise mean?
an agreement that is reached when two parties give up some of their demands to meet in the middle
What is Congress?
the legislative branch of the U.S. government
What are the two houses of Congress?
Senate and House of Representatives
What does ratified mean?
approved or endorsed
How many amendments are in the Bill of Rights?
ten
What was Independence Hall?
building where both the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution were written
What is the Senate?
the upper house of the U.S. Congress represented by two people from each state
What concern did the smaller colonies have about their representation in the new federal government?
They did not want the larger colonies to have more votes on important issues.
What does protection mean?
the provision of safety or defense
What are the Bills of Rights?
a list of personal freedoms added to the Constitution
What does eavesdropping mean?
secretly listening to a conversation
America needed a central government and laws.
What kind of government did the colonists want to form and why?
The colonists wanted to form a republic. They wanted the power of the government to be in the hands of the people and their elected officials.
What is a warrant?
a document that gives police officers permission to arrest someone or search their property
What is the Constitution?
a set of laws for people to live by (central government)