Constitution Flashcards
(35 cards)
Articles of Confederation
Americas first constitution.
Declaration of Independence
the government and our identity as Americans is based
Treason
the crime of betraying one’s country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.
Checks and Balances
In the U.S. government, checks and balances refers to the separation of power in the government, which is ensured through the establishment of three different branches: the executive branch, the judicial branch, and the legislative branch.
Separation of powers
an act of vesting the legislative, executive, and judicial powers of government in separate bodies.
Great Compromise/Connecticut Compromise
The Connecticut Compromise was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that in part defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution.
tariff
a tax or duty to be paid on a particular class of imports or exports.
repeal
revoke or annul (a law or congressional act).
Civil Discourse
Civil discourse refers to respectful conversation aimed at fostering understanding and constructive communication, where individuals within a group share different perspectives, enhancing the learning experience.
3/5 Compromise
Three-fifths compromise, compromise agreement between delegates from the Northern and the Southern states at the United States Constitutional Convention (1787) that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.
Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation’s first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the national frame and constraints of government.
Preamble
The preamble is an introduction to the highest law of the land; it is not the law. It does not define government powers or individual rights. Establish Justice is the first of five objectives outlined in the 52-word paragraph that the Framers drafted in six weeks during the hot Philadelphia summer of 1787.
Bill of Rights
The United States Bill of Rights comprises the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution.
Legislative Branch
Legislative. The legislative branch is made up of the House and Senate, known collectively as the Congress. Among other powers, the legislative branch makes all laws, declares war, regulates interstate and foreign commerce and controls taxing and spending policies.
Executive Branch
The executive branch consists of the President, his or her advisors and various departments and agencies. This branch is responsible for enforcing the laws of the land. The following are executive branch organizations and agencies: Executive Office of the President (White House)
Judicial Branch
The judiciary is the system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends, and applies the law in legal cases.
Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress. Together, the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives comprise the federal bicameral legislature of the United States.
House of Representative
The United States House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together, they comprise the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
Equal representation
Apportionment (politics), the way that representatives are assigned to voting groups, with equal representation meaning that all groups are fairly represented. One man, one vote, the principle that each vote must have equal value.
Proportional representation
an electoral system in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them.
President
the elected head of a republic.
Supreme Court
In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, and high court of appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of a supreme court are not subject to further review by any other court.
Fugitive Slave Clause
No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.
