The Constitution Flashcards
(35 cards)
Articles of Confederation
the original constitution of the US, ratified in 1781, which was replaced by the US Constitution in 1789.
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in the history of the United States. It was an official act taken by all 13 American colonies in declaring independence from British rule.
Treason
the crime of betraying one’s country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.
Checks and balances
checks and balances, principle of government under which separate branches are empowered to prevent actions by other branches and are induced to share power. Checks and balances are applied primarily in constitutional governments.
Separation of powers
an act of vesting the legislative, executive, and judicial powers of government in separate bodies.
Great Compromise
When Sherman proposed the compromise, Benjamin Franklin agreed that each state should have an equal vote in the Senate in all matters
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
What is the meaning of civil discourse?
A civil discourse is a conversation in which there is a mutual airing of views. It is not a contest; rather, it is intended to promote mutual understanding.
3/5ths Compromise
The Three-Fifths Compromise was reached among state delegates during the 1787 Constitutional Convention. It determined that three out of every five slaves was counted when determining a state’s total population for legislative representation and taxation.
Constitution
a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.
Preamble
a preliminary or preparatory statement; an introduction.
Legislative Branch
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.
Bill of Rights
the first ten amendments to the US Constitution, ratified in 1791 and guaranteeing such rights as the freedoms of speech, assembly, and worship.
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.
Judicial Branch
The judicial branch includes the Supreme Court and other federal courts. It evaluates laws by: Interpreting the meaning of laws. Applying laws to individual cases. Deciding if laws violate the Constitution.
Congress
a national legislative body, especially that of the US. The US Congress, which meets at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., was established by the Constitution of 1787 and is composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Senate
the smaller upper assembly in the US Congress, most US states, France, and other countries.
House of Representatives
As per the Constitution, the U.S. House of Representatives makes and passes federal laws. The House is one of Congress’s two chambers (the other is the U.S. Senate), and part of the federal government’s legislative branch.
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
the highest judicial court in a country or state.
Fugitive Slave Clause
Fugitive Slave Clause, The Constitution of the United States (1787–1992) CONTEXT. This clause of the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Article gives enslavers the right to seize enslaved people who escaped to free states. The clause was adopted at the Constitutional Convention of 1787.