Government
Rules
More Rules
Beginnings
Ideals
100
The principle of the two-house legislature.
What is bicameralism?
100
An addition to or deletion from a constitution or law.
What is an amendment?
100
The fundamental rules that determine how those who govern are selected, the procedures by which they operate, and the limits to their powers.
What is the Constitution?
100
The first constitution of the newly independent American States written in 1777.
What is the Articles of Confederation?
100
Community members who owe loyalty to the government and are entitled to protection from it.
What are citizens?
200
Constitutional grant of powers that ensures each of the three branches of government a sufficient role in the actions of the others so that no one branch may dominate the others. These three branches must work together if governmental business is to be performed.
What are checks and balances?
200
The first ten amendments to the Constitution.
What is the Bill of Rights?
200
In general, the procedure established by the Constitution for the election of the president and Vice President.
What is the Electoral College?
200
A compromise between the Virginia and New Jersey Plans that called for one house in which each state would have an equal vote, and a second house in which representation would be based on population and all bills for raising and appropriating money would originate.
What is the Connecticut Compromise?
200
Freedoms to think and act without government interference or fear of unfair legal treatment.
What are civil liberties?
300
The branch of government that carries out the laws.
What is Executive Branch?
300
Powers that the Constitution does not give to the national government that are kept by the states.
What is reserved powers?
300
The convention in Philadelphia in 1787 (May 25 to September 17) that framed the Constitution of the United States.
What is the Constitutional Congress?
300
The rights of full citizenship and equality under the law.
What are civil rights?
400
The branch of government that interprets the laws.
What is judicial branch?
400
The split of authority between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
What is separation of powers?
400
An agreement providing that enslaved persons would count as three-fifths of other persons in determining representation in Congress.
What is three fifths compromise?
400
A representative to a meeting.
What is a delegate?
400
Government by the people, either directly or indirectly, with free and frequent elections.
What is a democracy?
500
The branch of government that makes the laws.
What is the legislative branch?
500
A series of resolutions that called for a confederation around powerful state governments.
What is the New Jersey Plan?
500
A series of resolutions that called for a strong central government.
What is the Virginia Plan?
500
To vote approval.
What is ratify?
500
A form of government in which power is divided between the federal, or national, government and the states.
What is federalism?
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