3 Branches 3 Levels/Resolution of Conflict/Basic Principles of the Constitution

Legislative Branch

makes laws

Executive Branch

enforces laws

Judicial Branch

interprets the law to make sure it follow the Constitution

bicameral

two houses

Washington D.C.

location of federal government

Ohio General Assembly

Ohio's state government in Columbus, Ohio

Municipal

synonym for City

Political Parties

groups that help elect people and shape policies

Liberal (Left)

Generally supports government action to change social, political or economic policies that are believed to be unfair

Conservative (Right)

Generally support limited government, lower taxes and traditional social values

Moderate

People who seek middle ground between liberal and conservative positions

Government

An institution that maintains social order, provides public services and enforces binding decisions on citizens

Democracy

Government by the people, for the people; The people give the government power

Representative Democracy or Republican Form of Democracy

Citizens elect representatives as their government leaders

Public Policy

The choices the government makes and the actions it takes in response to a particular issue or problem

Politics

How government is done; how political parties seek to control/infuence how government is done and public policies based on their ideology

How to participate in democracy as a citizen

Run for office

Communicate with your elected officials

VOTE

Congress

National Legislative Branch

Bicameral

2 houses in our national and state legislature

Legislature

Elected officials who are work in Congress or Ohio General Assembly

Legislation

Laws

Factions

What Framers of Constitution call groups that evolved into today's political parties

How we nominate, elect and monitor our representatives

Political Parties

Nominating

Political party's name candidates for political office (1 role of political parties)

Aid the electoral process

Political Parties (1 role of political parties)

Help run the government

Political parties in the majority has control

Platform

Political party's position on major issues

Electorate

Voters

Watchdog

Political parties watch how their and other party's officeholders perform

Political Party Ideology

A set of ideas and goals about society and the role of government that its members and supporters share

Federalist Party

Supporters of Alexander Hamilton who believed nation's future lay in a strong central government, large cities and strong manufacturing

Democratic-Republican Party

Led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison; believed nation's strength was its agricultural base and ordinary citizens

Persuasion

The process of convincing others to accept a different point of view on an issue through logic

Compromise

Each side gives up something to resolve a disagreement

Negotiation

discussion aimed at reaching an agreement to settle differences

Consensus Building

A process in which a dispute or conflict involving several parties is resolved usually with a mediator

Popular Sovereignty

Power of the people; government gets their power from the people

Federalism

The division of power between the national and state governments

Separation of Powers

Each branch of government has its own powers; no branch has absolute power

Checks and Balances

Each branch of government can check or restrain the other so that the don't take advantage of their powers

Limited Government

Government is not all powerful and gets power from the people