Post on 21-Dec-2015
Chapter 5 Chapter 5
Vocabulary
the organization that has the organization that has the authority to make the authority to make
and enforce lawsand enforce laws
government
a democracy in which a democracy in which individual citizens elect individual citizens elect
people to serve, vote, people to serve, vote, and makeand make
decisions for themdecisions for them
representative democracy
the principle that power the principle that power rests with the citizensrests with the citizens
sovereignty
a type of government in a type of government in which the power to which the power to
govern comes from the govern comes from the peoplepeople
republic
a document that a document that describes the rights of describes the rights of
the people and the the people and the framework of the framework of the
governmentgovernment
constitution
the principle that the the principle that the power of the government power of the government should be divided among should be divided among
the variousthe variousbranchesbranches
separation of powers
the principle of the principle of government by which government by which each branch is given each branch is given
some power to control or some power to control or preventprevent
some actions of the other some actions of the other two branchestwo branches
checks and balances
a system in which the a system in which the national government and national government and state governments share state governments share authority over the sameauthority over the same
territory and the same territory and the same peoplepeople
federalism
a native or naturalized a native or naturalized member of a state or member of a state or
nation who owes nation who owes allegiance to its allegiance to its
government and is government and is entitledentitled
to its protectionto its protection
citizen
the process by which the process by which persons from other persons from other
countries (called aliens) countries (called aliens) can become American can become American
citizenscitizensnaturalization
the first ten amendments the first ten amendments to the United States to the United States
ConstitutionConstitutionBill of Rights
the rules established by the rules established by courts to protect a courts to protect a
person’s rightsperson’s rightsdue process
a group of citizens chosen a group of citizens chosen to hear evidence in a to hear evidence in a
legal case and to make a legal case and to make a decision based on the decision based on the
evidenceevidencepresentedpresented
jury
a group of individuals a group of individuals who are interested in who are interested in
one particular issueone particular issuespecial interest
group
PAC; a private PAC; a private organization whose organization whose
members share similar members share similar views and who try toviews and who try to
influence legislators to influence legislators to favor the group’s positionfavor the group’s position
political action
committee
one who presents to one who presents to legislators the views of legislators the views of
the organization that he the organization that he or she representsor she represents
lobbyist
describes a one-house describes a one-house legislaturelegislature
unicameral
roads, bridges, portsroads, bridges, ports
infrastructure
representation based representation based on populationon population
proportional representation
refers to a two-house refers to a two-house legislaturelegislature
bicameral
a group of people a group of people (electors) from each state (electors) from each state
whose job it is to vote to whose job it is to vote to determine the presidentdetermine the president
Electoral College
to approve officiallyto approve officially
ratify
to change or add to an to change or add to an official documentofficial document
amend
to redraw voting to redraw voting districtsdistricts
reapportion
those powers specifically those powers specifically given to Congress in the given to Congress in the
United States United States ConstitutionConstitution
expressed powers
powers that are not specifically powers that are not specifically stated in the Constitution but stated in the Constitution but come from Congress’s right tocome from Congress’s right tomake all laws “necessary” to make all laws “necessary” to
carry out its expressed powerscarry out its expressed powers
implied powers
to bring charges against to bring charges against an elected official while an elected official while
that official is still in that official is still in officeoffice
impeach
a small group of delegates or a small group of delegates or senators who studies bills on a senators who studies bills on a
particular subject and makesparticular subject and makesrecommendations on those bills recommendations on those bills to the full membership of each to the full membership of each
househouse
committee
proposed legislationproposed legislation
bill
to refuse to sign a billto refuse to sign a bill
veto
the ability to set aside the ability to set aside the actions of the the actions of the
legislative or executive legislative or executive branches of any branches of any
governmentgovernmentagencyagency
judicial review