Section 1
Preview this deck
brief
Front
| 5 | 0 | ||
| 4 | 0 | ||
| 3 | 0 | ||
| 2 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 0 |
Active users
0
All-time users
0
Favorites
0
Last updated
6 years ago
Date created
Mar 1, 2020
Cards (104)
Section 1
(50 cards)
brief
written legal argument
government
institution with power to make and enforce rules for a group of people
constituent
residents of a district or state
diplomacy
the art of conducting negotiations with foreign countries
delegate
someone who officially represent the interest of other people or of a government
democracy
rule by the people
bicameral
when the legislature is divided into two sections
citizen
members of a state
gerrymandering
establishing district lines that favor one political party over another
common law
body of law based on rulings in previous cases
impeach
formally accusing an official of government
constitutional monarchy
when the monarchy is primarily a ceremonial head of state
direct democracy
when laws are made directly by all citizens
criminal law
laws that forbid certain actions and provide punishment for violations
absolute monarchy
when a king or queen has complete power
checks and balances
system that divides the powers within the government
census
official population count
categorical grant
payments by the federal government to carry out specific activities
constitution
basic set of laws and principles establishing the nation's government
extradition
process of sending a suspect or criminal back to the states from which he or she fled
electoral college
special body made up of people selected by each state that votes for the president
boycott
agreement to stop buying or using a good or service
cabinet
group of department heads that advise the president
civil servant
people employed by the federal government
anarchy
a state of political disorder resulting from the absence of rules or government
concurrent powers
powers not granted to exclusively to the federal or state governments
general election
voters nationwide choose officials
bill
proposed legislation
attorney general
head of the Department of Justice
conference committees
temporary bodies appointed to work out compromise between the House and Senate
federal system
when legal powers are divided among national, state, and local governments
filibuster
an effort to hold up the final vote on a bill through delaying tactics
grant-in-aid
money or resources that the federal government provides to pay for state and local activities
block grant
federal funds issued to a state for use in a broadly defined area
confederal system
when independent states join together to accomplish common goals
Antifederalist
opponents of a strong federal form of government
immunity
legal protection for Congress members
dictatorship
government in which power is concentrated to a single person, or a small group of people
Bill of Rights
first 10 amendments in the Constitution
dissenting opinion
disagrees with the views of the majority opinion
Elastic Clause
clause that allows Congress to stretch its authority in ways not specifically granted to it by the Constitution
executive agreement
power not mentioned in the Constitution that allows president to make arrangements
implied powers
powers that are suggested by the expressed powers
bureaucracy
highly organized system of people and their work
foreign policy
plans for dealing with other countries
incumbent
people who already hold a specific office
amendment
changes made to the Constitution
Federalist
supporters of a strong federal form of government
expressed powers
power that are specifically given to the federal government
executive privilege
president's right to not hand over documents or testify regarding confidential matters
Section 2
(50 cards)
Primary elections
state elections held before the national convention
minority rights
political rights that cannot be abolished in a democracy even though they are held by less than half of the population
judicial review
power of the courts to decide if laws and other government actions are valid under the U.S. Constitution
inherent powers
powers that naturally belong to any government of a sovereign country
monarchy
government in which the head of state is a king or queen
president pro tempore
person in the majority party who has been in Senate the longest
jurisdiction
authority to interpret and administer the law
joint committees
committees made up of members from both the House and the Senate
state
a political unit
politics
process by which people express opinions about what government should or shouldn't do
line item veto
power of the president to veto certain parts of a bill without vetoing the entire thing
majority opinion
reflects the views of the majority of the justices
public good
the well-being of society as a whole
liberal democracy
form of democracy that protects the rights of the minority
ratification
formal approval of an amendment or law
plaintiff
party bringing the suit in court
reserved powers
powers not specifically mentioned in the constitution, which are taken on by the states
party platform
parties position on issues
presidential system
when the legislative and executive branches of government are separate
State of the Union address
presidential speech that sets forth programs, policies, and legislation the president supports
secretary
heads of cabinet departments
interest group
people acting together to achieve shared political goals
parliamentary system
when the chief executive is chosen by the legislative branch
Magna Carta
English document that limited the monarchy's power
sovereignty
absolute authority that a government has over its citizens
select committees
committees created to deal with special issues
pocket veto
if the president obtains a bill within 10 days of Congress's adjournment he or she may hold the bill without signing it
law
set of rules made and enforced by governments
unconstitutional
a law or government action that violates any part of the Constitution
oversight
process by which Congress checks the performance of governmental agencies
public policy
decisions made by a government about a particular area of public concern
unicameral
legislature with only one section
subcommittees
specialized committees within standing committees
legitimacy
rightful authority any government has over its citizens
subpoena
court requiring a person's presence in court
standing committees
permanent committees in each house of Congress
political party
organized group that influences the activities of government
indictment
formal accusation against the accused
social contract
an agreement that defines and limits individuals rights, thus creating government
repeal
to be reversed by legislative act
pardon
grants release from punishment of a convicted criminal
rule of law
rules under which government leaders must act according to a set of laws
oligarchy
government in which power is concentrated to a small group of people only
separation of powers
system that makes sure no one branch has too much power
political action committee
branches of interest groups that participate in politics and give money to candidates
republic
country in which government's authority comes only from the people
natural right
rights people have simply because they are human beings
majority rule
decisions based on the desire of more than half of the membership of a group
representative democracy
when people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf
precedent
guiding principles for determining what is legal
Section 3
(4 cards)