Us Government

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Natural rights

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rights inherent in human beings, not dependent on governments, which include life, liberty and property

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Consent of the governed

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the idea that government derives its authority by sanction of the people

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Limited government

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idea that certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens

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Articles of Confederation

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the first constitution of the US, adapted by Congress in 1777 and enacted in 1781. the articles established a national legislature, the Continental Congress, but most authority rested with the state legislature

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US Constitution

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document written in 1787 and ratified in 1788 that sets forth the institutional structure of US government and the tasks these institutions perform, replacing the Articles of Confederations

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Fractions

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interest groups arising from the unequal distribution of property or wealth that James Madison attacked in Federalist Paper No.10. Todays parties or interest groups are what Madison had in mind when he warned of the instability in government caused by factions.

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New Jersey Plan

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proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for equal representation of each state in Congress regardless of the states population

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Virginia Plan

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proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for representation of each state in Congress in proportion to the states share of the US population

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Connecticut Compromise

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the compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention that establish two houses of Congress the House of Representations, in which representation is based on a states share of the US population and the Senate in which each state has two representatives

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Writ of Habeas Corpus

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a court order requiring jailers to explain to a judge why they are holding a prisoner in custody

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Separation of Powers

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feature of the Constitution that requires each of the 3 branches of the government -executive, legislative, judicial - to be relatively independent of the other so that one cannot control the others. power is shared among these 3 institutions.

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Checks and Balances

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features of the Constitution that limit governments power by requiring that power be balanced among the different governmental institutions. These institutions continually constrain one another's activities.

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Republic

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form of government in which the people select representatives to govern them and make laws.

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Federalists

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supporters of the US Constitution at the time the states were contemplating its adoption

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Anti-Federalists

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opponents of the American Constitution at the time when the states were contemplating its adoption

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Federalist papers

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a collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail

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Bill of Rights

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first ten amendments to the US Constitution, drafted in response to some of the Anti-Federaltist concerns. These amendments define such basic liberties as freedom of religion, speech, and press and guarantee defendants rights

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Equal Rights Amendment

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constitutional amendment passed by Congress in 1973 stating that "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the US or by any state on account of sex." the amendment failed to acquire the necessary support from 3/4 of the states legislature

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Marbury V. Madison

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1803 case in which Chief Justice John Marshall and his associates first asserted the right of the Supreme Court to determine the meaning of the US Constitution. The decision established the Courts power of judicial review over acts of Congress, in this case the Judiciary Act of 1789.

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Judicial Review

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power of the courts to determine whether acts of Congress, and by implication the executive, are in accord with the US Constitution. Established by John Marshall and his associates in Marbury v. Madison