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.

3/5th 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 3/5th 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.