| A | B |
| citizens | community members who owe loyalty to the government |
| government | the ruling authority for the community |
| loyalty | citizens owe this to the government |
| democracy | a government in which citizens hold the power to rule |
| civics | the study of the rights and duties of citizens |
| representative democracy | a government in which citizens choose a smaller group to govern on their behalf. |
| dictatorship | a government controlled by one person or a small group of people |
| monarchy | system with a hereditary ruler such as a king or queen |
| federalism | the form of government where power is divided between the federal government and the states |
| separation of powers | split of authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches |
| checks and balances | system where each branch of government is able to check(limit) the power of the others |
| legislative | the branch of government that makes the laws |
| executive | the branch of government that carries out, enforces, and executes laws |
| judicial branch | branch of government that interprets the law |
| popular sovereignty | power lies with the people |
| legislature | a group of people who make laws |
| constitution | a detailed, written plan of government |
| amendment | any change in the constitution |
| ratify | to vote approval of (vote yes) |
| expressed powers | powers that Congress has that are specifically listed in the constitution |
| reserved powers | powers that the Constitution does NOT give to the federal government but is kept by the states |
| Preamble | the opening section of the constitution |
| due process of law | procedures established by law and guaranteed by the constitution |
| rule of law | principal that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern |
| consent of the governed | American citizes are the source of all governmental power (people power) |
| limited government | government is not all powerful and it may do only those things that people have given it the power to do |
| compromise | an agreement where each side agrees to give up something |
| supremacy clause | The constitution (and the federal government) is the supreme law of the land. |
| Congress | The legislative branch is represented by this body |
| President | The executive branch is represented by this |
| Courts | The Judicial branch is represented by this |
| People | in a popular sovereignty power rests with this group |
| Congress | this body has powers that are specifically listed in the constitutiony |
| states | reserved pwers are kept by the |
| concurrent powers | Powers shared by the state and federal government |
| implied powers | powers that congress has that are not stated explicity in the constitution |
| carries out | The executive branch ____________laws. |
| vote in favor of or accept | to ratify means to |
| government | A constitution is a detailed, written plan of |
| Penn State University | Who will win the Outback Bowl on January 1st? |