The lawmaking body of Iowa before it became a state.
Territorial Legislature
A law passed by Congress allowing Iowa to draft a state constitution.
Enabling Act
Iowa’s second and current constitution, providing a stronger framework for state governance.
Constitution of 1857
The section of Iowa’s constitution protecting individual rights.
Bill of Rights (Iowa)
The process by which Iowa officially became a state in 1846.
Admission to the Union
The right to vote; expanded over time in Iowa’s constitutions.
Suffrage
The principle that government authority comes from the people.
Popular Sovereignty
Iowa’s first state constitution, which established its early government.
Constitution of 1846
A formal change to Iowa’s constitution.
Amendment
The process of approving a constitution or amendment.
Ratification
Division of Iowa’s government into legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
Separation of Powers
Federal law encouraging settlement of Iowa and the western frontier.
Homestead Act
The belief in U.S. expansion westward, which influenced settlement in Iowa.
Manifest Destiny
A smaller unit of government within counties, handling local matters like schools and roads.
Township
A gathering to draft or revise a state constitution.
Constitutional Convention
The head of Iowa’s executive branch.
Governor
Iowa’s legislative body, made up of the House of Representatives and Senate.
General Assembly
The branch of Iowa’s government that interprets laws.
Judiciary
Local level of governance in Iowa, overseeing courts, roads, and elections.
County Government
The official symbol of Iowa’s government and sovereignty.
State Seal of Iowa
The system ensuring no branch of Iowa’s government becomes too powerful.
Checks and Balances
Law that set rules for creating new states, serving as a model for Iowa’s statehood.
Northwest Ordinance
Early law setting up how land (including Iowa’s) was surveyed and divided.
Land Ordinance of 1785
The system of shared power between state governments like Iowa’s and the federal government.
Federalism
City or town government in Iowa, responsible for services like police, fire, and public works.
Municipal Government