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Constitution
plan for organizing and operating gov
Implied powers
political powers granted to the United States government that aren't explicitly stated in the Constitution
Reapportionment
act of redistributing or changing the apportionment of something
Democracy
rule by the people
Inherent powers
implied powers
Gerrymandering
achieve (a result) by manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency
Politics
effort to control or influence gov
Double jeopardy
you cannot be tried for the same crime twice. Ex: Two murder charges in the same case
Ex post facto laws
“from a thing done afterward.” A criminal statute that punishes actions retroactively, thereby criminalizing conduct that was legal when originally performed.
Sovereignty
power of a state within its borders
Naturalization
legal process whereby a person becomes a US citizen
Censure
a public reprimand (discipline)
Federalism
Separation of state and federal governments
Collective naturalization
naturalization done to a group
Jurisdiction
Authority of court to hear a case
Oligarchy
a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution
Denaturalization
reverse naturalization. Revocation of citizenship
Original jurisdiction
original hearing, when the evidence is brought
Autocracy
one ruler
Immigrants
person who comes to the US with the intent of living here permanently
Appellate jurisdiction
the power to reverse or modify the lower court's decision.
Monarchy
political system based upon the undivided sovereignty or rule of a single person
Aliens
general name for one that is here but is not a citizen of the US
Concurrent jurisdiction
Both state and federal courts hear simultaneously
Consensus
a general agreement
Nominating convention
a political convention held every four years in the United States by most of the political parties who will be fielding nominees in the upcoming U.S. presidential election
Civil
Court disputes under tort (civil) law between two or more parties.
Capitalism
economic system in which individuals have the right to control their own economic choices
PAC(political action committee)
political committee organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates
Criminal
Breaking federal or state laws
Free market
one where voluntary exchange and the laws of supply and demand provide the sole basis for the economic system, without government intervention
Lobbying
trying to get whatever you want to be done
Law of equity
equal justice under the law
Socialism
economic system in which individuals have the right to control their own economic choices
Establishment clause
the government will not establish a religion
Plaintiff
Person who brings the case in a civil suit
Communism
a political and economic ideology where most property and economic resources are owned and controlled by the state where you have limited power
Free exercise clause
protects citizens' right to practice their religion as they please
Prosecution
one whom the suit is against
Unitary system
a system of political organization in which most or all of the governing power resides in a centralized government
Seditious speech
speech urging resistance to lawful authority or advocating the overthrow of the government
Defendant
one whom the suit is against
State
a nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government
Defamatory speech
false statement of fact about someone else that harms that person's reputation
Brief
a written argument submitted to the court
Limited government
the government is limited by the constitution
Pure speech
the verbal expression of thought and opinion before an audience that has chosen to listen
Majority opinion
an appellate opinion supporting the court's judgment (the result reached in the case)
Representative government
government is elected by citizens
Speech Plus
Verbal and symbolic speech used together
Six Principles of gov.
Popular sovereignty, Federalism, Limited government, Checks and balances, Separation of Powers, Judicial review
Separation of powers
each branch has its own unique abilities
Sequester
isolating the jury (and press) from the community and the news media during a trial
Roe v. Wade
abortion and when does life begin
Ratify
to approve
Gag order
An order issued by a judge restricting the publication of news about a trial or a pretrial hearing to protect the accused's right to a fair trial.
Plessy v. Ferguson
said separate but equal schools was ok
Unicameral
only one part
Censorship
restriction on access to ideas and information
Brown v. Bd of Ed
overruled Plessy and said no, separate but equal could never be equal
Bicameral
two part (houses)
Obscenity
an authoritative order; a decree.
Marbury v. Madison
Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review in the United States
Cede
to yield or grant usually by treaty
Exclusionary rule
any illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in court
Dred Scott Case
having lived in a free state and territory did not entitle an enslaved person, Dred Scott, to his freedom
Ordinance
an authoritative order
Miranda rights
the rights you are read before arrest
Engel v. Vitale
Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools
Loyalists
a colonist of the American revolutionary period who supported the British cause
Discrimination
prejudice against a group of people based on race, beliefs, or religion
Mapp v. Ohio
High court said evidence seized unlawfully, without a search warrant, could not be used in criminal prosecutions in state courts.
Federalists
supporters of the Constitution
Capital punishment
the state
Miranda v. Arizona
Supreme court ruled that an arrested individual is entitled to rights against self
Anarchy
anti
Jim Crow laws
state and local laws introduced in the Southern United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that enforced racial segregation, "Jim Crow" is a pejorative term for an African
US v. Nixon
Court unanimously ordered President Richard Nixon to deliver tape recordings and other subpoenaed materials related to the Watergate scandal to a federal district court
Articles
a legal rule that can be set out under a statute, a code, or a paragraph in a legal document.
Segregation
the division of races
Regents of Cal v. Bakke
Supreme Court ruled that a university's use of racial "quotas" in its admissions process was unconstitutional
Jurisdiction
rights of the court to hear the case
Quorum
the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group.
Boroughs
county in Alaska
Supremacy clause
The constitution and all laws and treaties under it constitute “the supreme law of the land” and take priority over all others
Filibuster
an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly
County
The largest territorial and political subdivision of a state.
Amendment
a constitutional change
Private bills
bills that deal with a specific person or place
Parishes
county in Louisiana
Popular sovereignty
ruled by the people
Public bills
bills that deal with general matters and that apply to the entire nation
Selectmen
Elected town officials in New early England.
Checks and balances
each branch demonstrates some control over the others
Resolutions
statement issued by the House of Representatives or the Senate individually to regulate the administrative or internal business of the respective chamber, or to express facts or opinions on non
Town meeting
administered assembly in townships in early New England
Veto
presidential power to returns the legislation to the house in which it originated
Joint resolutions
A formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of congress and by the president
Townships
a subdivision of a county that has its own government
Judicial review
the supreme court can declare a law unconstitutional
Note 
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