Federal Government Vocabulary 1.Constitution 2.Amendment 3.Bill of Rights 4.Individual Rights 5.Federalism 6.Popular Sovereignty 7.Limited Government 8.Checks and Balances 9.Separation of Powers 10.Republicanism 11.Bill 12.Delegated Powers 13.Reserved Powers 14.Concurrent Powers 15.Legislative Branch 16.Judicial Branch 17.Executive Branch 18.Articles of the Constitution

The United States Constitution a document that lists our country’s fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed Our Laws!

Amendment Additions or updates made to the Constitution to keep it current with the times.

Bill of Rights The first ten amendments to the Constitution.

Individual Rights Every citizen’s basic freedoms that are protected by the Bill of Rights

Federalism Power that is shared between the nation & the state

Popular Sovereignty the government gets its authorities from the people. The people choose how they want to be governed.

Limited Government the government has only the powers given by the constitution

Checks and Balances procedural rules allow one branch to watch and to limit another

Separation of Powers the government is divided into 3 branches

Republicanism The idea that government should rule the country as a representative of the people who vote for what they want. The idea that popular sovereignty rules not the opposite – the people being dominated by the government.

Bill a proposed law under consideration by a legislature A Bill has the potential to become a law – but not until it is approved by both houses of Congress and the President himself!

Delegated Powers Powers that are given to the Federal Government only.

Reserved Powers Powers given to the state governments only.

Concurrent Powers Powers that are shared between the state and the federal governments.

Legislative Branch A division of our government that is responsible for making laws

Judicial Branch A division of our government that interprets the constitution and decides if our laws are legal.

Executive Branch A division of our government that enforces the laws

Articles of the Constitution The Constitution of the United States is separated into parts. These parts are called Articles. Each Article has a specific purpose.