ENLIGHTENMENT & ROOTS
This 1700s movement promoted using reason and science to improve society and government.
What is the Enlightenment?
This system of government shares power between the national government and state governments.
What is federalism?
This branch of government is responsible for making the laws and is made up of Congress.
What is the legislative branch?
This system allows each branch of government to limit the power of the other branches.
What are checks and balances?
This word means to officially approve something, like the Constitution
What is ratify?
This English philosopher believed all people are born with natural rights to life, liberty, and property.
Who is John Locke?
Under federalism, this level of government has the power to print money and deal with foreign countries.
What is the national (federal) government?
This branch of government is led by the President and carries out the laws.
What is the executive branch?
The President can use this power to reject a bill passed by Congress
What is a veto?
These people supported the Constitution and wanted a strong central government.
Who are the Federalists?
This French thinker argued that government power should be separated into different branches
Who is Baron de Montesquieu?
Under federalism, running public schools and conducting elections are powers kept by.
What are the state governments?
This branch of government interprets the laws and includes the Supreme Court.
What is the judicial branch?
Congress can overcome a presidential veto by getting this fraction of votes in both houses
What is a two-thirds vote?
These people opposed the Constitution, fearing it gave the government too much power without protecting individual rights.
Who are the Federalists?
This 1215 document was one of the first to limit the power of a king, influencing the Framers centuries later.
What is the Magna Carta?
The system that shares power between national and state governments is called ____________________.
What is federalism?
Congress is split into these two houses as a result of the Great Compromise.
What are the House of Representatives and the Senate?
The Supreme Court can declare a law unconstitutional. This power is called this
What is judicial review?
Madison, Hamilton, and Jay wrote this famous series of essays to convince people to support the Constitution.
What are The Federalist Papers?
Locke described government as this — an agreement where the people follow the rules and the government protects their rights in return.
What is a contract (or social contract)?
What does the Constitution call itself because it is the highest law in the country?
What is “the supreme law of the land”?
This special group of electors from each state officially casts votes to choose the President.
What is the Electoral College?
The President appoints Supreme Court justices, but this branch must approve them — an example of checks and balances.
What is the Congress (Senate)?
This is a change or addition to the Constitution. The first ten, called the Bill of Rights, were added in 1791 to keep the promise made to the Antifederalists.
What is an amendment?