Constitution Flash Cards

Front 1

Articles of Confederation

Back 1

plan for national government ratified in 1781

Hint 1

Front 2

ratification

Back 2

act of official confirmation

Hint 2

Front 3

levy

Back 3

impose or raise a tax

Hint 3

Front 4

Founders (or Framers)

Back 4

people who helped create the U.S. Constitution

Hint 4

Front 5

Virginia Plan

Back 5

proposal for a two-house legislature with representation according to each state's population or wealth

Hint 5

Front 6

New Jersey Plan

Back 6

proposal for a legislature in which each state would have one vote

Hint 6

Front 7

Great Compromise

Back 7

agreement to establish a two-house national legislature, with all states having equal representation in one house and each state having representation based on its population in the other house

Hint 7

Front 8

Three-Fifths Compromise

Back 8

agreement that three-fifths of a state's slave population would be counted for representation and taxation

Hint 8

Front 9

Executive Branch

Back 9

government department that enforces laws

Hint 9

Front 10

Judicial Branch

Back 10

government department that interprets laws

Hint 10

Front 11

Legislative Branch

Back 11

government department that makes laws

Hint 11

Front 12

Checks & Balances

Back 12

the ability of each branch of government to exercise checks, or controls, over the other branches

Hint 12

Front 13

Antifederalists

Back 13

people who opposed ratification of the Constitution

Hint 13

Front 14

Federalists

Back 14

people who supported ratification of the Constitution

Hint 14

Front 15

Federalism

Back 15

system of government in which power is shared between the national government and the states

Hint 15

Front 16

majority rule

Back 16

system of government in which more than one half of a group holds the power to make decisions binding the entire group

Hint 16

Front 17

amendment

Back 17

addition to a document

Hint 17

Front 18

Bill of Rights

Back 18

first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution

Hint 18

Front 19

House of Representatives

Back 19

the lower chamber of Congress

Hint 19

Front 20

Senate

Back 20

the upper house of the legislature of certain countries

Hint 20

Front 21

Congress

Back 21

the national legislative body of the U.S., consisting of the Senate, or upper house, and the House of Representatives, or lower house, as a continuous institution

Hint 21

Front 22

Popular Sovereignty

Back 22

a doctrine, held chiefly by the opponents of the abolitionists, that the people living in a territory should be free of federal interference in determining domestic policy, especially with respect to slavery.

Hint 22

Front 23

Republicanism

Back 23

the principles or policy of the Republican Party.

Hint 23

Front 24

separation of powers

Back 24

power is seperated so one branch is not too powerfull

Hint 24

Front 25

limited government

Back 25

restricted with reference to governing powers by limitations prescribed in laws and in a constitution

Hint 25

Front 26

bicameralism

Back 26

having two branches, chambers, or houses, as a legislative body.

Hint 26

Front 27

judicial review

Back 27

principle that states that the Supreme Court has the final say in interpreting the Constitution

Hint 27

Front 28

impeachment

Back 28

the presentation of formal charges against a public official by the lower house, trial to be before the upper house.

Hint 28

Front 29

quorum

Back 29

the number of members of a group or organization required to be present to transact business legally, usually a majority

Hint 29

Front 30

revenue

Back 30

the income of a government from taxation, excise duties, customs, or other sources, appropriated to the payment of the public expenses.

Hint 30

Front 31

veto

Back 31

the power or right vested in one branch of a government to cancel or postpone the decisions, enactments, etc., of another branch, especially the right of a president, governor, or other chief executive to reject bills passed by the legislature.

Hint 31

Front 32

naturalization

Back 32

to introduce or adopt

Hint 32

Front 33

elastic clause

Back 33

a statement in the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 8) granting Congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the enumerated list of powers

Hint 33

Front 34

natural born citizen

Back 34

citizen that was born in the country that they are citizens of

Hint 34

Front 35

electoral college

Back 35

a body of electors chosen by the voters in each state to elect the president and vice president of the U.S.

Hint 35

Front 36

Supreme Court

Back 36

the highest court of the U.S.

Hint 36

Front 37

suffrage

Back 37

the right to vote, especially in a political election.

Hint 37

Front 38

due process of law

Back 38

process before the law is due

Hint 38

Front 39

bail

Back 39

property or money given as surety that a person released from custody will return at an appointed time.

Hint 39

Front 40

Constitution

Back 40

the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation, state, corporation, or the like, is governed

Hint 40