A History of the United States: Chapter 8: The Constitution

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  1. popular
    carried on by or for the people (or citizens) at large
    The Constitution begins with an introduction, or preamble. With its first words—"We the People"—the preamble lays the foundation of the American system of government: popular sovereignty, or the authority of the people.
  2. sovereignty
    government free from external control
    The Constitution begins with an introduction, or preamble. With its first words—"We the People"—the preamble lays the foundation of the American system of government: popular sovereignty, or the authority of the people.
  3. limit
    place restrictions on
    Their goal was to establish limited government, in which the powers of government are strictly defined.
  4. enumerate
    specify individually
    The Constitution lists enumerated powers, or those powers that are specically given to Congress. Enumerated powers include the power to coin money, regulate interstate and foreign trade, maintain the armed forces, and create federal courts.
  5. reserve
    give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause
    Reserved powers are those powers that belong to the states.
  6. concurrent
    occurring or operating at the same time
    Under the Constitution, the federal government and the state governments share certain powers. These are the concurrent powers.
  7. contradict
    be in opposition to
    If a state law contradicts the Constitution or federal law, the Constitution or federal law prevails.
  8. involve
    contain as a part
    Amending the Constitution involves two steps.
  9. imply
    express or state indirectly
    For example, over history, Congress has claimed for itself certain implied powers. These are powers that are suggested but not directly stated in the Constitution.
  10. administrate
    supervise or be in charge of
    The executive branch's main job is to administrate, or carry out, the laws passed by Congress.
  11. judicial review
    the court's power to decide whether a law is constitutional
    The Supreme Court also has the power of judicial review. The Court can review the actions of the executive and legislative branches to determine whether they violate the Constitution.
  12. due process
    administration of justice according to rules and principles
    Due process means the government must follow established procedures in taking action against a citizen.
  13. naturalization
    the proceeding whereby a foreigner is granted citizenship
    A person who was born in another country can become a citizen through the process called naturalization.
  14. diminish
    lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of
    However, if people do not fulfill their responsibilities as citizens, the quality of our government and communities is diminished.
Created on 六月 14, 2021 (updated 六月 18, 2021)

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