| A | B |
|---|
| natural rights | inherent in the nature of people, such as life, liberty and property. |
| John Locke | thinker who developed the social contract theory of government |
| federalism | system in which the power to govern is shared between the national and state governments |
| checks and balances | powers that allow one branch to limit another, such as the authority of the president to veto legislation passed by Congress |
| popular sovereignty | legitimacy of rule is based on the consent of the governed |
| Limited government | government has restrictions on its power |
| Articles of Confederation | the first governing document of the United States. Most power given to the states. |
| States' rights | U.S. states possess political powers in relation to the federal government. |
| legislative branch | the branch of the United States government that makes the laws |
| executive branch | the branch of the United States government that enforces the laws |
| judicial branch | the branch of the United States government that interprets the laws |
| Declaration of Independence | The document that asserted the freedom and independence of the 13 Colonies from Great Britain |
| Bill of Rights | the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution |
| Republic | form of government in which the people through their elected representatives possess supreme power |
| Representative Government | form of government where people's representatives are charged with the responsibility of acting in the people's interest. |
| Separation of Powers | division of government into the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial branches. |
| Anti-Federalists | People opposed to the creation of a stronger national government under the Constitution. |
| Constitutional Convention | meeting of delegates in Philadephia to draft the Constitution. |
| Federalists | People supporting ratification of the proposed Constitution of the United States. |
| We the People… | First words in the preamble to the US Constitution. Exemplifies popular sovereignty. |
| Social Contract | Theory that people give up some freedom to a government in order to receive protection of their natural rights. |
| filibuster | The use of obstructionist tactics, especially prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaying legislative action |
| bicameral | Composed of two legislative chambers or branches |
| legislative branch | the branch of the United States government that makes the laws |
| executive branch | the branch of the United States government that enforces the laws |
| judicial branch | the branch of the United States government that interprets the laws |
| Judicial Review | Power of supreme court to declare a law or act unconstitutional. |
| Marbury v Madison | Supreme Court case that established the power of judicial review. |
| Jurisdiction | authority given to a court to hear a case. |
| Judicial activism | belief that courts should interpret the constitution loosely and may challange decisions of the executive and legistlative branches. |
| Bureaucracy | large organizations characterized by standardized procedure, job specialization, hierarchy, and impersonal relationships. |
| Judicial restraint | belief that judges should not strike down laws unless they are obviously unconstitutional and courts should defer to the legislative and executive branches. |
| Formal qualifications to be President | natural born citizen, 35 years old, resident for 14 years |
| Number of Representatives | 435 |
| Number of Senators | 100 |
| Senator's Term | 6 years |
| Representatives' Term | 2 years |
| Foreign Policy | Policies of the federal government directed to matters beyond US borders, especially relations with other countries. Executive branch has primary responsibility. |
| Constitutional Amendments | Changes to the Constitution. Demonstrate federalism because they are proposed at the national level, ratified at the state level. |
| Supreme Court Justices | Appointed by President, Confirmed by the Senate, life terms |
| Politics | The struggle between various groups to influence the policies and conduct of government |
| Electoral College | the body of electors who formally elect the United States president and vice president |
| Number of electors needed to win | 270 |
| winner take all system | In most States, whichever candidate receives most of the popular vote gets all of the State's electoral votes. |
| Liberals | Believe the role of the government is mostly to provide equality and protect civil liberties. |
| Conservatives | Believe the role of the government is mostly to protect freedom and maintain order. |
| Bipartisan | supported by members of the two major political parties (the Democrats and the Republicans). |
| constituent | A resident of a district or member of a group represented by an elected official. |
| incumbent | current office holder |
| Interest Group | A group of individuals who share some common goals and try to influence public policy to meet these goals. |
| Political Party | any group that seeks to elect government officials under its label. |
| Lobbyist | An individual who seeks to influence government on behalf of an interest group. |
| PAC (Political Action Committee) | Organization formed by a special-interest group to raise money and influence elections. |
| Packaging | The manner in which something, such as a politician, is presented to the public to convey the desired message. |
| Sound bite | A brief statement, as by a politician, taken from an audio or video and broadcast especially during a news report |
| Campaign Finance | fundraising and spending that political campaigns do in their election races. |
| Polls | survey of public opinion from a particular sample. |
| Democratic Party | moderate to liberal political party in the United States |
| Republican Party | moderate to conservative political party in the United States |
| Bill of Rights | first ten amendments to the Constitution. Added as protection from the new national government. |
| due process | the administration of justice according to established rules and principles; based on the principle that a person cannot be deprived of life or liberty or property without appropriate legal procedures and safeguards |
| Miranda Rights | rights read by an officer to a person in custody before they are interrogated. |
| Separation of church and state | idea that the government and religion should be separate, and not interfere in each other's affairs. |
| Equal Protection | idea that all citizens should be treated equally under the law. |
| Civil Disobedience | The decision to break specific laws because they are unjust. |
| First Amendment Protections | Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion, Assembly and Petition |
| Voting Requirements | US Citizen, 18 years old or older, resident of the state where they are registered |
