Constitution Vocabulary

1. Says that the Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land and states are required to follow it.
6. A government where power is divided and shared between a central/ national government and state or local governments.
7. The principle that no one, including government officials, is above the law.
8. A form of government in which political power is used by all citizens, either directly or through elected representatives.
10. The branch of government that interprets and applies the laws and settles disputes.
12. The branch of government that makes the laws.
13. The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing fundamental freedoms and rights to individuals, like free speech, religion, press, and protest, while limiting government power and ensuring fair legal treatment (due process) and reserving powers not given to the federal government to the states or people.
14. The branch of government responsible for carrying out the laws made by the legislative branch.
16. Change in or addition to a legal document
17. Self-government. Self-governing means created by the permission of the people.
18. A person chosen to act for or represent others.

2. The sharing and balancing of power among the 3 branches of government so that no one branch can have too much power.
3. A system that protects people’s rights that does not interfere with their daily life.
4. The division of power among the 3 different branches of government.
5. The expectation that governments are fair and follow known rules and procedures.
9. A legislature consisting of two houses. The two houses of the US Government, together called congress, is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
11. The introduction or opening of the U.S. Constitution It states that the people establish (create) the government and lists the purposes of the government.
15. A nation that has a government in which power is held by the people who elect representatives to manage the government for them for the common good.