Unit 1: Lesson 1 Flashcards
(18 cards)
Constitutional Convention
A meeting of delegates of 12/13 states to revise/replace the Articles of Confederation with a new Constitution
Limited Government
A political system in which the government’s power is restricted by laws/a constitution
Monarchy
A single individual who rules over the state
Oligarchy
A small group that rules over the state
Natural Rights
The right to life, liberty, and property that the government can’t take away
Republicanism
The principal of governing through elected representatives
Social Contract
When citizens consent to be governed in exchange for the protection of their natural rights
Popular Sovereignty
The ultimate power in a government resides in the citizens
The Federalist Papers
A series of essays to sell the constitution to the states
The Declaration of Independence
A document explaining why the US wanted independence from Great Britain
The US Constitution
A blueprint for how America’s government functions
What are the 3 branches of government?
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial
What is the goal of the US government?
To balance liberty and order
The Framers
The delegates who attended the constitutional convention
Articles of Confederation
A government system that placed most of the power in the hands of state governments
What is the essence of constitutionalism?
Long periods of deliberation
What is a “perfect union”
A government strong enough to achieve common purposes but weak enough to not infringe on liberties
Jacobson v Massachusetts (1905)
States that the preamble isn’t the source of substantive power for justice
