US GVT Units 1-5 Vocabulary

Exam Vocabulary Review

federal system

a government that divides the power of government between the national government and state or provincial governments

government

an institution through which leaders exercise power to make and enforce laws affecting the people under its control

anarchy

a state without government or laws

dictatorship

a system of government in which power is in the hands of one person who has total control

divine right

the idea that people are chosen by a god or gods to rule

confederacy

a loose union of independent states

republic

a government in which voters hold sovereign power; elected representatives, responsible to the people, exercise that power

autocracy

a system of government by one person with absolute power

oligarchy

a system of government in which a small group holds power

unitary government

a government that gives all key powers to the national or central government

federal government

a government that gives all key powers to the national or central government

confederation

an organization that consists of several parties or groups united in an alliance or league

nation

a group of people united by bonds or race, language, custom, tradition, and sometimes religion

state

a political community that occupies a definite territory and has an organized government

force theory

is the process of establishing a new government or country through the use of aggression. armies were raised and a person or group seized control of the army and thus states were created through military force

social contract theory

the idea that people voluntarily gave up power to the state in order to ensure a maintenance of order

john locke

believed that people were born with natural rights to life, liberty, and property. in order to protect these rights, citizens of the state could break the social contract if the government hindered these rights

thomas hobbes

was one of the first to theorize on the social contract. he believed that all people/citizens did not have the authority to violate/break the agreement

divine right theory

the idea that a god or gods have chosen certain people to rule by “divine right”

evolution theory

the state evolved from the family unit. the head of family served as the authority or “governor”. extended families would be included and thus making the government more complex and thus the need for the state

majority rule

the principle that the greater number should exercise greater power

citizen

a member of a political society

free enterprise system

the opportunity to control one’s own economic decisions

socialism

a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and the exchange should be own or regulated by the community as a whole

fascism

a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

communism

a system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as needed; a theory advocating elimination of private property

limited government

a system in which the power of the government is limited, not absolute

representative government

a system of government in which people elect delegates to make laws and conduct government

magna carta

established the concept that the king and all citizens are subject to the law, not above it

due process

the government must give people a chance to defend themselves in a fair hearing before infringing on their rights

petition of right

english constitutional document that limited the English monarch’s power by asserting subjects to: no taxation without parliamentary consent, no imprisonment without cause, no forced quartering of soldiers, and no martial law in peacetime

english bill of rights

an act of the parliament of england that established parliamentary supremacy over the monarchy, limited the powers of the Crown, and guaranteed certain rights and liberties to subjects, such as freedom of speech in parliament and the prohibition of excessive bail and cruel punishments

bicameral

relative to a two-house legislative body

unicameral

relative to a single-chamber legislature

albany plan of union

a 1754 proposal by Benjamin Franklin for a unified colonial government to address the French and Indian War and manage relations with Native Americans

delegate

a person sent or authorized to represent others, in particular an elected representative sent to a conference

articles of confederation

the united states’ first written constitution, establishing a weak central government with limited powers in favor of strong individual state governments

ratification

the action of signing or giving formal consent to a treaty, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid

framers

a person who shapes or creates a concept, plan, or system

virginia plan

a proposal presented by virginia delegates at the 1787 constitutional convention that outlined a new government structure with a strong central government and a bicameral legislature

new jersey plan

a proposal at the 1787 constitutional convention for a unicameral legislature where each state would have equal representation, regardless of population

three-fifths compromise

an agreement mad during the 1787 constitutional convention that determined how individuals would be counted for the purposes of congressional representation and taxation

federalists

a person who advocates or supports a system of government in which several states unite under a central authority

anti-federalist

was an american individual or group who opposed the ratification of the US constitution in the late 18th century, fearing it created an overly powerful central government at the expense of state’s rights and individual liberties

separation of powers

an act of vesting the legislative, executive, and judicial powers of government in separate bodies

judicial review

review by the US supreme court of the constitutional validity of a legislative act

constitution

a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state of other organization is acknowledged to be governed

constitutional amendment

a formal, intentional, and significant alternation or addition to a country’s fundamental legal document, such as a constitution

federalism

a principle or system of government in which several states form a unity but remain independent in internal affairs

expressed/enumerated powers

the specific, explicit powers granted to the US federal government (congress) by the constitution

preamble

a preliminary or preparatory statement; an introduction

probable cause

reasonable grounds (for making a search, pressing a charge, etc.)

