Georgia Government and the U.S. Constitution

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the structure, powers, and processes of the Georgia state government, civic duties and rights, state revenues and expenditures, executive departments, and the transition from the Articles of Confederation to the U.S. Constitution.

Preamble (Georgia Constitution)

The introductory statement of the Georgia Constitution that states the purpose of the document.

Bill of Rights (Georgia Constitution)

The section of the Georgia Constitution that lists the rights, protections, and freedoms of Georgia citizens that cannot be denied by the government.

Articles (Georgia Constitution)

The 11 divisions of the Georgia Constitution that describe the duties of the government and outline how the constitution can be amended.

Amendments (Georgia Constitution)

Formal additions or changes made to the Georgia Constitution.

Separation of Powers

The constitutional principle requiring the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to be kept distinct in order to keep any one branch or group from becoming too powerful.

Checks and Balances

The constitutional mechanism where each branch of government has powers to control or prevent certain actions of the other two branches to ensure balanced authority.

Veto

The formal power of the executive (the Governor) to reject a law passed by the legislative branch.

Veto Override

The power of the General Assembly to enact a bill over the Governor's veto by achieving a $\frac{2}{3}$ majority vote.

Civic Responsibility

Obligations and duties that citizens are expected or required to fulfill to help their community and government, such as paying taxes, obeying laws, and serving on jury duty.

Voting

The action identified as the most important civic responsibility (duty) of a Georgia citizen.

Civic Right

Freedoms and protections guaranteed to citizens by law that cannot be denied by the government, such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

Georgia Voter Requirements

The five legal requirements to vote in Georgia: being at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, a legal resident of Georgia and the county of voting, not serving a felony conviction, and not declared mentally incompetent by a judge.

Principles of the Georgia Flag Pledge

The four core principles honored in the Georgia flag pledge: Wisdom, Justice, Moderation, and Courage.

General Assembly

The bicameral legislative branch of Georgia's government, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, responsible for making laws.

Georgia House of Representatives Qualifications

The legal requirements to serve as a Georgia state representative: at least 21 years of age, a U.S. citizen, a resident of Georgia for at least 2 years, and a resident of the district for at least 1 year.

Georgia Senate Qualifications

The legal requirements to serve as a Georgia state senator: at least 25 years of age, a U.S. citizen, a resident of Georgia for at least 2 years, and a resident of the district for at least 1 year.

Legislative Committees

Specialized groups focused on specific subject areas (such as agriculture or education) where most lawmaking work occurs, allowing bills to be studied, reviewed, amended, passed, or killed before a floor vote.

Conference Committee

A temporary legislative committee where members from both chambers compromise on differing versions of a bill so that identical legislation can be approved by both houses.

Revenue

Money received or collected by the government to meet public needs through taxes, fees, fines, federal grants, and non-tax sources like the lottery.

Expenditures

Money spent by the government on public services and operational costs, including salaries, roads, schools, and parks.

Personal Income Tax

The largest overall source of revenue for the state government of Georgia.

Georgia Lottery

The largest source of non-tax revenue for the state of Georgia.

Education (State Budget)

The executive policy area that receives the largest portion of Georgia's state expenditures.

Governor (Georgia)

The chief executive officer of Georgia; must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for 15 years, and a Georgia resident for 6 years. Duties include serving as commander-in-chief of the Georgia National Guard, creating the state budget, and signing or vetoing bills.

Lieutenant Governor (Georgia)

The second-highest executive official in Georgia, elected separately from the governor by Georgia voters; serves as the head of the Senate, acts as governor when necessary, and shares the same age and residency qualifications as the governor.

Secretary of State (Georgia)

A lead executive agency official who maintains the state's official records and supervises elections.

Attorney General (Georgia)

The chief legal officer for the state of Georgia who manages state contracts and handles legal concerns.

State Department of Education

The executive agency led by the Superintendent of Schools responsible for enforcing state education laws and regulations.

Department of Insurance (Georgia)

The executive agency led by the Commissioner of Insurance that regulates insurance companies to ensure rates and rules comply with state laws.

Department of Agriculture (Georgia)

The executive agency led by the Commissioner of Agriculture that brings market opportunities to the state and supervises agricultural services, including inspections.

Department of Labor (Georgia)

The executive agency led by the Commissioner of Labor that regulates worker health and safety and enforces state labor laws.

Articles of Confederation

The first written plan of government for the United States, which created a very weak national government with only a legislative branch.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Key structural deficits of the first U.S. government: existence of only one branch (legislative), lack of power to levy taxes or raise an army, inability to regulate interstate trade, absence of a uniform national currency, and requiring 100% unanimous approval from all 13 states to amend.

Constitutional Convention of 1787

A gathering in Philadelphia, PA from May to September 17, 1787, where delegates from every state except Rhode Island convened to fix the Articles of Confederation and ended up drafting the U.S. Constitution.

Georgia's Ratification of the U.S. Constitution

Georgia's decision to support the new U.S. Constitution, motivated by the need for a strong national government to protect frontier settlements against potential conflicts with Native Americans and the document's protection of the institution of slavery.