Constitution Vocabulary

What is a Constitution?

• basic set of rules for government

• set of consequences

• a document that gives all the power to one person

What does rule of law mean?

• no one has to follow the law

• everyone has to follow the law

• if you follow the law then you rule the country

What is an amendment?

• describes the goals of the government

• adds changes to the Constitution

• it only describes the consequences of breaking the law

What is popular sovereignty?

• the president has all the power in government

• Who ever is most popular has all the power

• the people have the power in government

What does the preamble do?

• changes the constitution

• sets goals for the government

• covers one part of the government or government process

What happens in a republic?

• people lend power to representatives

• the government lends power to representatives

• one person has all the power

What is federalism?

• only the state has power

• only the federal government has power

• state and federal government both have power

What is seperation of powers?

• one branch of government has all the power

• power is distributed among the three branches of government

• the president decides who gets what power in government

What is checks and balances?

• each branch in government can limit another branch

• only the president can limit a branch in government

• no one needs to check the power of the three branches

What does the Bill of Rights provide?

• a bill for the people to pay in order to have rights

• basic rights for the people

• a bill you get when you turn right too many times