Government Vocabulary.
There are 40 basic vocabulary terms that need to be memorized in order to have a better understanding of our country's political system. These specific terms are:
Constitution- a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.
Checks and Balances- the system that gives each branch of government the power to change or cancel acts of another branch.
Republic- a form of government that places political decision making at least one step away from the people (people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf).
Inalienable Rights- certain, basic rights of every individual that cannot legally be given or taken away.
Popular Sovereignty- the principle that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives.
Suffrage- the right to vote in political elections.
Confederation- an alliance of independent states manifesting a degree of national unity through a central government of united powers.
Judicial Review- the power to determine whether the actions of the legislative and executive branches are constitutional.
Federalism- the rights of the states are protected by dividing powers between the national government and the state governments.
Bureaucracy-a type of organization, either in government or the private sector, having the following features: a clear formal structure, a division of labor, and a set of rules and procedures by which it operates.
Veto- a constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal created by a law-making body.
Treaty- a formal agreement between two or more countries that is used to end conflicts.
Globalization- the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture.
Democracy- a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.
Perjury- the offense of willfully lying in a court after having taken an oath or affirmation.
Appropriation- a Congressional act or bill that sets aside funds for a specific purpose.
Political Parties- an organized group of people with at least roughly similar political aims and opinions, that seeks to influence public policy by getting its candidates elected to public office.
Conservatives- a person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes.
Liberals- a person who is open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.
Electoral College- a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.
Super Tuesday- a day on which several US states hold primary elections.
Implied Powers- the powers assumed by the government that are not specifically listed in the Constitution.
Necessary and Proper Clause- gives the national legislature the power to "make all laws that are necessary and proper" to exercise the powers granted by the Constitution.
Supremacy Clause- the provision in Article Six, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution that establishes the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, and U.S. treaties as "the supreme law of the land".
Due Process of Law- the fair treatment through the normal judicial system, especially as a citizen's entitlement.
Separated Powers- the duties of governing are divided among three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
Indictment- a formal accusation initiating a criminal case, presented by a grand jury and usually required for felonies and other serious crimes.
Double Jeopardy- a second prosecution for the same offense after acquittal or conviction or multiple punishments for same offense.
Gerrymandering- the drawing of district boundaries for political advantage.
Filibuster- the tactic used when opponents of a measure seek to prevent it coming up for a vote in the Senate by refusing to stop talking.
Parliament- a national representative body having supreme legislative powers within the state.
Habeas Corpus- a court order that forces the police to present a person in court to face charges.
Writ of Certiorari- an order by a higher court seeking review of a lower court case.
Three-fifths Compromise- an agreement written in 1787 stating that enslaved people would be counted as three-fifths of a person when determining a state's population for representation in the lower house of Congress.
Succession- the process of succeeding, or coming after someone.
Rider- a provision that bears little relationship to the bill’s main topic.
Ratify- to formally approve; to give formal consent to, such as a treaty.
Impeachment- the process of charging officials in the executive and judicial branches with wrongdoing and bringing them to trial.
Census- an official count of the United States population.
Watergate- a White House political scandal that was exposed during the 1972 presidential campaign, involving a break-in at the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate apartment-office complex in Washington, D.C.
Constitution- a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.
Checks and Balances- the system that gives each branch of government the power to change or cancel acts of another branch.
Republic- a form of government that places political decision making at least one step away from the people (people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf).
Inalienable Rights- certain, basic rights of every individual that cannot legally be given or taken away.
Popular Sovereignty- the principle that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives.
Suffrage- the right to vote in political elections.
Confederation- an alliance of independent states manifesting a degree of national unity through a central government of united powers.
Judicial Review- the power to determine whether the actions of the legislative and executive branches are constitutional.
Federalism- the rights of the states are protected by dividing powers between the national government and the state governments.
Bureaucracy-a type of organization, either in government or the private sector, having the following features: a clear formal structure, a division of labor, and a set of rules and procedures by which it operates.
Veto- a constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal created by a law-making body.
Treaty- a formal agreement between two or more countries that is used to end conflicts.
Globalization- the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture.
Democracy- a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.
Perjury- the offense of willfully lying in a court after having taken an oath or affirmation.
Appropriation- a Congressional act or bill that sets aside funds for a specific purpose.
Political Parties- an organized group of people with at least roughly similar political aims and opinions, that seeks to influence public policy by getting its candidates elected to public office.
Conservatives- a person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes.
Liberals- a person who is open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.
Electoral College- a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.
Super Tuesday- a day on which several US states hold primary elections.
Implied Powers- the powers assumed by the government that are not specifically listed in the Constitution.
Necessary and Proper Clause- gives the national legislature the power to "make all laws that are necessary and proper" to exercise the powers granted by the Constitution.
Supremacy Clause- the provision in Article Six, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution that establishes the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, and U.S. treaties as "the supreme law of the land".
Due Process of Law- the fair treatment through the normal judicial system, especially as a citizen's entitlement.
Separated Powers- the duties of governing are divided among three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
Indictment- a formal accusation initiating a criminal case, presented by a grand jury and usually required for felonies and other serious crimes.
Double Jeopardy- a second prosecution for the same offense after acquittal or conviction or multiple punishments for same offense.
Gerrymandering- the drawing of district boundaries for political advantage.
Filibuster- the tactic used when opponents of a measure seek to prevent it coming up for a vote in the Senate by refusing to stop talking.
Parliament- a national representative body having supreme legislative powers within the state.
Habeas Corpus- a court order that forces the police to present a person in court to face charges.
Writ of Certiorari- an order by a higher court seeking review of a lower court case.
Three-fifths Compromise- an agreement written in 1787 stating that enslaved people would be counted as three-fifths of a person when determining a state's population for representation in the lower house of Congress.
Succession- the process of succeeding, or coming after someone.
Rider- a provision that bears little relationship to the bill’s main topic.
Ratify- to formally approve; to give formal consent to, such as a treaty.
Impeachment- the process of charging officials in the executive and judicial branches with wrongdoing and bringing them to trial.
Census- an official count of the United States population.
Watergate- a White House political scandal that was exposed during the 1972 presidential campaign, involving a break-in at the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate apartment-office complex in Washington, D.C.
Below there is a slideshow containing additional pictures and sentences with the words and a link to a Quizlet to further help with studying the vocabulary.