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Government
Semester 1 Vocab Portfolio
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Chapter 1: Government | The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies |
| Public Policy | All of the many goals that a government pursues in all of the many areas of human affairs in which it is involved |
| Legislative Power | The power to make a law and to frame public policies |
| Executive Power | The power to execute, enforce, and administer law |
| Judicial Power | The power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes within the society |
| Constitution | The body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a government |
| Dictatorship | A form of government in which the leader has absolute power and authority |
| Democracy | A form of government in which the supreme authority rests with the people |
| State | A body of people living in a defined territory who have a government with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority |
| Sovereign | Having supreme power within its own territory; neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority |
| Autocracy | a form of government in which a single person holds unlimited political power |
| Oligarchy | A form of government in which the power to rule is held by a small usually self-appointed elite |
| Unitary Government | A centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single, central agency |
| Federal Government | A form of government in which powers are divided between a central government and several local governments |
| Division of Powers | Basic principle of federalism; the constitutional provisions by which governmental powers, are divided on a geographic basis (in the United States, between the National Government and the the States). |
| Confederation | A joining of several groups for a common purpose |
| Presidential Government | A form of government in which a party's voters (1) choose State party organizations delegates to their party's national convention, and/or (2) express a preference for their party's presidential nomination |
| Parliamentary Government | A form of government in which the executive branch is made up of the prime minister, or premier, and that official's cabinet |
| Compromise | an adjustment of opposing principles or systems by modifying some aspects of each |
| Free Enterprise System | An economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods; investments that are determined by private decision rather than by state control, and determined in a free market |
| Law of Supply and Demand | A law which states that when supplies of goods and services become plentiful, prices tend to drop. When supplies become scarcer, prices tend to rise |
| Mixed Economy | An economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and promotion |
| Chapter 2: Limited Government | Basic principle of America government which states that government is restricted in what it may do, and each individual has rights that government cannot take away |
| Representative Government | System of government in which public polices are made by officials selected by the voters and held accountable in periodic elections |
| Magna Carta | Great Charter forced upon King John of England by his barons in 1215; established that the power of the monarchy was not absolute and guaranteed trial by jury and due process of law to nobility |
| Petition of Right | Document prepared by Parliament and signed by King Charles I of England in 1628; challenged the idea of the divine right of kings and declared that even the monarch was subject to the laws of the land |
| English Bill of Rights | Document written by Parliament and agreed by William and Mary of England in 1689, designed to prevent abuse of power by English monarchs; forms the basis for much in American government and politics today |
| Charter | A city's basic law, its constitution; a written grant of authority from the king |
| Bicameral | An adjective describing a legislative body composed of two chambers |
| Proprietary | Organized by a proprietor ( a person to whom the king made a grant of land). |
| Unicameral | An An adjective describing a legislative body with one chamber |
| Confederation | A joining of several for a common purpose |
| Albany Plan of Union | Plan proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 that aimed to unite the 13 colonies for trade, military, and other purposes; the plan was turned down by the colonies and the crown |
| Delegate | representative |
| Boycott | a refusal to buy or sell certain products or service |
| Repeal | to withdraw or cancel |
| Popular Sovereignty | government can exist only with the consent of the governed |
| Articles of Confederation | Plan of government adopted by the Continental Congress after the American Revolution; it established "a firm league of friendship" among the States but allowed few important powers to the central government |
| Ratification | formal approval of a constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty |
| Presiding Officer | chairperson |
| Farmers | the group of delegates who attended the Philadelphia Convention |
| Virginia Plan | called for a new government with three separate branches: legislative, executive, and judicial |
| New Jersey Plan | plan presented as an alternative to the Virginia Plan that called for a unicameral legislature in which each state would be equally represented |
| Connecticut Compromise | said that Congress should be made of two houses. In the Senate, each state would be represented equally. In the House, the representation would be based on state population. |
| Three-Fifths Compromise | all "free persons" should be counted, and so, too, should "three-fifths of all other persons" |
| Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise | Congress was forbidden the power to tax the export of goods from any state, and it could not act on the slave trade for a period of 20 years. |
