U.S. Constitution

A government that has specific restrictions on its power

• Unlimited Government

• Totalitarian Government

• Limited Government

• Authoritarian Government

The Congress, which makes laws and is part of the Federal government made up of elected representatives of the people of each state

• Legislative Branch

• Executive Branch

• Judicial Branch

• Federal Bureaucracy

The system set up by the framers to give each branch of the federal government the power to limit the actions, or power, of the other branches

• Checks and Balances

• Separation of Powers

• Federalism

• Judicial Review

Introduction to the Constitution

• Preamble

• Bill of Rights

• Amendments

• Articles of Confederation

To cancel or do away with, as in a constitutional amendment

• Repeal

• Amend

• Ratify

• Enact

A written change to the Constitution that has been approved by the people

• Amendment

• Clause

• Provision

• Article

Referring to the national government

• State

• Local

• Federal

• Regional

Government by the consent of the governed

• Popular Sovereignty

• Absolute Monarchy

• Oligarchy

• Dictatorship

The power of the courts to review the acts of other branches of government and decide if they have acted correctly and according to the Constitution

• Judicial Review

• Executive Oversight

• Legislative Approval

• Constitutional Amendment

The separate powers that are divided among the three branches of the Federal government

• Checks and Balances

• Federalism

• Separation of Powers

• Judicial Review