| A | B |
|---|
| Bill of Rights | The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution; guarantees individual rights. |
| Common Law | Law that developed over a long period of time from customs/traditions and previous legal decisions. |
| Constitutional Republic | A form of government in which representatives are elected by people to govern them as directed by a Constitution. The United States is a constitutional republic |
| The Enlightenment | An 18th century cultural movement that stressed reason and science over superstition and blind faith; a period in European history when many people stressed the importance of learning and reasoning; education was considered the key to understanding and solving society's problems. |
| Executive Branch | The branch of government who carries out/enforces/ executes laws; it is the largest of the branches headed by the president at the federal level. |
| Judicial Branch | The branch of government that interprets the laws. At the federal level, it is defined in Article III of the Constitution |
| Legislative Branch | The lawmaking branch; the part of the government that makes the laws. At the federal level, it is defined in Article I of the Constitution. |
| Limited Government | The idea that the government has restrictions; the principle that a ruler or government is not all powerful. |
| Magna Carta | Written in 1215, the Magna Carta is a government document that limited the power of the king of England and protected the rights of the nobility (i.e. right to jury trial and taxation without representation). It is viewed as the foundation of democracy in England. |
| Mayflower Compact | An agreement between individuals that created a government that would provide order and protect the rights of the colonists; included the idea of self government; written by a group of English Puritans in Massachusetts in 1620 |
| Natural Rights | Rights that are universal and unalienable; the belief that individuals are born with basic rights that cannot be taken away by governments. |
| Polis | A city- state in Ancient Greece known for its sense of community and respect for law. |
| Protected Rights | Rights (i.e. natural or individual) that are documented and protected by the government. |
| Representative Government | A government in which the citizens elect representatives to pass laws for them. |
| Republic | A representative government |
| Due Process | The idea that people have the right to fair and reasonable laws, and that government leaders and officials have to follow rules when enforcing laws and treat all people in the same way. |