| Federalists | people who favored ratification of the Constitution |
| Anti-Federalists | people who opposed the ratification of the Constitution |
| Quorum | majority |
| Chapter 3: Preamble | short, noteworthy introduction to the Constitution |
| Articles | Constitution that is broken up into 7 numbered sections |
| Constitutionalism | government must be conducted according to constitutional principles |
| Rule of Law | government and its officers are always subject to-never above-the law |
| Separation of Powers | powers that are distributed among three distinct and independent branches of the government |
| Checks and Balances | each branch is subject to a number of constitutional checks(restraints) by the other branches |
| Veto | reject |
| Judicial Review | power of courts to determine whether what government does is in accord with what the Constitution provides |
| Unconstitutional | to declare illegal, null and void, of no force and effect |
| Federalism | division of power among a central government and several regional governments |
| Amendment Formal Amendment | changes in its written words Formal: changes or additions that become part of the written language of the Constitution itself changes in its written words changes or additions that become part of the written language of the Constitution itself |
| Bill of Rights | first ten amendments |
| Executive Agreement | pact made by the President directly with the head of a foreign state |
| Treaty | formal agreement between two or more sovereign states |
| Electoral College | group that makes the formal selection of the nation's President |
| Cabinet | heads of the 15 executive departments, an advisory body to the President |
| Senatorial Courtesy | a long-established custom that the Senate will approve only those presidential appointees who are acceptable to the senator or senators of the President's party from the State involved |
| Chapter 4: Federalism | a system of government in which a written constitution divides the powers of government on a territorial basis between a central, or national, government and several regional governments, usually called states or provinces |
| Division of Powers | dividing the powers between the National and states |
| Delegated Powers | government that only has those powers granted to it in the Constitution |
| Expressed Powers | powers granted to the National government that are spelled out in the Constitution |
| Implied Powers | powers not expressly states in the Constitution but are reasonably suggested by the expressed powers |
| Inherent Powers | powers the Constitution is presumed to have delegated to the National Government because it is the government of a sovereign state within the world community |
| Reserved Powers | those powers that the Constitution does not grant to the National Government and does not, at the same time, deny the states |
| Exclusive Powers | the powers that the Constitution delegates to the National Government |
| Concurrent Powers | those powers that both the National government and the states possess and exercise |
| Enabling Act | an act directing the people of the territory to frame a proposed state constitution |
| Act of Admission | an act creating a new state |
| Grants-in-Aid Program | grants of federal money or other resources to the states and/or their cities, counties, and other local units |
| Revenue Sharing | a program in which Congress gave an annual share of the huge federal tax revenue to the states and their cities, counties, and townships |
| Categorical Grant | grants made for some specific, closely defined purpose |
| Block Grant | a type of federal grant-in-aid for some particular but broadly defined area of public policy |
| Project Grant | grants made to the states, localities, and sometimes private agencies that apply for them |
| Interstate Compact | formal agreement entered into with the consent of Congress, between or among states, or between a state and a foreign state |
| Full Faith and Credit Clause | Constitution's requirement that each state accept the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state |
| Extradition | the legal process by which a fugitive from justice in one state is returned to that state |
| Privileges and Immunities Clause | Constitution's stipulation that citizens are entitled to certain privileges and immunities, regardless of their state of residence; no state can draw unreasonable distinction between its own residents and those persons who happen to live in other states |
| Chapter 19: Bill of Rights | The first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution, containing a list of individual rights and liberties, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press |
| Civil Liberties | Constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens |
| Civil Rights | Policies designed to protect people against arbitrary or discriminatory treatment by government officials or individuals |
| Alien | Foreigner - not guaranteed all rights |
| Due Process Clause | 14th amendment clause stating that no state may deprive a person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law |
| Process of Incorporation | the process of incorporating , or including, most of the guarantees in the Bill of Rights into the 14th amendment's Due Process Clause |
| Establishment Clause | Clause in the First Amendment that says the government may not establish an official religion |
| Parochial | Church-related, as in a parochial school |
| Free Exercise Clause | A First Amendment provision that prohibits government from interfering with the practice of religion |
| Libel | False charges and malicious written statements about someone |
| Slander | False charges and malicious oral statements about someone |
| Sedition | behavior that promotes rebellion or civil disorder against the state |
| Seditious Speech | Urges resistance to lawful authority or advocates overthrowing the government |
