The Founding Era
the first basis for the new nation’s government; adopted in 1781; created an alliance of sovereign states held together by a weak central government
What are the Articles of Confederation?
a legislature with two houses, such as the U.S. Congress
What is a bicameral legislature?
the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution; most were designed to protect fundamental rights and liberties
What is the Bill of Rights?
the powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs
What are enumerated powers?
the power of the president to reject a law proposed by Congress
What is a veto?
a document written in 1776 in which the American colonists proclaimed their independence from Great Britain and listed their grievances against the British king
What is the Declaration of Independence?
a plan for a two-house legislature; representatives would be elected to the lower house based on each state’s population; representatives for the upper house would be chosen by the lower house
What is the Virginia Plan?
a collection of eighty-five essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in support of ratification of the Constitution
What are the Federalist Papers?
the presiding officer of the House of Representatives and the leader of the majority party; the Speaker is second in the presidential line of succession, after the vice president
Who is the Speaker of the House? Who is Mike Johnson?
a rule or order issued by the president without the cooperation of Congress and having the force of law
What is an executive order?
those who did not support ratification of the Constitution
Who are the Anti-Federalists?
a plan that called for a one-house national legislature; each state would receive one vote
What is the New Jersey Plan?
a form of government in which power is divided between state governments and a national government
What is federalism?
a special type of joint committee that reconciles different bills passed in the House and Senate so a single bill results
What is a conference committee?
the act of charging a government official with serious wrongdoing, which in some cases may lead to the removal of that official from office
What is impeachment?
those who supported ratification of the Constitution
Who are the Federalists?
a compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan that created a two-house Congress; representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation of states in the Senate
What is the Great Compromise?
the right to life, liberty, and property; believed to be given by God; no government may take away
What are natural rights?
the process by which seats in the House of Representatives are distributed among the fifty states
What is apportionment?
a group of advisors to the president, consisting of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch who head the fifteen executive departments
What is the President's Cabinet?
a highly decentralized form of government; sovereign states form a union for purposes such as mutual defense
What is a confederation?
a compromise between northern and southern states that called for counting of all a state’s free population and 60 percent of its enslaved population for both federal taxation and representation in Congress
What is the Three-Fifths Compromise?
Name One Federalist and One Anti-Federalist Founding Father
Who is.......?
Describe How a Bill Becomes a Law
What is.....first introduced, then cmmte, then vote, then other chamber, cmmte, then vote, then conference cmmte, then vote in both chambers, then president can sign or veto (if veto then Congress can override)
a statement a president issues with the intent to influence the way a specific bill the president signs should be enforced
What is a signing statement?