Anti-Federalists - people who apposed the ratification of the Constitution; wanted a weak central government
Articles of Confederation - created in 1786; the precursor to the Constitution and kept the independent states together in a sort of alliance
bicameral legislature - split into 2 houses (eg. Congress with the House of Representatives & The Senate)
Bill of Rights - the U.S. Constitution's first 10 amendments that goes over people's rights
checks and balances - one branch can limit the power of another branch
confederation - different sovereign states uniting with each other to form a decentralized government for mutual benefits eg. defense
Declaration of Independence - created in 1776; document stating that the U.S. will separate from Britain with reasons why
enumerated powers - the powers that the Constitution gave to the federal government
federal system - a nation's government that has its powers divided between the central and state governments
Federalists - people who wanted the Constitution to be ratified
Great Compromise - 1787; agreement that the legislature will be split into 2; Senate having equal representation for all states and the House of Representatives basing the representation on their populations
natural rights - couldn't be taken away by the government: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
New Jersey Plan - proposal for the government to have a legislature with 1 house and each state gets equal representation
republic - the power rests with the people and they elect representatives to exercise policies
reserved powers - powers states have that the federal government doesn't; not explicitly given to the government by the Constitution
separation of powers - the government is split into 3 branches
social contract - an unsaid agreement that the people agree to be governed as long as the government protects their rights
supremacy clause - federal laws > state laws, always
Federalist Papers - 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and John Jay that support the Constitution and refutes arguments against it
Three-Fifths Compromise - agreement between the North and South that slaves count as 3/5ths of a person concerning representation
unicameral legislature - legislature with only 1 house (eg. Confederation Congress)
veto - the president's power to prevent a law from being passed by Congress
Virginia Plan - a plan for a 2 house legislature; representatives in the lower house are elected based on each states' population and the upper house's representatives are voted in by the lower house
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