US History Chapter 9 Flashcards

136787227	Constitution	A document presenting a plan of government.
136787228	Legislative Branch	The lawmaking branch of government.
136787229	Bicameral	Two houses of the legislative branch of government: Congress = House of Representatives and the Senate.
136787230	Executive Branch	The branch of government that carries out the laws made by the legislative branch.
136787231	Bill of Rights	The first ten amendments (changes/additions) to the United States Constitution.
136787232	Articles of Confederation	A constitution drafted by Congress on November 15, 1777.
136787233	ratify	To officially approve a proposal. To make it legal.
136787234	republic	A government in which people elect officials to represent them.
136787235	economic depression	A period of time when business activity slows down and unemployment increases.
136787236	Constitutional Convention	A meeting in 1787 in Philadelphia when the United States Constitution was written.
136787237	veto	To refuse to approve a bill so that it cannot be made into a law.
136787238	compromise	An agreement acceptable to both sides.
136787239	separation of powers	The division of power among the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government. No one branch holds more power than another.
136787240	federalism	A system of government in which power is distributed between national and state governments.
136787241	electoral college	Representatives of voters in each state who select the President and Vice President.
136787242	checks and balances	A system set up in the Constitution where each branch of the government has some authority over the other.
136787243	impeachment	To bring formal charges against a federal or state public official with the intent of removing the official from office.
136787244	amendment	A written change to a document.