| A | B |
| Electoral College | Indirect method of election |
| Elector | State appointed individuals who vote for one of the major candidates |
| Executive Order | A rule or command that has the force of law |
| Pardon | A declaration of forgiveness and freedom from punishment |
| Reprieve | An order to delay a person's punishment until a higher court can hear the case |
| Amnesty | A pardon toward a group of people |
| Foreign Policy | Nation's overall plan for dealing with other nations |
| National Security | The ability to keep the country safe from attack or harm |
| Treaty | Formal agreement between governments of two or more countries |
| Executive Agreement | An agreement between the president and the leader of another country |
| Ambassador | An official representative of a country's government |
| Trade Sanction | Efforts to punish another nation by imposing trade barriers |
| Embargo | An agreement among a group of nations that prohibits them all from trading with a target nation |
| Cabinet | A group of presidential advisers that includes the heads of the 15 top level executive departments |
| Federal Bureaucracy | Taken together, the agencies and employees of the executive branch |
| Independent Agency | Agencies not part of the cabinet |
| Government Corporation | Private businesses that the government rather than individuals own and operate |
| Political Appointee | People whom the president has chosen because they have proven executive ability or were important supporters of the president's election compaign |
| Civil Service Worker | Person hired into a federal position |
| Civil Service System | The practice of hiring government workers on the basis of open, competitive examinations and merit |
| Spoils System | System were government jobs went to people as a reward for their political support |
| Merit System | Government officials hire new workers from lists of people who have passed the tests or otherwise met civil service standards |