Term | Definition |
civics | the study of the rights and duties of citizens |
needs | requirements for survival such as food water clothing and shelter |
bicameral | a legislature consisting of two parts or houses |
fifth amendment | states that people may not be required to incriminate themselves |
treason | the only crime defined by the Constitution |
where the president works and lives | white house |
our inalienable rights | our "inalienable rights" are "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness |
rule of law | legal principle that law should govern a nation |
scarcity | not having enough resources to produce all of the things we would like to have |
determined by the total number of u.s senators and representatives | how many electoral votes a state has |
stare decisis | the process of using earlier judicial rulings as a basis for deciding cases |
common law | a system of law based on precedent and customs |
census | he population count taken every 10 years |
electoal college | a group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president |
the stamp act was repealed because of this act | the boycott of British goods; the Boston Tea Party |
bill of rights | the first 10 amendments to the Constitution |
house of burgesses | marked the beginning of self-government in colonial America |
naturalization | a legal process to obtain citizenship |
the line of succession | the Vice President is nearest to the front of the line succession |
the presidents most important role | Chief Executive |
federalism | a form of government in which power is divided between the federal or national government and the states |
economics | the study of how individuals and nations make choices about ways to use scarce resources to fulfill their needs and wants |
responsibilities | things we are required to do as citizens |
civil rights | the rights of full citizenship and equality under the law |
people who select the president and vice president | Electoral College; an indirect method we use |