AP US Government Separation of Powers and Branches of Government

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to the separation of powers and the functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government as studied in AP U.S. Government.

Separation of Powers

The division of government into distinct branches, each with separate and independent powers.

Checks and Balances

A system that ensures that no one branch of government gains too much power by allowing each branch to limit the powers of the others.

Legislative Branch

The branch of government responsible for making laws, primarily composed of Congress.

Executive Branch

The branch of government that enforces laws, headed by the President.

Judicial Branch

The branch of government that interprets laws and administers justice, including the Supreme Court.

Impeachment

The process by which a legislative body levels charges against a government official for misconduct.

Veto

The power of the President to reject legislation passed by Congress.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to declare laws and executive actions unconstitutional.

Bureaucracy

A system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives.

Federalist No. 69

An essay by Alexander Hamilton that compares the President's war powers to those of the British King.

War Powers Resolution (1973)

A law intended to check the President's power to commit the U.S. to an armed conflict without the consent of Congress.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

The landmark case that established the principle of judicial review in the United States.

Pocket Veto

A special type of veto that allows the President to take no action on a bill for ten days while Congress is not in session.

Executive Order

A directive issued by the President of the United States to manage the operations of the federal government.

Bicameral

Referring to a legislature composed of two chambers or parts, as in the U.S. Congress with the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Filibuster

A tactic used in the Senate to delay or block voting on legislation.

Cloture

A procedure used in the Senate to end a filibuster and bring a matter to a vote.