Show:
The Branches of Government 1
Articles pf Confederation
Federal and State Powers
Bill of Rights
Vocabulary
100

This branch of government makes the laws.

What is the legislative branch?

100

After gaining independence, the United States created its first system of government called

What is the Articles of Confederation?

100

A system that ensures that no single branch of government becomes to powerful

What are Checks and Balances?

100

Protects your freedoms of speech, religion, assembly and petition.

What is the First (1st) Amendment?

100
This is the authority of a president to refuse to sign bills into law.
What is veto power?
200

This branch of government enforces, or carries out, laws.

What is the executive branch?

200

Under the Articles the national government could not

1. enforce laws

2. collect taxes

3. create a national court system to settle disputes

200

Congress can propose a law, but the president has the power to to deny it.

What is veto?

200
Protects against unreasonable (warrantless) searches and seizures (unless reasonable suspicion or probable cause exists).
What is the Fourth (4th) Amendment?
200
This is a change to the Constitution, which requires a supermajority (2/3) of Congress or states to propose and a 3/4 majority of states to ratify (approve).
What is an amendment?
300
This branch of government interprets the law.
What is the judicial branch?
300

It created a system for governing new territories and set a clear process for how new states could join the Union

What is the Northwest Ordinance?

300

If the president approves the law, federal judges can decide if it is

What is Constitutional or not?

300
Protects the rights of the accused (including the right to grand jury indictment, the right not to testify against oneself, and due process).
What is the Fifth (5th) Amendment?
300

This is the division of power between a central (national or federal) government and regional (state and local) government.

What is federalism?

400

The division of government into three branches in order to restrict the accumulation of power by any one person or body.

What is the separation of powers?

400

A violent protest by Farmers angry about high property taxes and losing their land. Attempted to stop courts and seize weapons.

What is Shay's Rebellion?

400
These powers belong to both federal and state governments (e.g. the powers to collect taxes, make and enforce laws, and establish courts).
What are concurrent (or shared) powers?
400
Protects against excessive fines and bail and against cruel or unusual punishments.
What is the Eighth (8th) Amendment?
400
This clause declares the Constitution (and federal law) to be the supreme law of the land (i.e. constitutional/federal law trumps state law).
What is the supremacy clause?
500

A system of restrictions placed on individual branches of government by the other branches of government to maintain a balance of power.

What is the system of checks and balances?

500

James Madison, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, George Mason.

Who are the Federalist and Anti-Federalist?

500

All powers not belonging to the federal government but to the states (e.g. the powers to establish schools and set speed limits).

What are reserved powers?

500

Protects the rights of those on trial (including a speedy, public jury trial of one's peers; access to an attorney; and the rights to obtain and confront witnesses for and against).

What is the Sixth (6th) Amendment?

500

This is the act of formally accusing a public official (e.g. the president) of a crime (e.g. treason) that can result in removal from office.

What is impeach(ment)?