the United States' war of independence

the original plan of government of the United States that created a loose alliance between the states

meeting that took place in 1787 in Philadelphia to improve or replace the Articles of Confederation

group of men that wrote the Constitution (another word for framers)

system of government where power is shared between the state and national government

system in which each branch of government has the power to influence and block the other branches

branch of government that makes laws

branch of government that interprets the laws

branch of government that enforces or carries out the laws

having two houses or chambers

the leader of the Constitutional Convention

known at the "father of the Constitution"

a plan of government with three branches written by James Madison

the oldest founding father at the Constitutional Convention

the representative from Connecticut who created a compromise between big states and small states

the first paragraph of the Constitution

the part of the Constitution that creates the legislative branch

the part of the Constitution that creates the executive branch

the part of the Constitution that creates the judicial branch

the part of the Constitution that describes how the states interact

the part of the Constitution that describes how the Constitution can be changed

the part of the Constitution that describes how the states interact with the national government

the part of the Constitution that describes how the Constitution needed to be approved before it became the law of the land

a change to the Constitution

to approve (for example, to approve an amendment or a constitution)

the first 10 amendments to the Constitution

the people hold the power to make all the laws (popular sovereignty)

government and leaders must not be too strong and can only do what they are authorized to do (limited government)

power in government is divided among three branches

the courts must throw out any laws that go against the Constitution (an example of checks and balances)

a form of government where people vote for their representatives

powers that are given to both the national and state governments

things that are protected and guaranteed to every person such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion

another word for the Founding Fathers or the men who wrote the Constitution

a case heard at court before a judge or jury

a member of one of the houses of the legislative branch

a law or government act that goes against the Constitution

laws are fair, they're enforced and nobody is above the law

the citizens of a country give their permission to be governed by voting

protecting the rights of small or unpopular groups regardless of what the majority believes

powers belonging to the people or states

part of the Constitution that says federal laws are superior to state laws

powers that are written in the Constitution

powers that are not written in the Constitution

part of the Constitution that says Congress may make any law it needs to carry out the expressed powers