Constitution Vocabulary Words. Thursday, September 5, 13

Transcription

1 Constitution Vocabulary Words

2 Government The institutions, people, and processes by which a nation-state or political unit is ruled and its public policy created and administered

3 Nation-State A political unit with a defined territory, organized under a government and having the authority to make and enforce the law

4 Politics The methods or tactics involved in managing government and gaining power

5 Sovereignty the authority of a nation-state s right to rule itself

6 Divine Right the belief that rulers derive their authority directly from God and are accountable only to Him.

7 Social Contract the concept that the governed and those governing have obligations to each other, that the people being governed will support the government, and that the government will protect the basic rights of the people.

8 Elite a small and privileged group who have a disproportionate share of money or political influence

9 Unitary Government a form of government in which all the powers of the government are held by a single unit or agency

10 Federal Government a form of government in which governmental powers are divided between a central authority and a number of regional political subdivisions.

11 Confederation a political system in which a weak central government has limited authority, and the states have ultimate power

12 Parliamentary Government a form of government in which the executive leaders are chosen by and responsible to the legislature

13 Presidential Government a form of government in which the legislative and executive branches are separate and function independently

14 Monarchy government in which the ruler s power is hereditary

15 dictatorship a form of government in which an absolute ruler controls the power, often through fear or force, and ignores the will of the people.

16 Democracy a system of government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representation

17 Direct Democracy a democratic system of government in which all citizens participate in politics and decision-making, such as New England town meetings.

18 Representative Democracy a democratic system of government in which politics are made by official accountable to the people who elected them

19 Limited Government a system in which government s powers are restricted and individuals rights are protected

20 Representative Government a system in which policies are made by officials accountable to the people who elected them

21 charter a legal document issued by a monarch or other authoritative power conferring certain rights and powers upon a person, people, or corporation

22 Bicameral having or consisting of two legislative chambers or houses

23 Unicameral having or consisting of one legislative chamber or house

24 boycott a method of expressing protest in which people are urged not to use or buy goods and services or deal with certain people or companies

25 constitution a plan, often written, that details the rules, functions, and principles of a government.

26 Article of Confederation the first constitution of the United States, adopted by the original 13 states in 1781 and lasting until 1788 when the present Constitution was ratified

27 Republic a democracy in which the supreme power lies with the citizens who vote for officials and representatives responsible to them

28 Tariff a duty or tax imposed on imported or exported goods

29 Ratification the formal approval, or act of validating, a constitution, a constitutional amendment, or a treaty

30 Federalist supporters of a strong federal government, as described in the Constitution.

31 Anti-Federalist those who opposed the adoption of the Constitution

32 Popular Sovereignty the fundamental principle that the power to govern belongs to the people and the government must be based on the consent of the governed

33 Separation of Powers the division of government s executive, legislative, and judicial powers into three separate branches

34 Checks and Balance a system in which political power is divided among the three branches of government, with each having some control over the others.

35 Federalism the division of governmental power, as expressed in the United States Constitution, between the national government and the states.

36 Amendment a formal statement of change to a law or constitution

37 Bill of Rights the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States

38 Lame Duck an elected official during the period between failure to win re-election and the inauguration of a succession

39 Delegated Powers the powers, also called enumerated or expressed powers, that are specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution

40 Implied Powers those delegated powers to the national government that are not specifically stated in the Constitution, but that are implied by the interpretation of the Elastic Clause

41 Elastic Clause the clause in the Constitution that allows Congress to pass laws as necessary to carry out its authorized powers; also called the Necessary and Proper Clause

42 Inherent Powers the powers, usually in foreign affairs, that grow out of the very existence of the national government

43 Reserved Powers the powers that the Constitution sets aside for the state government

44 Concurrent Powers the powers that both national and state governments have

45 Prohibited Powers the powers that are denied to the federal government, the state government, or both; also called restricted powers

46 Full Faith and Credit Clause the clause in the Constitution stating that acts or documents considered legal in one state must be accepted as valid by all other states

47 Extradition the legal process in which an alleged criminal is returned to the state or country where the crime was committed

48 Grants-in-Aid federal funds given to a state or local government for a particular project or program.

49 Categorical Grants a type of grant-in-aid given by the federal government to a state for specific purposes

50 Block Grants a type of grant-in-aid given by the federal government to a state for a general purpose, such as fighting crime or improving education

51 Revenue Sharing government financing in which money collected in federal income tax is distributed to state and local governments

52 mandate a rule issued by the federal government to the states