Chapter 2

Front 1

Declaration of Independence

Back 1

Official document announcing American colonies' recession from Great Britain on account of violation of natural rights.

Front 2

Natural Rights

Back 2

A concept that includes political and social entitlements to certain protections fundamental to every human.

Front 3

John Locke

Back 3

British empiricist philosopher who pioneered the concept of natural and property rights

Front 4

Consent of the Governed

Back 4

Fundamental aspect of the social contract that proposes that a ruler who does not have the consent of the ruled is subject to violent rebellion

Front 5

Limited government

Back 5

Government with limitations imposed by some factor including documents, citizens, and other governmental branches

Front 6

Articles of Confederation

Back 6

A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.

Front 7

Unicameral

Back 7

A legislature which is composed of a single House.

Front 8

Shay's rebellion

Back 8

Rebellion in Massachusetts which is highlighted as an example of the shortcomings of the A of C.

Front 9

Constitutional Convention

Back 9

Series of meetings which produced the Great Compromise and eventually the Constitution.

Front 10

Factions

Back 10

An organized minority, usually geographically

Front 11

New Jersey Plan

Back 11

Promised to amend the A of C by strengthening the Federal government but keeping it extremely limited, proposing a unicameral leslative body composed of one representative from each state

Front 12

Virginia plan

Back 12

Promised to replace the A of C with a constitution which relied heavily upon the powers afforded to the Federal government. It proposed a unicameral leslative body which was composed of representatives according to each state's population.

Front 13

Bicameral

Back 13

Legislature which consists of two houses.

Front 14

Senate

Back 14

A house of Congress which establishes two senators per state

Front 15

House of Representatives

Back 15

House of Congress which establishes representatives according to the population of each state.

Front 16

3/5ths compromise

Back 16

Compromise which produced the 3/5ths clause in Article 1 of the Constitution, which was intented to convince certain states to ratify.

Front 17

Habeas Corpus

Back 17

Writ which ordains due process when a person is being prosecuted in the court of law.

Front 18

Bills of attainder

Back 18

Legislature which did the Judiciary duty of declaring a person or persons guilty without due process or the writ of Habeas Corpus.

Front 19

Ex post facto laws

Back 19

A law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was comitted

Front 20

Trial by Jury

Back 20

Trial in which the prosecution must present its case to a Jury which must unanymously decide.

Front 21

Electoral College

Back 21

System of electing the POTUS which gives power to smaller states by providing a value for a majority vote, in which a candidate must accumulate at least 270 votes.

Front 22

Checks and balances

Back 22

Regulation within the Constitution designed to repel the evolution of a tyrannical federal government

Front 23

Marbury v. Madison

Back 23

Supreme Court case which ruled the necessity of Judicial review, where the Supreme court can strike down unconstitutional legislation.

Front 24

Federalists

Back 24

Political party in the United states during the Constitutional Convention in which people identify with the necessity of ratification.

Front 25

Federalist Papers

Back 25

Series of essays written by Federalists listing the shortcomings of the A of C and attempting to justify the Constitution in an effort to convince states to ratify

Front 26

Bill of Rights

Back 26

Series of amendments listing certain Constitutional rights every American citizen is entitled to.

Front 27

Republic

Back 27

Type of democracy where elected officials make governmental decisions

Front 28

Federalist 10

Back 28

Federalist essay written by James Madison detailing the shortcomings of the A of C in regards to factions and majority tyranny

Front 29

Federalist 51

Back 29

Federalist essay written by James Madison discussing the need for checks and balances within a large republic, complete with certain auxiliary precautions necessary for the republic to work

Front 30

Enumerated powers

Back 30

Powers which are laid out explicitly in the Constitution

Front 31

Reserved powers

Back 31

Powers which are implicitly suggested in the Constitution

Front 32

Concurrent powers

Back 32

Shared powers within the State and Federal governments

Front 33

Judicial Review

Back 33

Set in place by Marbury v. Madison, Judicial review is a concept which allows the Supreme court to strike down unconstitutional legislature

Front 34

Amendment Process

Back 34

In the Constitution, Congress may propose amendments with a two-thirds majority and ratify amendments with a the-fourths majority. This rule also applies when calling a convention.