Limited Government
government is restricted in what it may do, and each individual has rights that government cannot take away
Representative Democracy
system of government in which public policies are made by officials selected by the voters and held accountable during elections
Magna Carta
established that the power of the monarchy was not absolute
Due Process
doctrine that holds that the government must act fairly and in accord with established rules in all that it does
Charter
city's basic law
English Bill of Rights
document written by Parliament and agreed on by William and Mary of England in 1689, designed to prevent abuse of power by English monarchs
Bicameral
a legislative body composed of two chambers
Unicameral
a legislative body with one chamber
Duty
a tax on imports
Albany Plan of Union
a plan proposed by Benjamin Franklin for cooperation among the thirteen colonies
Ratification
Formal approval
Articles of Confederation
our first government
Full faith and credit
clause requiring that each State accept the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other State
Virginia Plan
called for a three-branch government with a bicameral legislature in which each State's membership would be determined by its population
New Jersey Plan
called for a unicameral legislature in which each State would be equally represented
Three-Fifths Compromise
a slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person when counting the population of a State
Federalists
those persons who supported the ratification of the Constitution
Anti-Federalists
those persons who opposed the ratification of the Constitution
Quroum
fewest number of members who must be present for a legislative body to conduct business
Veto
chief executive's power to reject a bill
Government
The institution though which a society makes and enforces public policies
Dictatorship
Form of government where those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people
Democracy
Form of government where supreme authority rest with the people
Sovereign
When a state has supreme and absolute power within its own territory and an decide its own foreign and domestic policies
Autocracy
A form of government in which a single person holds unlimited power
Oligarchy
A form of government in which the power to rule is held by a small, usually self-appointed elite
Unitary Government
A centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single, central agency
Confederation
A joining of several groups for a common purpose
free enterprise system
An economic system characterized by private ownership of capital goods
Federal Government
A form of government in which powers are divided between central and local governments
Division of Powers
The constitutional provisions by which government powers are divided on a geographic basis
Legislative Powers
The power to make laws
Judicial Powers
The power to interpret laws
Executive Powers
The power to enforce laws
public policies
All of the things a government decides to do
Constitutionalism
government and those who govern must obey the law
Rule of Law
government and its officers are always subject to the law
Veto
power to reject a bill passed by a legislature
Judicial Review
power of a court to determine the constitutionality of a governmental action
Unconstitutional
contrary to constitutional provision
Amendment
a change to a constitution
executive agreement
a pact made by the President directly with the head of a foreign state
Electoral College
group in each State who make a formal selection of the President and Vice President
Cabinet
an advisory body to the President
Delegated Powers
powers granted to the National Government by the Constitution
Expressed Powers
powers of the National Government that are spelled out, expressly, in the Constitution
Implied Powers
powers of the National Government that are suggested by the expressed powers set out in the Constitution
Inherent Powers
powers the Constitution is presumed to have delegated to the National Government because it is the government of a sovereign state within the world community
Exclusive Powers
powers which can be exercised by the National Government alone
Concurrent Powers
powers that both the National Government and the States possess
Supremacy Clause
states that the Constitution, federal law, and treaties of the United States are the "supreme Law of the Land
Reserved Powers
powers that the Constitution does not grant to the National Government and does not deny to the States
Enabling Act
congressional act directing the people of a United States territory to frame a proposed State constitution as a step toward admission to the Union
Block Grants
federal grants-in-aid for some particular but broadly define area of public policy
Project Grants
federal grants-in-aid; made for specific projects to States, localities, and private agencies who apply for them
Full Faith and Credit Clause Unit 2
Constitution's requirement that each State accept the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other State
Extradition
The legal process by which a fugitive from justice in one state is returned to that state
Privileges and Immunities Clause
Constitution's stipulation that all citizens are entitled to certain "privileges and immunities," regardless of their State of residence
Clemency
leniency granted to an offender by a chief executive
Pardon
release from the punishment or legal consequences of a crime
Reprieve
official postponement of the execution of a sentence
Pocket Veto
a type of veto a chief executive may use after a legislature has adjourned when the chief executive does not sign or reject a bill within the time allowed to do so
Executive Privilege
President's power to refuse to disclose information
Line-Item Veto
President's cancellation of specific dollar amounts from a congressional spending bill
Executive Order
a rule or order issued by the president to an executive branch of the government and having the force of law.
Delegates
people with authority to represent others at a conference
Partisans
lawmakers who owe their first allegiance to their political party and vote according to the party line
Bill
a proposed law
Session
period of time each year during which Congress assembles
Gerrymandering
the drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party
Incumbent
the current officeholder
Legal Tender
any kind of money that a creditor must accept in payment for debts
Bankruptcy
the legal proceeding by which a person's assets are distributed among those to whom he or she owes debts
Eminent Domain
the power of a government to take private property for public use
naturilization
process by which citizens of one country become citizens of another
consensus
general agreement among various groups on fundamental matters
appropriate
to assign to a particular use
Impeach
to bring formal charges against a public official
Acquit
to find not guilty of a charge
Perjury
lying under oath
Censure
a formal condemnation
subpoena
an order for a person to appear and to produce documents or other requested materials
Speaker of the house
the presiding officer of the House of Representatives
Party Caucus
a closed meeting of a party's house or senate members
Whips
assistants to the floor leaders in the House and Senate
standing committee
permanent committee in a legislative body to which bills in a specified subject area are referred
Subcommittee
division of existing committee that is formed to address specific issues