| Prior Restraint | Government censorship of information before it is published or broadcast |
| Shield Law | state laws that protect journalists from having to reveal their sources |
| Symbolic Speech | nonverbal communication, such as burning a flag or wearing an armband. The Supreme Court has accorded some symbolic speech protection under the first amendment |
| Picketing | Patrolling of a business site by workers who are on strike |
| Assemble | To gather with one another in order to express views on public matters |
| Content Neutral | The government may not regulate assemblies on the basis on what might be said |
| Right of Association | the right to associate with others to promote political, economic, and other social causes |
| Chapter 20: Due process | The government must act fairly and in accord with established rules in all that it does |
| Substantive Due Process | The government must create fair policies and laws |
| Procedural Due Process | The government must employ fair procedures and methods |
| Police Power | The authority of each State to act to protect and promote public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of its people |
| Search Warrant | A court order authorizing a search |
| Involuntary Servitude | Forced labor |
| Discrimination | Bias, unfairness |
| Writs of Assistance | Blanket search warrant with which British officials had invaded private homes to search for smuggled goods |
| Probable Cause | Reasonable grounds, a reasonable suspicion of crime |
| Exclusionary Rule | Evidence gained as the result of an illegal act by police cannot be used against the person from whom it was seized |
| Writ of Habeas Corpus | A court order which prevents unjust arrests and imprisonments |
| Bill of Attainder | A legislative act that inflicts punishment without a court trial |
| Ex Post Facto Law | A law applied to an act committed before its passage |
| Grand Jury | The formal device by which a person can be accused of a serious crime |
| Indictment | A formal complaint before a grand jury which charges the accused person with one or more crimes |
| Double Jeopardy | Part of the 5th Amendment which says that no person can be put in jeopardy of life or limb twice. Once a person has been tried for a crime, he or she cannot be tried again for the same crime |
| Bench Trial | A trial in which the judge alone hears the trial |
| Miranda Rule | The constitutional rights which police must read to a suspect before questioning can occur |
| Bail | A sum of money that the accused may be required to post (deposit with the court) as a guarantee that he or she will appear in court at the proper time |
| Preventive Detention | A law which allows federal judges to order that an accused felon be held, without bail, when there is good reason to believe that he or she will commit yet another serious crime before trial |
| Capital Punishment | The death penalty |
| Treason | Betrayal of one's country; in the Constitution, by levying war against the United States or offering comfort or aid to its enemies |
| Chapter 21: Heterogenous | of another or different, race, family, or kind; composed of a mix of elements |
| Immigrant | a person who comes to a country where they were not born in order to settle there |
| Reservation | land set aside by the United States government for Native Americans |
| Refugee | a person who has to leave his or her country to find safety |
| Assimilation | Process by which people of one culture merge into and become part of another culture |
| Segregation | separation of people based on racial, ethnic, or other differences |
| Jim Crow Law | Law to isolate and separate one group of people from another on the basis of race |
| Separate-But-Equal Doctrine | the doctrine established by Plessy v Ferguson (1896) that African Americans could constitutionally be kept in separate but equal facilities |
| Integration | process of bringing people of different races together |
| De Jure Segregation | segregation that is imposed by law |
| De Facto Segregation | segregation (especially in schools) that happens in fact although not required by law |
| Affirmative Action | a policy designed to give special attention to or compensatory treatment for members of some previously disadvantaged group |
| Qutoa | the proportion or share of a larger number of things that a smaller group is assigned to contribute |
| Reverse Discrimination | Discrimination against the majority group |
| Citizen | a member of a state or nation who owes allegiance to it by birth or naturalization and is entitled to full civil rights |
| Jus Soli | The law of soil, which determines citizenship based on where a person is born |
| Jus Sanguinis | The law of soil, which determines citizenship based on where a person is born |
| Naturalization | the legal process by which a person is granted citizenship |
| Alien | a citizen of another country |
| Expatriation | migration from a place (especially migration from your native country in order to settle in another) |
| Denaturalization | Process by which a naturalized citizen may involuntarily lose their citizenship |
| Deportation | the expulsion from a country of an undesirable alien |
| Chapter 10: Term | Each term of congress lasts for two years and each is numbered consecutively |
| Session | the period of time each year when congress assembles and conducts it's businesses. One session every year |
| Adjourn | when congress ends it's current session to wait for the next one |
| Prorogue | the presidential power to end a session of congress |
| Special Session | a session of congress called by the president to deal with national emergencies |
| Apportion | determining the number of seats in the House of Representatives based off of population |
| Reapportion | redistributing the number of seats in the House. Happens every census (10 years) |
| Off-Year Election | congressional elections that occur in the middle of a president's term |
