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Constitution	The written plan for the US government and the nation's highest law		us-constitution-basics
Year written	1787, in Philadelphia		us-constitution-basics
Year in effect	1789, after nine states ratified it in 1788		us-constitution-basics
Constitutional Convention	Meeting of state delegates in 1787 that wrote the Constitution		us-constitution-basics
Framers	The delegates who wrote the Constitution		us-constitution-basics
James Madison	Called the Father of the Constitution		us-constitution-basics
George Washington	President of the Constitutional Convention		us-constitution-basics
Preamble	The introduction that begins 'We the People'		us-constitution-basics
Purposes in the Preamble	Form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure peace, provide defense, promote welfare, secure liberty		us-constitution-basics
Article I	Describes Congress, the legislative branch		us-constitution-basics
Article II	Describes the president, the executive branch		us-constitution-basics
Article III	Describes the courts, the judicial branch		us-constitution-basics
Article IV	Describes the relationship of states to each other and the nation		us-constitution-basics
Article V	Explains how to amend the Constitution		us-constitution-basics
Article VI	Says the Constitution is the supreme law of the land		us-constitution-basics
Article VII	Explains how the Constitution would be ratified		us-constitution-basics
Supremacy Clause	Federal law is above state law when they conflict		us-constitution-basics
Popular sovereignty	Government's power comes from the people		us-constitution-basics
Limited government	The government has only the powers the Constitution gives it		us-constitution-basics
Separation of powers	Power is divided among three branches		us-constitution-basics
Checks and balances	Each branch can limit the other two		us-constitution-basics
Federalism	Power shared between national and state governments		us-constitution-basics
Republicanism	People elect representatives to govern for them		us-constitution-basics
Individual rights	Basic freedoms protected from government interference		us-constitution-basics
Great Compromise	Gave states equal votes in the Senate and population-based seats in the House		us-constitution-basics
Roger Sherman	Delegate from Connecticut who helped craft the Great Compromise		us-constitution-basics
Three-Fifths Compromise	Counted three-fifths of enslaved people for representation; later ended		us-constitution-basics
Virginia Plan	Proposal for representation based on population		us-constitution-basics
New Jersey Plan	Proposal for equal representation for each state		us-constitution-basics
Federalists	People who supported ratifying the Constitution		us-constitution-basics
Anti-Federalists	People who opposed it without a bill of rights		us-constitution-basics
Ratify	To formally approve		us-constitution-basics
Amendment	A formal change to the Constitution		us-constitution-basics
How to propose an amendment	Two-thirds of both houses of Congress, or a convention called by two-thirds of states		us-constitution-basics
How to ratify an amendment	Three-fourths of the states must approve		us-constitution-basics
Number of amendments	Twenty-seven		us-constitution-basics
Bill of Rights	First ten amendments, ratified in 1791		us-constitution-basics
Necessary and Proper Clause	Lets Congress make laws needed to carry out its powers		us-constitution-basics
Commerce Clause	Gives Congress power to regulate trade between states and with other nations		us-constitution-basics
Enumerated powers	Powers specifically listed for Congress in Article I		us-constitution-basics
Implied powers	Powers not listed but suggested by the listed ones		us-constitution-basics
Reserved powers	Powers left to the states under the Tenth Amendment		us-constitution-basics
Concurrent powers	Powers shared by federal and state governments, like taxing		us-constitution-basics
Elastic clause	Another name for the Necessary and Proper Clause		us-constitution-basics
Bicameral	Having two chambers, like the House and Senate		us-constitution-basics
Qualifications for president	Natural-born citizen, at least 35, 14 years a resident		us-constitution-basics
Qualifications for senator	At least 30, a citizen for nine years, lives in the state		us-constitution-basics
Qualifications for representative	At least 25, a citizen for seven years, lives in the state		us-constitution-basics
Impeachment	House charges and Senate tries an official for serious misconduct		us-constitution-basics
Veto	President's rejection of a bill		us-constitution-basics
Veto override	Two-thirds of both houses can pass a bill over a veto		us-constitution-basics
Judicial review	Courts can decide that laws violate the Constitution (Marbury v. Madison, 1803)		us-constitution-basics
Electoral College	Electors chosen by states formally select the president		us-constitution-basics
Habeas corpus	Right to be brought before a court to challenge imprisonment		us-constitution-basics
Ex post facto law	A law that punishes an act that was legal when it was done; banned by the Constitution		us-constitution-basics
Bill of attainder	A law that declares someone guilty without a trial; banned		us-constitution-basics
Treason	Betraying the country, defined narrowly in the Constitution		us-constitution-basics
Full Faith and Credit	States must respect each other's public acts and court rulings		us-constitution-basics
Extradition	Returning a person accused of a crime to the state where it happened		us-constitution-basics
Oath of office	Promise by officials to support the Constitution		us-constitution-basics
National Archives	Washington, DC building where the Constitution is displayed		us-constitution-basics
Constitution Day	September 17, marking the 1787 signing		us-constitution-basics
Signers	Thirty-nine delegates signed the Constitution		us-constitution-basics
Benjamin Franklin	Oldest delegate at the Convention		us-constitution-basics
Gouverneur Morris	Wrote much of the final Constitution's wording		us-constitution-basics
Elbridge Gerry	Delegate who refused to sign because it lacked a bill of rights		us-constitution-basics