Vocabulary for Evolution of Government
Directions Students will make a flash card for each word The flash card must include all the information on the screen (cards will be stamped for completeness) The word should be on one side of the card The definition on the other A picture representing the definition should be drawn on the same side as the word.
Articles of Confederation The first written form of Government for the United States. 1781-1787
Judicial Branch Branch of government that interprets the laws and punishes offenders The U.S. Supreme Court heads this branch
Executive Branch Branch that carries out the laws The President heads this branch
Legislative Branch Branch of government that makes the laws. Congress heads this branch
National Central Federal Level Government which has power over all of the states The United States Government, Mexico s government, etc.
State Level Government which affects only the particular state where it is organized. Examples: Arizona, New York, Idaho
Republican Form of Government- A form of government where the people elect representatives to govern them.
Local Level Cities, counties, districts These governments affect just the small area they are chosen to govern. Examples: Mesa and Maricopa County governments
Amendment Addition or change to a constitution
ratify approve
Compromise An agreement where both sides give a little in order to get what they want
Constitutional Convention A meeting of representatives that created the current Constitution of the United States of America.
Constitution A framework for government
James Madison Known as the Father of the Constitution He authored the Virginia Plan
John Adams One of the founding fathers. Also known as a Federalist.
Benjamin Franklin Known as the great mediator. He encouraged compromise.
George Washington President of the Constitutional Convention.
Congress The lawmaking body of the U.S. Consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate
House of Representatives The lower house of congress where the number of representatives per state varies according to population
Senate The upper house where all states have an equal vote
Virginia Plan Two house congress with representation according to the population of the state.
New Jersey Plan One house congress with each state having one vote.
Great Compromise Two houses in Congress. The House of Representatives would be based on the population and in the Senate every state would be equally represented.
3/5 th Compromise South wanted slaves to be counted when determining how many representatives each state would have in congress. The North did not want them to be counted because they did not have many slaves. The solution agreed to was to count 3/5 th of the slaves.
Federalist People who agreed with the new Constitution and wanted to ratify (approve) it. They believed that the government wouldn t become too powerful because it separated the power into different branches.
Anti-Federalists People who were against the ratification of the new Constitution. They believed that it gave too much power to the federal government. They also didn t like the fact that it did not include a bill of rights.
Federalist Papers Essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay that supported a strong national government.
U.S. Bill of Rights The first 10 amendments to the Constitution to protect the rights of Americans
Influences on the framers of the Constitution
Magna Carta An English law written in 1215 Everyone must obey the law including the king. No taxation except by legal means. Right to a fair trial.
English Bill of Rights An English law passed in 1689 Protected certain rights that the king or parliament could not take away. Influenced our Bill of Rights.
Montesquieu French thinker who wrote about the idea of separation of powers. Said powers should be separated into legislative, executive, and judicial branches
John Locke An English philosopher who lived in the 1600s Influenced Thomas Jefferson and the writing of the Declaration of Independence.
Mayflower Compact A written agreement signed by the male passengers of the Mayflower before they left the ship. It was an agreement where the majority would create the laws and everyone in the community agreed to follow them. First written document establishing self-government in the Americas.