| Single-Member District | voters in each district elect one of the State's representatives from among a field of candidates for a seat in the House of Representatives |
| At-Large | elected from the state as a whole instead of from districts |
| Gerrymander | redistricting a state so that certain areas give the party in power of the state legislature an advantage |
| Continuous Body | redistricting a state so that certain areas give the party in power of the state legislature an advantage |
| Constituency | the people and interests the senators represent |
| Trustee | use their conscience and their independent judgment to decide on issues whether they are representing their constituents or not |
| Partisan | people who vote in line with their party on issues |
| Politico | a balance of trustees, delegates and partisans; they base their decisions off of the current situation |
| Oversight Function | Process by which Congress (through it's committees) checks to see that the various agencies in the executive branch are working effectively and in a constitutionally legal manner |
| Franking Privilege | well known benefit that allows Senate and House members to mail out letters and information to their constituents |
| Chapter 11: Expressed Powers | Those delegated powers of the National Government that are spelled out, expressly in the constitution; also called the "enumerated powers." |
| Implied Powers | Those delegated powers of the National Government that are suggested by the expressed powers set out in the constitution; those "necessary and proper" to carry out the expressed powers |
| Inherent Powers | Powers the constitution is presumed to have delegated to the National Government because it is the Government of a sovereign state within the world community |
| Strict Constructionist | One who argues a narrow interpretation of the constitution's provisions in particular those granting powers to the national government |
| Liberal Constructionist | One who argues a broad interpretation of the provisions of the constitution, particularly those granting powers to the federal government |
| Consensus | General agreement among various groups on fundamental matters; broad agreement on public questions |
| Tax | A charge levied by government on persons or property to meet public needs |
| Direct Tax | A tax that must be paid by the person on whom it is levied |
| Indirect Tax | A tax levied on one party but passed on to another for payment |
| Deficit Financing | Practice of funding government by borrowing to make up the difference between government spending and revenue |
| Public Debt | All of the money borrowed by the government and not yet repaid, plus the accrued interest on that money; also called the national debt or federal debt |
| Commerce Power | Exclusive power of congress to regulate interstate and foreign trade |
| Legal Tender | Any kind of money that a creditor must by law, accept in payment for any debts |
| Bankruptcy | The legal proceedings by which a bankrupt person's assets are distributed among those to whom he or she owes debts |
| Naturalization | The governmental acquisition of private industry for public use |
| Copyright | The exclusive, legal right of a person to reproduce, publish and sell his or her own literacy, musical, or artistic creations |
| Patent | A license issued to an inventor granting the exclusive right to manufacture, use, or sell his or her invention for a limited period of time |
| Eminent Domain | Power of a government to take private property for public use |
| Appropriate | Assign to a particular use |
| Necessary and Proper Clause | Constitutional clause that gives Congress the power to make all laws "necessary and proper" for executing its powers |
| Doctrine | Principle of fundamental policy |
| Successor | A person who inherits a title or office |
| Impeach | To bring formal charges against a public official; the power of congress |
| Acquit | Find not guilty of a charge |
| Perjury | Find not guilty of a charge |
| Censure | Issue a formal condemnation |
| Subpoena | An order for a person to appear and to produce documents or other requested materials |
| Chapter 12: Speaker of the House | The presiding officer of the house of representatives, chosen by and from the majority party in the House |
| President of the Senate | the presiding officer of a senate ; in congress, the vice president of the united states; in the lieutenant governor or a senate |
| President Pro Tempore | the member of the united states senate or of the upper house of a senate legislature, chosen to preside in the absence of the president of the senate |
| Party Caucus | is a close meeting of the members of each party in each house |
| Floor Leader | members of the house and senate picked by their parties to carry out party decisions and steer legislative action to meet party goals |
| Whip | assistant to the floor leaders in the house and senate responsibly for monitoring and marshaling votes |
| Committee Chairman | those members who head the standing committees in each chamber also hold strategic posts |
| Seniority Rule | unwritten customs |
| Standing Committee | each house began setting up permanent panels |
| Select Committee | also called special committees set up for specific purposes |
| Joint Committee | one composed of members from both houses |
| Conference Committee | temporary, joint body is created to iron out the differences in the bill |
| Joint Resolution | similar to bills and when passed have the force of law |
| Concurrent Resolution | deal with matters in which house and senate must act jointly |
| Resolution | deal with matters concerning either house alone and are taken up only by that house |
| Rider | dealing with an unrelated matter is included |
| Discharge Petition | enables members to force a bill that has remained in committee 30 days (7 in the rules committee) onto the floor for consideration |
