Question 1

adjournment
(adjourn)

Accepted Answer

Action to end a meeting or postpone it to a
later date.

Question 2

advice and consent

Accepted Answer

The president has the authority to make
treaties and appoint judges, ambassadors, and
other high officials with “advice and consent”
(permission) from the Senate.

Question 3

ambassadors

Accepted Answer

A government’s official representatives to
foreign governments and to international
organizations.

Question 4

amendment
process

Accepted Answer

The method of changing, or amending, the
Constitution, laws or other documents. Article
V of Constitution.

Question 5

Antifederalists

Accepted Answer

The name given to those who opposed the
ratification of the Constitution in 1787-1788
without the addition of a Bill of Rights.

Question 6

Articles of
Confederation

Accepted Answer

The first written constitution of the United
States (adopted 1781- replaced in 1789) that
was too weak to govern the new nation.

Question 7

bicameral
legislature

Accepted Answer

A lawmaking body with two houses or two
chambers (e.g., The Senate and House of
Representatives.)

Question 8

bill

Accepted Answer

An idea being suggested to become a law

Question 9

bill of attainder

Accepted Answer

A law passed by a legislature punishing a specific
person or group without giving the benefit of a
trial.

Question 10

Bill of
Rights

Accepted Answer

Written guarantees of basic freedoms, found in
the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.

Question 11

cabinet
(President’s)

Accepted Answer

A group of presidential advisers, including
the heads of executive departments, the
vice president, and others the president may
choose.

Question 12

caucus

Accepted Answer

A meeting to select a candidate or promote
a policy.

Question 13

census

Accepted Answer

An official count of the population, often
including information on people’s age,
gender, race, and jobs

Question 14

checks and
balances

Accepted Answer

A system that gives each branch of
government some degree of power over the
others.

Question 15

Chief Justice

Accepted Answer

The presiding judge of the Supreme Court.

Question 16

citizenship

Accepted Answer

The right to be treated as a member of a
country or state; to enjoy the protections of its laws and to participate in its politics.

Question 17

civil Law

Accepted Answer

Noncriminal law; disputes between citizens,
organizations etc.

Question 18

civil liberties

Accepted Answer

The basic freedoms secured by the
Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Question 19

civil rights

Accepted Answer

Guarantees of equal treatment under the
law.

Question 20

Commander-in-Chief

Accepted Answer

The head of a nation’s armed forces
(President).

Question 21

common Law

Accepted Answer

Law based on people’s customs, usual ways
of doing things, and wide-spread beliefs.

Question 22

concurrent
powers

Accepted Answer

Powers shared by the national and state
governments.

Question 23

confederation

Accepted Answer

A league of independent states.

Question 24

Congress

Accepted Answer

Two-chamber legislative branch of the
United States.

Question 25

Constitutional
Convention

Accepted Answer

1787 meeting in Philadelphia to write a new
plan of government for the United States
after the weaknesses of Articles of
Confederation became apparent.

Question 26

constitutional law

Accepted Answer

Deals with the structure and meaning of
constitutions. Constitutional court cases
decide the limits of the government’s power
and the rights of individuals.

Question 27

consul/
consulates

Accepted Answer

Overseas agents of the U.S. government
who promote American business and
commercial interests. They also protect
American citizens who are traveling abroad.

Question 28

crimes and
misdemeanors

Accepted Answer

Acts that break the law.

Dictionary of the US

Civics EOC Vocab

Term	Definition
adjournment (adjourn)	Action to end a meeting or postpone it to a later date.
advice and consent	The president has the authority to make treaties and appoint judges, ambassadors, and other high officials with “advice and consent” (permission) from the Senate.
ambassadors	A government’s official representatives to foreign governments and to international organizations.
amendment process	The method of changing, or amending, the Constitution, laws or other documents. Article V of Constitution.
Antifederalists	The name given to those who opposed the ratification of the Constitution in 1787-1788 without the addition of a Bill of Rights.
Articles of Confederation	The first written constitution of the United States (adopted 1781- replaced in 1789) that was too weak to govern the new nation.
bicameral legislature	A lawmaking body with two houses or two chambers (e.g., The Senate and House of Representatives.)
bill	An idea being suggested to become a law
bill of attainder	A law passed by a legislature punishing a specific person or group without giving the benefit of a trial.
Bill of Rights	Written guarantees of basic freedoms, found in the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
cabinet (President’s)	A group of presidential advisers, including the heads of executive departments, the vice president, and others the president may choose.
caucus	A meeting to select a candidate or promote a policy.
census	An official count of the population, often including information on people’s age, gender, race, and jobs
checks and balances	A system that gives each branch of government some degree of power over the others.
Chief Justice	The presiding judge of the Supreme Court.
citizenship	The right to be treated as a member of a country or state; to enjoy the protections of its laws and to participate in its politics.
civil Law	Noncriminal law; disputes between citizens, organizations etc.
civil liberties	The basic freedoms secured by the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
civil rights	Guarantees of equal treatment under the law.
Commander-in-Chief	The head of a nation’s armed forces (President).
common Law	Law based on people’s customs, usual ways of doing things, and wide-spread beliefs.
concurrent powers	Powers shared by the national and state governments.
confederation	A league of independent states.
Congress	Two-chamber legislative branch of the United States.
Constitutional Convention	1787 meeting in Philadelphia to write a new plan of government for the United States after the weaknesses of Articles of Confederation became apparent.
constitutional law	Deals with the structure and meaning of constitutions. Constitutional court cases decide the limits of the government’s power and the rights of individuals.
consul/ consulates	Overseas agents of the U.S. government who promote American business and commercial interests. They also protect American citizens who are traveling abroad.
crimes and misdemeanors	Acts that break the law.

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