Who's Really Running This Place?
The principle that everyone—including government leaders—must obey established laws
Rule of Law
Signed in 1215, this English document first limited the power of the king and established that rulers must follow the law
Magna Carta
The proposal favored by large states that advocated basing congressional representation strictly on population
Virginia Plan
The introductory section of the U.S. Constitution beginning with "We the People" that lays out the goals of the government
Preamble
The constitutional protection requiring the government to follow fair legal procedures before depriving anyone of life, liberty, or property
Due Process
The idea that government power originates directly from the consent and authority of the people
What is Popular Sovereignty
The 1776 document written by Thomas Jefferson that formally separated the American colonies from Great Britain
Declaration of Independence
The plan supported by small states that proposed equal voting power for every state regardless of size
New Jersey Plan
The constitutional rule establishing that national law is supreme whenever state and federal laws conflict
Supremacy Clause
The fraction of both houses of Congress required to propose a national amendment to the Constitution
two-thirds (2/3)
The constitutional division and sharing of responsibilities between the national and state governments
What is Federalism
This state document guaranteed freedom of the press and religion, heavily influencing the U.S. Bill of Rights
Virginia Declaration of Rights
The agreement creating a bicameral legislature with representation by population in the House and equal state representation in the Senate
Great Compromise
The specific article of the Constitution that outlines the structure and responsibilities of the Legislative Branch
Article 1
The fraction of state legislatures required to ratify a proposed national constitutional amendment
three-fourths (3/4)
The fundamental principle stating that the government is not all-powerful and may only do the things the people have given it the power to do.
Limited Government
This 1606 charter granted settlers permission to form a colony and guaranteed them the full rights of English citizens; later establishing the House of Burgesses
Charters of the Virginia Company of London
The constitutional formula that decided how enslaved individuals would be counted for population representation and taxes
Three-Fifths Compromise
The collective term for the first ten amendments added to guarantee individual protections against government overreach
Bill of Rights
This specific amendment in the Bill of Rights protects citizens against self-incrimination, double jeopardy, and guarantees due process at the national level
Fifth Amendment
A government model where citizens elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on their behalf
Republicanism (or Representative Government)
Thomas Jefferson authored this document to guarantee religious freedom, which inspired the First Amendment
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
The political group that opposed the Constitution without a Bill of Rights, fearing the federal government would become too powerful
Anti-Federalists
The five core liberties protected under the First Amendment
religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition
The key legal principle ensuring that the government cannot take a citizen's belongings or land without a valid reason and fair payment
Right to Private Property