A New Nation Vocab

Question 1

bicameral

Answer 1

having two separate law-making chambers

Question 2

republic

Answer 2

a government in which citizens rule through elected representatives

Question 3

ordinance

Answer 3

a law or regulation

Question 4

clause

Answer 4

a special condition in a formal document

Question 5

manumission

Answer 5

the freeing of individual enslaved persons

Question 6

convention

Answer 6

meeting

Question 7

amend

Answer 7

to change or revise

Question 8

compromise

Answer 8

a settlement of a dispute by each side giving up some demands

Question 9

Federalism

Answer 9

a form of government in which power is divided between the federal or national government and state governments

Question 10

legislative branch

Answer 10

the law-making branch of government

Question 11

executive branch

Answer 11

the branch of government that executes or carries out, the law and that is headed by the president

Question 12

Electoral College

Answer 12

a special group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

Question 13

judicial branch

Answer 13

the branch of government that interprets the law; it includes courts that settle disputes and questions of the law

Question 14

checks and balances

Answer 14

a system by which each branch of government limits the powers of other branches so that one branch does not become to powerful

Question 15

Federalists

Answer 15

people who supported the new Constitution

Question 16

Anti-Federalists

Answer 16

people who opposed the Constitution

Question 17

amendment

Answer 17

a change, correction, or improvement added to a document

Question 18

separation of powers

Answer 18

the division of authority among executive, legislative, and judicial branches to make sure no one branch has too much power

Question 19

popular sovereignty

Answer 19

the belief that government is subject to the powers given to it by the people

Question 20

limited government

Answer 20

idea that a government may only use the powers given to it by the people

Question 21

implied powers

Answer 21

authority not specifically mentioned in the Constitution but suggested in its language

Question 22

naturalization

Answer 22

the process of becoming a citizen of another country