supremacy clause

is a provision in the US constitution (article VI, Clause 2) that establishes the US constitution, federal laws, and treaties as the “supreme law of the land” and states that judges in every state are bound by them, even if state laws or constitutions conflictj

judicial review

is the power of courts to examine government actions and laws to determine if they are constitutional

bill of rights

a document, that guarantees fundamental individual rights and freedoms, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, ensuring these rights are protected from government infringement

bicameral legislature

a two chamber legislature

session

meeting

census

a complete count of a population, including a place of residence

reapportionment

the process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census

redistricting

to set up new district lines after reapportionment is complete

gerrymandering

to draw a district’s boundaries to gain an advantage in elections

franking privilege 

allows members of congress to transmit mail matter under their signature without postage, has existed in the united states since colonial times

censure

a vote of formal disapproval of a member’s actions

imcumbents

elected official who is already in office

constituents

are the people politicians have been elected to represent

caucus

an event held before an election where members of a political party select delegates to send to the national party convention, where they will also vote to nominate a candidate; a private meeting or party leaders to choose candidates for office

majority leader

the speaker’s top assistant whose job is to help plan the majority party’s legislative program and to steer important bills through the house

whips

an assistant to the party floor leader in the legislature

calendar

a schedule that lists the order in which bill will be considered in congress

rules committee

considers all bills reported from policy and fiscal committees and determines whether, and in what order, to schedule their consideration on the floor of the house. the rules committee also reviews, adopts and schedules consideration of floor resolutions

quorum

the minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action

president pro tempore

the senate member, elected by the senate, who stands in as president of the senate in the absence of the vice president

calendar of general orders

a list of all senate and house measures placed on the calendar of business

filibuster

a method of defeating a bill in the senate by stalling the legislative process and preventing a vote

cloture

a procedure that allows each senator to speak only one hour on a bill under debate

standing committees

are permanent committees established under the standing rules of the senate and specialize in the consideration of particular subject areas

subcommittees

a group within a standing committee that specializes in a subcategory of its standing committee’s responsibility

select committee

a temporary committee formed to study one specific issue and report its findings to the house or senate

joint committee

a committee that consists of members from both the house and senate, formed to act as a study group that reports back to the house and senate on a topic or bill

conference committee

a temporary joint committee set up when the house and senate have passed different versions of the same bill

seniority system

a system that gives the member of the majority party with the longest uninterrupted service on a particular committee the leadership of the committee

caseworkers

a member of a lawmaker’s personal staff who handles requests for help from constituents

writ of habeas corpus

is a fundamental right in the constitution that protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment

revenue bills

a proposed law for raising money

interstate commerce

trade among states

impeachment

the formal accusation of misconduct in office

private bills

a bill dealing with individual people or places

public bills

a bill dealing with general matters and applying to the entire nation

simple resolution

a statement adopted to cover matters affecting only one house of congress

riders

a provision included in a bill on a subject other than the one covered in the bill

veto

rejection of a bill by the president

pocket veto

when a president kills a bill passed during the last 10 days congress is in session by simply refusing to act on it

ways and means committee

has the responsibility for raising the revenue required to finance the federal government

closed rule

a rule that forbids members of congress from offering amendments to a bill from the floor

appropriation

approval of government spending

authorization bill

a bill that sets up a federal program and specifies how much money may be appropriated for the program

senate finance committee

the committee concerns itself with matters relating to taxation and other revenue measures generally, and those relating to the insular possessions

appropriations committees

responsible for allotting (distributing) funding for most of the functions of the federal government

entitlements

a required government expenditure that continues from one year to the next

earmarks

part of a funding bill that will go toward a certain purpose