Unit 4 US Constit.

Term Definition
constitution a document presenting a plan of government
compromise an agreement acceptable to both sides
Great Compromise established a two-house legislature with all states having equal representation in one house and each state having representation based on population in the other house
Constitutional Convention meeting held in 1787 to consider changes to the Articles of Confederation and resulted in the drafting of the Constitution
Three-Fifths Compromise The Constitutional Convention's agreement to count three-fifths of a state's slave population for purposes of representation and taxation
Bill of Rights the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, listing all the essential freedoms guaranteed to all citizens
amendment an alteration or written change to a document
bicameral two houses of the legislative branch of government
preamble the first part, or introduction of a document
popular sovereignty a system in which the people vote to decide an issue
checks and balances system set up in the Constitution where each branch of the government has some authority over the other
federalism system of government in which power is shared among the national and state government
legislative branch branch of government that makes the laws
executive branch the branch of government that enforces and carries out laws
judicial branch the branch of government that interprets laws
duties tasks citizens are required to do
responsibilities tasks citizens should do
Federalists those who supported the Constitution and a strong national government
Anti-Federalists those who opposed the ratification of the Constitution and supported an weak national government

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