| A | B |
|---|
| Popular Sovereignty | The idea that the governmentÕs authority comes from the people |
| Legislative Branch | The lawmaking part of government, called the legislature. To legislate is to make a law. |
| Executive Branch | The part of government that carries out, or executes, the laws |
| Judicial Branch | The part of the government, consisting of the Supreme Court and lower federal courts, that interprets the laws |
| Judicial Review | The power of the Supreme Court to decide whether laws and acts made by the legislative and executive branches are unconstitutional |
| Checks and Balances | The system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other two branches |
| Interstate Commerce | Trade and other business dealings between two or more states |
| Federalism | The constitutional system that shares power between the national and state government |
| Majority Rule | A basic principle of democracy that says laws are passed this way and elections are decided this way |
| Interest Group | An organization that actively promotes the view of some part of the public on some part of the public on specific issues in order to influence government policy |