| Subcommittee | division of existing committees formed to address specific issues |
| Committee of the Whole | old parliamentary device for speeding business on the floor |
| Quorum | majority of the full membership (218) must be present in order for the house to do business on the floor |
| Engrossed | means the bill is printed in its final form |
| Filibuster | attempt to "talk a bill to death" |
| Cloture | limited debate |
| Veto | refuse to sign the bill |
| Pocket Veto | type of veto a chief executive may use after a legislature has adjourned; when the chief executive does not sign or reject a bill within the time allowed to do so |
| Chapter 13: Chief of State | term used for President as the ceremonial head of the U.S. ; symbol of the people of the nation |
| Chief Executive | term for President as vested with the executive power of the U.S. |
| Chief Administrator | term for President as head of the administration of the Federal Government |
| Chief Diplomat | term for President as the main architect of foreign policy, and spokesperson to other countries |
| Commander in Chief | term for President as commander of the nation's armed forces |
| Chief Legislator | term for President as architect of public policy and the one who sets the agenda for Congress |
| Chief of Party | term for the President as the leader of his or her political party |
| Chief Citizen | term for President as the representative of he people, works for public interest |
| Presidential Succession | Scheme by which a presidential vacancy is filled |
| Presidential Succession Act of 1947 | Law specifying the order of presidential succession following the Vice President. |
| Balance the Ticket | when a Presidential candidate chooses a running mate who can strengthen his chance of being elected by virtue of certain idea logical, geographic, racial, ethnic, gender, or other characteristics |
| Presidential Electors | a person elected by the voters to represent them in making a formal selection of the Vice President and President |
| Electoral Votes | Votes cast by electors in the electoral college |
| Electoral College | group of persons chosen in each State and the District of Columbia every 4 years who make a formal selection of the President and Vice President |
| Presidential Primary | an election in which a party's voters : choose State party organization's delegates to their party's national convention, and or express a preference for their party's presidential nomination |
| Winner-Take-All | an almost obsolete system whereby a presidential aspirant who won the preference vote in a primary automatically won all the delegates chosen in the primary |
| Proportional Representation | rule applied in Democratic primaries whereby any candidate who wins at least 15% of the votes gets the number of State Democratic convention delegates based on his or her share of the primary vote |
| National Convention | meeting at which a party's delegates vote to pick their presidential and vice-presidential candidates |
| Platform | a political party's formal statement of basic principles, stands on major issues, and objectives |
| Keynote Address | speech given at a party convention to set the tone for the convention and the campaign to come |
| District Plan | proposal for choosing presidential electors by which two electors would be selected in each State according to the Statewide popular vote and the other electors would be selected separately in each of the State's congressional districts |
| Proportional Plan | proposal by which each presidential candidate would receive the same share of a State's electoral vote as he or she received in the State's popular vote |
| Direct Popular Election | proposal to do away with the electoral college and allow the people to vote directly for the President and Vice President |
| Electorate | all of the people entitled to vote in a given election |
| National Bonus Plan | Proposal for electing a President which the winner of the popular vote would receive a bonus of 102 electoral votes in addition to his/her State-based electoral college votes If no one received at least 321 electoral votes a run-off election would be held |
| Chapter 14: Executive Articles | Article II of the Constitution. Establishes the presidency and gives the executive power of the Federal Government to the President |
| Mass Media | forms of communication, including printed publications, radio, television, and most recently, internet |
| Imperial Presidency | paints a picture of the President as emperor, taking strong actions without consulting Congress or seeking its approval--sometimes acting in secrecy to evade or even to deceive Congress |
| Oath of Office | Oath taken by the President on the day he takes office, pledging to "faithfully execute" the office and "preserve, protect, and defend" the Constitution |
| Executive Order | the president has the power to issue an executive order. This is a directive, rule or regulation that has the power of law |
| Ordinance Power | the power to issue an executive order. This power comes from the Constitution and acts of Congress |
| Treaty | a formal agreement between two of more sovereign states |
| Executive Agreement | a pact between the President and the head of a foreign state, or between the President and the head of a foreign state, or between their subordinates |
| Recognition | the President, acting for the US, acknowledges the legal existence of that country and its government. To establish a formal diplomatic relationship with another country |
| Persona Non Grata | when a president may show American displeasure with the conduct of another country by asking for the recall of that nation's ambassador or other diplomatic representative |
| Line-Item Veto | In government, the line-item veto, or partial veto, is the power of an executive authority to nullify or cancel specific provisions of a bill, usually a budget appropriations bill, without vetoing the entire legislative package |
