Systems of Power
In this system of government, a weak central government coordinates a loose alliance of independent, sovereign states
What is a confederal system (or confederation)?
This form of government vests absolute power in a single hereditary ruler, such as a king or queen
What is a monarchy?
This was the United States' first, highly decentralized constitution, which was eventually replaced due to severe weaknesses
What are the Articles of Confederation?
This agreement resolved the debate over legislative representation by creating a bicameral Congress with a Senate (equal representation) and a House of Representatives (proportional representation).
What is the Great Compromise (or Connecticut Compromise)?
This constitutional principle, opening with 'We the People', asserts that political power resides with the citizens, who give consent to be governed.
What is popular sovereignty?
his system of government concentrates all key powers in a single, central national authority.
What is a unitary system?
A system of government where a small, elite, or powerful group of people holds all political power
What is a oligarchy?
Name three major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation that eventually led to its replacement
What are: no power to tax, no national executive (president), no national court system, no power to regulate interstate commerce, or requiring unanimous consent to amend?
This highly controversial compromise decided that three-fifths of the enslaved population would be counted for both direct taxation and representation in the House
What is the Three-Fifths Compromise?
This principle divides government responsibilities into three distinct branches (legislative, executive, judicial) to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power.
What is separation of powers?
This system divides sovereign power between a strong central national government and smaller state or regional governments, as seen in the United States.
What is a federal system (or federalism)?
Also known as a representative democracy, this is a system where citizens elect leaders to make laws and govern on their behalf
What is a republic?
This faction strongly opposed the ratification of the Constitution because they feared a strong national government would threaten individual liberties
Who are the Anti-Federalists?
This compromise forbade Congress from banning the importation of enslaved people for 20 years (until 1808) and prohibited taxing exports
What is the Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise?
This principle gives each branch of government ways to monitor, limit, or influence the actions of the other two branches (e.g., presidential veto, Senate confirmation).
What are checks and balances?
In this executive system, the executive leader (such as a Prime Minister) is chosen directly from and by the legislative branch, not by a separate national election.
What is a parliamentary system?
A democratic system where citizens participate directly in decision-making and vote on laws themselves, rather than electing representatives
What is a direct democracy?
To appease the Anti-Federalists and guarantee individual rights, this set of ten amendments was promised and subsequently added to the Constitution
What is the Bill of Rights (or First 10 Amendments)?
The Great Compromise resolved a fierce dispute between these two groups of states regarding representation in the national legislature.
What are the large states (who supported the Virginia Plan) and small states (who supported the New Jersey Plan)?
What document is considered the supreme law of the land in the United States?
What is the US Constitution?
In this executive system, the executive leader (such as a President) is elected independently of the legislature, serves a fixed term, and is part of a distinct branch of government.
What is a presidential system?
This is the primary difference in citizen participation between a republic and a direct democrac
What is: in a republic, citizens elect representatives to make laws; in a direct democracy, citizens vote on laws themselves?
This collection of 85 essays was written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to argue in favor of ratifying the new Constitution
What are the Federalist Papers?
The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise addressed a deep economic and moral division between these two geographic regions of the United States.
What are the Northern states and Southern states?
This amendment protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures, requiring a warrant supported by probable cause.
What is the Fourth Amendment?