constitution vocab Flashcards
(35 cards)
Articles of Confederation
the first constitution of the united states
Declaration of Independence
signed in 1776 by US revolutionaries; it declared the United States as a free state.
Treason
betrayal of one’s country
Checks and balances
used to keep the government from getting too powerful in one branch
Separation of powers
the division of power among the legislative executive, and judicial branches of government
Great Compromise
agreement providing a dual system of Congressional representation
Tariff
tax on imports
Repeal
to cancel an act or law
Civil Discourse
reasoned discussion as opposed to emotional display
3/5ths Compromise
allowed slaves to be counted as 3/5ths of a person towards representation and taxation
Constitution
a written plan of government
Preamble
introduction to the constitution
Bill of Rights
first 10 amendments
Legislative Branch
the lawmaking branch of government
Executive Branch
the branch of government that carries out laws
Judicial Branch
branch of government that decides if laws are carried out fairly
Congress
the legislature of the United States government
Senate
a council of representatives
House of Representatives
the lower house of Congress, consisting of a different number of representatives from each state, depending on population
Equal representation
each region has the same number of elected representatives
Proportional representation
an electoral system in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them
President
head of the executive branch
Supreme court
the highest judicial court in a country or state
Fugitive Slave Clause
slaves who escaped to other states must be returned to their owners
