The Three Branches of Government and the Bill of Rights

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing the structure and mechanisms of the three branches of the U.S. government, checks and balances, and the first ten amendments comprising the Bill of Rights.

Separation of Powers

The constitutional principle dividing government responsibilities and authority into three distinct branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—to prevent any single branch from gaining excessive power.

Checks and Balances

A system built into the Constitution that allows each of the three branches of government to monitor, check, and limit the powers of the other branches.

Legislative Branch

The branch of government established under Article I, composed of the bicameral Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives), responsible for proposing, drafting, and making laws.

Congress

The national legislative body of the United States, consisting of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Executive Branch

The branch of government established under Article II, headed by the President, responsible for implementing, executing, and enforcing federal laws.

President

The chief executive officer of the United States, head of state, head of government, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces within the executive branch.

Judicial Branch

The branch of government established under Article III, consisting of the federal court system headed by the Supreme Court, responsible for interpreting laws and administering justice.

Supreme Court

The highest judicial court in the United States, possessing ultimate appellate jurisdiction and the power of constitutional interpretation.

Judicial Review

The power of the judicial branch to review legislative enactments and executive actions, and declare them null and void if they violate the Constitution.

Presidential Veto

The constitutional mechanism by which the President can reject a bill passed by Congress, preventing it from enacting into law unless overridden.

Veto Override

The legislative power of Congress to pass a bill into law despite a presidential veto by obtaining a $\frac{2}{3}$ majority vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, ratified to guarantee fundamental individual liberties and restrict federal power.

First Amendment

Protects five fundamental civic freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right to peacefully assemble, and the right to petition the government.

Second Amendment

Protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms in the context of maintaining a well-regulated militia.

Third Amendment

Prohibits the government from forcibly quartering soldiers in private homes during peacetime without the consent of the owner.

Fourth Amendment

Guarantees protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, requiring search warrants issued upon probable cause supported by oath or affirmation.

Probable Cause

A standard of reasonable grounds based on factual evidence required for law enforcement officers to obtain search warrants, make arrests, or conduct searches.

Fifth Amendment

Provides protections for the accused, including the right to an indictment by a grand jury, protection against double jeopardy and self-incrimination, guarantee of due process, and just compensation under eminent domain.

Due Process

The constitutional requirement that legal proceedings must follow established rules and principles to ensure fairness and prevent arbitrary denial of life, liberty, or property.

Sixth Amendment

Guarantees rights of criminal defendants, including the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the right to assistance of legal counsel.

Seventh Amendment

Guarantees the right to a trial by jury in federal civil disputes where the value in controversy exceeds twenty dollars.

Eighth Amendment

Protects individuals from the imposition of excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishments.

Ninth Amendment

Establishes that the enumeration of specific rights in the Constitution does not deny, disparage, or restrict other unenumerated rights retained by the people.

Tenth Amendment

Affirms federalism by declaring that powers not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people.