| A | B |
|---|
| incorporate | to receive a state charter officially recognizing the government of a locality |
| city charter | a document granting power to a local government |
| home rule | allows cities to write their own charters, choose their own type of government, and manage their own affairs |
| ordinance | a law, usually of a city or county |
| at-large election | an election for an area as a whole; for example, statewide |
| dominate | to have great influence over |
| reluctant | unwilling |
| special district | a unit of government that deals with a specific function, such as education, water supply, or transportation |
| metropolitan area | a large city and its suburbs |
| suburb | a community that is near a larger city |
| county | normally the largest territorial and political subdivision of a state |
| county seat | a town where the county courthouse is located |
| town | political unit that is larger than a village and smaller than a city |
| township | a subdivision of a county that has its own government |
| town meeting | a gathering of local citizens to discuss and vote on important issues; usually found in New England |
| village | smallest unit of local government |
| unicameral | one house legislature |
| bicameral | two house legislature |
| 14th Amendment | Civil war Amendment that gave citizenship to freed slaves but also protects citizens from discrimination by their state governments |
| Baker v. Carr | Supreme Court case that originated in Tennessee that made malapportionment unconstitutional. |
| 1845 | The year Florida became a state. |
| 1968 | The year the last Florida Constitution was ratified. |
| Article VI | The "Supremacy Clause" |
| Lieutenant Governor | The person next in line behind the governor; similar to a vice-president. |
