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| Change in, or addition to, a constitution. Amendments are proposed by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress or by a convention called by Congress at the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures and ratified by approval of three-fourths of the states |
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| Led by Thomas Jefferson, one of the first political parties urging the rejection of the Constitution. Its members were farmers and represented the interests of the common people. |
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| Articles of Confederation |
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| The first adopted written constitution of the newly independent United States. Because of its weaknesses, the period of time (1781-1789) became known as the critical period |
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| A law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime. The state legislatures and Congress are forbidden to pass such acts by Article I of the Constitution. |
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| Adopted in 1791 by the states two years after the ratification of the Constitution, it established the basis of civil liberties for Americans. |
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| A key aspect of the Constitution of the United States protecting the balance of power among the three branches of government. The concept was first promoted by James Madison in the Federalist papers. |
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| An alliance among different interest groups (factions) or parties to achieve some political goal. An example is the coalition sometimes formed between Republicans and conservative Democrats |
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| Offered at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, it was adopted by the delegates and created a bicameral legislature, where one house is represented by population , and the others is represented by the states. |
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| A derivative of the doctrine of natural rights; a philosophy, later adopted by Jefferson when he drafted the Declaration of Independence, that puts the authority of the government in the people’s hands. |
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| Provides the basic framework of the government. It is the Supreme law of the land. |
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| Constitutional Convention |
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| A meeting of delegates in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation, which produced a whole new constitution still in use today. |
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| Declaration of Independence |
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| Blueprint for the American Revolution containing three parts. The first part- an introduction including ideas such as natural rights as related to life, liberty and property, the consent of the governed and the concept of limited government. The second part a list of grievances against the King of England and the third part- a declaration of independence. |
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| Led by Thomas Jefferson , they were characterized as the party of “the common man.” They believed in a more limited role of the central government. |
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| Found in Article I Section 8 of the Constitution, it gives Congress the power to make all “all laws necessary and proper” to carry out the defined powers of Congress. |
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| Consists of presidential electors from each state. The number of electors is based on the state’s population. The states with the greatest population have the most electoral votes. When the voter casts a vote for president, in reality the vote goes to one of the presidential electors designated by the candidate in that state. The number of electors from each state equals the number of senators and representatives that state has in Congress. The candidate with the majority of the electoral votes is elected to office. If no candidate receives a majority, the House of Representatives will determine the outcome o the election. |
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| Delegated powers of Congress, including the power to collect taxes pay debts, provide for the common defense and general welfare, regulate commerce among the states coin money, and declare war. |
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| Laws that take effect after the act takes place. Congress is prohibited from enacting this type of legislation |
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| The ability of the president to protect personal material |
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| According to James Madison, a group of people who seek to influence public policy in ways contrary to the public good. |
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| The overall division of power between the federal government and state governments; as defined in the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution. It specifically tells the states that they have reserved powers. Powers not delegated to the government by the Constitution are given to respective states. |
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| Supporters of a stronger central government who advocated ratification of the Constitution. After ratification they founded a political party supporting a strong executive and Alexander Hamilton’s economic policies. |
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| Written using the pen name Publius; John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison wrote a series of articles urging the adoption of the Constitution. They argued for a Constitution that would establish a government that could deal with “Tyranny of the Majority” by creating three branches of government having distinctive and separate powers. |
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| Headed by Alexander Hamilton, this party, made up of the country’s upper class, supported a strong national government and set a policy agenda that would solve the nation’s economic problems. |
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| Phrase used to describe the mutual respect and legality of laws, public records, and judicial decisions made by states. |
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| Derived from the Marbury v. Madison decision, it gives the Supreme Court the power to interpret the Constitution and specifically acts of Congress, the President, and the states. |
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| Derived from the doctrine of natural rights, it was adopted by Jefferson and restricts the power of government especially in the area of protecting the rights of the people |
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| Allows the president to veto selectively what he considers unnecessary spending items contained in legislation. It was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. |
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| Part of Locke’s philosophy; rights that are God given such as life, liberty, and property. |
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| Offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it urged the delegates to create a legislature based on equal representation by the states. |
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| The introduction to the Constitution, outlining the goals of the document. |
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| Privileges and Immunities |
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| The guarantees that the rights of a citizen in one state will be respected by other states. Also a clause in the Fourteenth Amendment that protects citizens from abuses by a state. |
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| A form of democracy in which power is vested in representatives selected by means of popular competitive elections. |
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| Found in the Tenth Amendment, it gives the states powers not delegated to the national government. |
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| Second Treatise of Civil Government |
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| Written by John Locke, it contains the blueprint principles found in the Declaration of Independence |
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| Originally developed by Montesquieu in the The Spirit of Natural Laws written during the Enlightenment and used by James Madison in Federalist No. 48. This important doctrine resulted in the establishment of three branches of government- the legislative, executive, and judicial branches each having distinct and unique powers. |
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| a failed attempt by Daniel Shays, a farmer who lost his property, to revolt against the state government. |
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| Clause that states that “the Constitution, and the laws of United States….shall be supreme law of the land” |
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| Offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it was adopted by the delegates and counted every five slaves as three people for representation and tax purposes. |
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| Rights such as life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, which are derived from the doctrine of natural rights. |
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| Traditions, precedent, and practice incorporated into our form of government that add to the Constitution’s elasticity and its viability. Political parties, the president’s cabinet, political action committees, and federal bureaucracy are important examples. |
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| Offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it urged the delegates to create a legislature based on the population of each state |
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| A Latin term meaning “you shall have the body.” A court order directing a police officer, sheriff, or warden who has a person in custody to bring the prisoner before a judge and show sufficient cause for his or her detention. The writ of habeas corpus was designed to prevent illegal arrests and imprisonment. |
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