| Reprieve | the postponement of the execution of a sentence |
| Pardon | legal forgiveness of a crime (almost as though the crime never happened). A pardon is only valid if the person who it is given to accepts it |
| Clemency | shorten a sentence |
| Commutation | mercy or leniency |
| Amnesty | group pardon e.g. draft dodgers |
| Chapter 15: Bureaucracy | A large, complex administrative structure that handles the everyday business of an organization |
| Bureaucrat | A person who works for a bureaucratic organization |
| Administration | The officials in the executive branch of a government and their policies and principles |
| Staff Agency | An agency which supports the chief executive and other administrators by offering advice and other assistance and management in the organization |
| Line Agency | An agency which performs the tasks for which the organization exists |
| Executive Office of the President | An organization of several agencies staffed by the president's closet advisers |
| Federal Budget | A detailed financial document containing estimates of federal income and spending during the coming fiscal year |
| Fiscal Year | A 12-month period used by a government and the business world for its record-keeping, budgeting, revenue collecting, and other financial management purposes |
| Domestic Affairs | All matters not directly connected to the realm of foreign affairs |
| Executive Departments | Often called the cabinet departments, they are the traditional units of federal administration |
| Secretary | An official in charge of a department of government |
| Attorney General | The head of the department of justice |
| Independent Agencies | Additional agencies created by Congress located outside the Cabinet departments |
| Independent Executive Agencies | Agencies headed by a single administrator with regional sub-units, but lacking Cabinet status |
| Independent Regulatory Commissions | Independent agencies created by Congress, designed to regulate important aspects of the nation's economy, largely beyond the reach of presidential control. |
| Quasi-Legislative | Having to do with powers that are to some extent legislative |
| Quasi-Judicial | Having to do with powers that are to some extent judicial |
| Government Corporation | Corporations within the executive branch subject to the President's direction and control, set up by Congress to carry out certain business-like activities |
| Civil Service | Those civilian employees who perform the administrative work of government |
| Spoils System | The practice of giving offices and other favors of government to political supporters and friends |
| Patronage | The practice of giving jobs to supporters and friends |
| Register | A record or list of names, often kept by an official appointed to do so |
| Bipartisan | Supported by two parties |
| Chapter 18: Inferior Courts | the lower federal courts, beneath the Supreme Court |
| Jurisdiction | the authority of a court to hear a case |
| Exclusive Jurisdiction | power of the federal courts alone to hear certain cases |
| Concurrent Jurisdiction | power shared by federal and State courts to hear certain cases |
| Plaintiff | in civil law, the party who brings a suit or some other legal action against another (the defendant) in court |
| Defendant | in a civil suit, the person against whom a court action is brought by the plaintiff; in a criminal case, the person charged with the crime |
| Original Jurisdiction | the power of a court to hear a case first, before any other court |
| Appellate Jurisdiction | the authority of a court to review decisions of inferior (lower) courts |
| Criminal Case | a case in which a defendant is tried for committing a crime as defined by the law |
| Civil Case | a case involving a noncriminal matter such as a contract dispute or a claim of patent infringement |
| Docket | a court's list of cases to be heard |
| Writ of Certiorari | an order by a higher court directing a lower court to send up the record in a given case for review;from the Latin meaning "to be more certain" |
| Certificate | a method of putting a case before the Supreme Court;used when a lower court is not clear about the procedure or rule of law that should apply in a case and asks the supreme Court to certify the answer to specific question |
| Majority Opinion | officially called the Opinion of the Court; announces the Court's decision in a case and sets out the reasoning upon which it is based |
| Precedent | court decision that stands as an example to be followed in future, similar cases |
| Concurring Opinion | written explanation of the views of one or more judges who support a decision reached by a majority of the court, but wish to add or emphasize a point that was not made in the majority decision |
| Dissenting Opinion | written explanation of the views of one or more judges who disagree with (dissent from) a decision reached by a majority of the court |
| Redress | satisfaction of a claim payment |
| Civilian Tribunal | a court operating as part of the judicial branch, entirely separate from the military establishment |
| Court-Material | a court composed of military personnel, for the trial of those accused of violating military law |
| Chapter 6: Suffrage | the right to vote |
| Franchise | the right to vote |
| Electorate | all the people entitled to vote in a given election |
| Transient | persons living in the State for only a short time |
| Registration | a procedure of voter identification intended to prevent fraudulent voting |
| Purge | the process of reviewing lists of registered voters and removing the names on those no longer eligible to vote; a purification |
| Poll Books | the official list of qualified voters in each precinct |
| Literacy | a person's ability to read or write |
| Poll Tax | a special tax , demanded by the States, as a condition of voting |
| Gerrymandering | the practice of drawing electoral districts (the boundaries of the geographic area from which candidate is elected to a public office) |
