| A | B |
|---|
| alliance | agreement in which two or more countries commit to helping each other for defense, economic, scientific, or other reasons |
| ambassadors | the highest-ranking officials representing a government in a foreign country |
| amendment | a written change to the Constitution |
| apportioned | to be distributed, as in the seats int he House of Representatives |
| appeal | the right of a convicted person to ask a higher court to review his or her case |
| appropriation bill | a bill approving the spending of extra public money |
| arbitration | a method of settling differences between labor unions and employers in which a third party's decision must be accepted by both sides |
| attorney general | the chief legal officer of the nation or of a state |
| balanced budget | a budget in which revenue equals expenditures |
| balance of power | a situation in which countries or groups of countries have equal levels of strength |
| bicameral | consisting of two houses, as in a law-making body |
| bill | proposed law being considered by a lawmaking body |
| Bill of Rights | The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which set forth basic rights guaranteed to all Americans |
| budget | a plan of income and spending |
| bureaucracy | the many departments and agencies at all levels of the government |
| cabinet | the leaders of the executive departments, who also act as advisers to the president |
| candidate | a person who runs for election to public office |
| capital | money invested in business; also, property and equipment used to produce goods or services |
| capitalism | an economic system based on private ownership of the means of production |
| caucuses | meetings of party leaders to determine party policy or to choose the party's candidates for public office |
| censure | the formal disapproval of the actions of a member of Congress by the other members |
| census | an official count of the number of people in a country |
| charter | a basic plan of government granted by state legislatures to local governments |
| checks and balances | a system in which the powers of government are balanced among different branches so that each branch can check, or limit, the power of the other branches |
| citizen | a legal member of a country |
| city council | the lawmaking body of a city |
| civics | the study of what it means to be a U.S. citizen |
| closed primary | a primary election in which only voters who are members of the party can vote for the party's candidates |
| cloture | a limit on the debate of a bill in the Senate |
| coalition | an agreement between two or more political parties to work together to run a government |
| collective bargaining | a process in which representatives of a labor union and an employer work to reach an agreement about wages and working conditions |
| commission | a local government body that has both legislative and executive powers |
| common law | customary law that develops from judges' decision and is followed in situations not covered by statutory law |
| compulsory | required by law |
| concurrent powers | powers shared by the federal government and the states |
| confederation | a loose association of states |
| constituents | people represented by members of a lawmaking body |
| constitution | a written plan of government |
| constitutional law | law based on the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court decisions |
| consul | an official who works to promote U.S. commercial interests in a foreign country |
| consumer | a person who buys or uses products and services |
| county | a subdivision of state government formed to carry out state laws, collect taxes, and supervise elections |
| courts of appeals | Federal courts that review decisions appealed from district courts |
| criminal justice system | the system of police, courts, and corrections used to bring criminals to justice |
| criminal law | the body of law that regulates the conduct of individuals as members of the state |
| currency | coins and paper money |
| deficit | the amount by which expenditures exceed income |
| delegated powers | powers given to the federal government by the Constitution |
| democracy | a form to government in which the people of a country either rule directly or through elected representatives |
| demographics | the study of the characteristics of human populations |
