US Constitution Vocabulary #1

president Pro Tempore

Senate presiding officer

Executive

Branch of government headed by the president, that carries out the nation's laws and policies

Legislative

Branch of government that makes the nation's laws

Judicial branch

Refers to courts

Breaking diplomatic relations

To ask a foreign country to withdraw its diplomatic official from this country

Quorum

Minimum number of members that must be present for the House of Representatives or Senate to vote

Statute law

Laws passed by Congress

immunity

Members of Congress can't be sued or prosecuted for anything they say in Congress

Emoluments

Salaries

Revenue

income raised by the government — taxes

Naturalization

Procedure by which a citizen of a foreign nation becomes a citizen of the United States

Eminent domain

The power of a government to take private property for public use, usually with compensation paid to the

Prohibition

The act or process of forbidding something

Repeal

To cancel an act or law

Adjourn

To transfer to another place

Good behavior

Judges usually serve for life or until they choose to retire

Arms

Weapons

Counterfeiting

Illegally imitating or forging

Extradition

A person convicted of a crime or a person accused of a crime must be returned to the state where the

Suffrage

The right to vote

Due process of law

idea that the government must follow procedures established by law and guaranteed by the Constitution

Judicial review

The right of the Supreme Court to determine if a law violated the Constitution

Ratify

To give official approval to

Constituents

People who live in the home state and districts as their members of Congress (people who the members

Elastic clause

Directs Congress to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for executing all the powers of

Necessary and proper laws

Laws must be related to one of the seventeen enumerated powers

Poll tax

The fee that persons were required to pay in order to vote in a number of southern states

Bail

Money that an accused person provides to the court as a guarantee that he or she will be present for trial

Checks and balances

The system in which each branch of government has a check on the other two branches so that no one

Habeas corpus

you may have the body

Electors

One elected to an electoral college, voter

Privilege and immunities

Rights of citizens, guarantees each state's citizens equal treatment in all states.

Pocket veto

When the President fails to sign a bit: within the 10 days allowed by the Constitution. Congress must be

Preamble

The introduction to formal document

Enumerated powers

Powers belonging only to the federal government

Impeach

To formally charge a public official with misconduct in office

Common law

Basic law that was based on over five centuries of judicial decisions

Double jeopardy

When you may not be tried twice for the same crime

Amendment

A change to the Constitution

Vacancy

Open position

Veto

Constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body