| Injunction | a court order that wither compels (forces) or restrains (limits) the performance of some act by a private individual or by a public office |
| Preclearance | mandated by the voting rights act of 1965, the prior approval by the Justice Department of changes to it new election laws by certain states |
| Off-Year Election | congressional election that occurs between presidential election years |
| Political Efficacy | one's own influence or effectiveness on politics |
| Political Socialization | the process by which people gain their political attitudes and opinions |
| Gender Gap | measurable differences between the partisan choices of men and women today |
| Party Identification | the loyalty of people to a certain political party |
| Straight-Ticket Voting | the practice of voting for candidates of only one party in an election |
| Split-Ticket Voting | the practice of voting for the candidates of more than one party in an election |
| Independent | a term used to destructive people who have no party affiliation |
| Chapter 7: Nomination | the process of nominating and selecting political candidates for elected office |
| General Election | regularly scheduled elections at which voters make final selections and decisions/votes for individual officeholders (representative democracy starts here) |
| Cacus | a group of like-minded people who meet to select candidates they will support in an upcoming election |
| Direct Primary | an election within a party to pick that party's candidates |
| Closed Primary | a party's nomination election in which only registered party members may vote ---- closed to any other party members |
| Open Primary | a party's nomination election in which any qualified voter can cast a single ballot for any candidate regardless of party |
| Blanket Primary | a primary where every voter can choose among all contenders, regardless of party affiliation, for every nomination to be made |
| Runoff Primary | In most states, the person with the highest plurality is the winner. But in some states, the two highest vote-getters must run again to see who gets the majority |
| Nonpartisan Election | Elections in which the party's labels or affiliations are not disclosed ---- often an election for judges occurs this way |
| Absentee Voting | a process by which someone can vote without actually going to the poll place on polling day |
| Coattail Effect | this occurs when a strong candidate running for an office draws along other associated candidates for other offices |
| Precinct | A voting district |
| Polling Place | the place where one goes to cast their vote |
| Ballot | the paper for casting one's vote |
| Political Action Committee (PCA) | groups of people that serve as political "arms" of special interest organizations with a stake in electoral politics, used to raise money. "Money talks." |
| Subsidy | a grant of money, usually from a government, especially at the U.S. presidential level |
| Soft Money | Campaign contributions unregulated by federal or state law, usually given to parties and party committees to help fund general party activities. (Has no limits) |
| Hard Money | money that is raised and spent on specific candidates for national and local elections to which legal limits on the amount are placed |
| Chapter 8: Public Affairs | Events and issues that concern the public at large |
| Public Opinion | Those attitudes held by a significant number of people on matters of government and politics |
| Mass Media | Means of communication that reach large, widely dispersed audiences simultaneously |
| Peer Group | People with whom one regularly associates, including friends, classmates, neighbors, and co-workers |
| Opinion Leader | Any person who, for any reason, has an unusually strong influence on the views of others |
| Mandate | The instructions or commands a constituency gives to its elected officials |
| Interest Group | Private organizations whose members share certain views and work to shape public policy |
| Public Opinion Poll | Devices that attempt to collect information by asking people questions |
| Straw Vote | Poll that seeks to read the public's mind simply by asking the same question of a large number of people |
| Sample | A representative slice of the total universe |
| Random Sample | A certain number of randomly selected people who live in a certain number of randomly selected places |
| Quota Sample | Less complicated but less reliable method. Is deliberately constructed to reflect several of the major characteristics of a given universe |
| Medium | A means of communication; it transmits some kind of information. Television, Radio, Newspaper, Magazines |
| Public Agenda | The societal problems that political leaders and citizens agree need government attention. Media plays a large role in shaping it. It is not correct that the media tell the people what to think but it is clear that they tell the people what to think about |
| Sound Bite | Snappy reports that can be aired in 30 to 45 seconds. Newscasts featuring candidates that are usually short. They are usually staged and carefully orchestrated |
| Chapter 9: Public Policy | Choices the government makes and actions it takes in response to a particular issue or problem |
| Public Affairs | Issues and events that concern the people at large |
| Trade Association | Interest group within the business community |
| Labor Union | A group of workers who join together to advance their wages, benefits, and safety |
| Public-Interest Group | An interest group that works for the benefit of all citizens |
| Propaganda | A method of persuasion used to influence individuals or groups |
| Single-Interest Group | Political action committees that concentrate their efforts exclusively on one issue |
| Lobbying | A strategy by which organized interests seek to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of the legislature |
| Grass Roots | Political activity that originates locally, or arises from ground level |
| Chapter 24: Popular Sovereignty | basic principle of the American system of government which asserts that the people are the source of any and all governmental power, and government can exist only with the consent of the governed |
| Limited Government | basic principle of American government which states that government is restricted in what it may do, and each individual has rights that government cannot take away |
| Fundamental Law | laws of basic and lasting importance which may not easily be changed |
| Initiative | a process in which a certain number of qualified voters sign petitions in favor of a proposed statute or constitutional amendment, which then goes directly to the ballot |
| Statutory Law | a law passed by the legislature |
| Police Power | the authority of each State to act to protect and promote the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of its people |
| Constituent Power | the non-legislative power of Constitution making and the constitutional amendment process |
| Referendum | a process by which a legislative measure is referred to the State's voters for final approval or rejection |
| Recall | a petition procedure by which voters may remove an elected official from office before the completion of his or her regular term |
| Item Veto | a governor may veto one or more items in a bill without rejecting the entire measure |
| Clemency Pardon | mercy or leniency granted to an offender by a chief executive;release from the punishment or legal consequences of a crime by the President (in a federal case) or a governor (in a State case) |
| Commutation | the power to reduce (commute) the length of a sentence or fine for a crime |
| Reprieve | the power to reduce (commute) the length of a sentence or fine for a crime |
| Parole | the release of a prisoner short of the complete term of the original sentence |
| Common Law | an unwritten law made by a judge that has developed over centuries from those generally accepted ideas of right and wrong that have gained judicial recognition |
| Precedent | court decision that stands as an example to be followed in future, similar cases |
| Criminal Law | the portion of the law that defines public wrongs and provides for their punishment |
| Felony | a serious crime which may be punished by a heavy fine and/or imprisonment or even death |
| Misdemeanor | a lesser offense, punishable by a small fine and/or a short jail term |
| Infraction | a minor crime punishable by a fine but not incarceration |
| Civil Law | the portion of the law relating to human conduct, to disputes between private parties, and to disputes between private parties, and government not covered by criminal law |
| Jury | a body of persons selected according to law who hear evidence and decide questions of fact in a court case |
| Information | a formal charge filed by a prosecutor without the action of grand jury |
| Bench Trial | a trial in which the judge alone hears the case |
| Warrant | a court order authorizing, or making legal , some official action, such as a search warrant or an arrest warrant |
| Appellate Jurisdiction | the authority of a court to review decisions of inferior (lower) court |
| Retention Election | a yes or no to renew the term of an appointed judge |
| Chapter 25: County | A major unit of local government in most States |
| Township | A subdivision of a county |
| Charter | a city's basic law, its constitution; a written grant of authority from the king |
| Ordinance | a local law |
| Special District | An independent unit created to perform one or more government related functions at the local level |
| Regional Body | local government entity designed to address problems that extend beyond a single county or city |
| Incorporation | the process by which a State establishes a city as a legal body |
| Strong-Mayor Government | The oldest and most widely used type of city government: an elected mayor as the chief executive and an elected council as its legislative body |
| Weak-Mayor Government | a type of government in which the mayor heads the city's administration |
| Council-Manager Government | A modification of the mayor-council government, it consists of a strong council of members elected on a non-partisan ballot, a weak mayor, elected by the people, and a manager, named by the council |
| Commission Government | A government formed by commissioners, heads of different departments of city government, who are popularly elected to form the city council and thus center both legislative and executive powers in one body |
| Zoning | the practice of dividing a city into a number of districts and regulating the uses to which property in each of them may be put |
| Metropolitan Area | a city and the area around it |
| Medicaid | a program administered by the State to provide medical insurance to low-income families |
| Welfare | cash assistance to the poor |
| Entitlement | a benefit that federal law says must be paid to all those who meet the eligibility requirements, Medicare, food stamps, and veterans' pensions |
| Sales Tax | A tax placed on the sale of various commodities, paid by the purchaser |
| Use Tax | a tax imposed on transactions in which no sales tax is collected |
| Regressive Tax | A tax levied at a flat rate, without regard to the level of the taxpayer's income or ability to pay them |
| Income Tax | A tax levied on the income of individuals and/or corporations |
| Progressive Tax | A type of tax proportionate to income |
| Property Tax | A tax levied on real and personal property |
| Assessment | the process of determining the value of property to be taxed |
| Inheritance Tax | A tax levied on the beneficiary's share of an estate |
| Estate Tax | A levy imposed on the assets of one who dies |
| Budget | A financial plan for the use of money, personnel and property |
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