Vocab that might be on the test

Bicameral

Two houses

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between national and state governments

Suffrage

The right to vote

Popular sovereignty

Belief that power resides in the people

National supremacy

The opinion thst the gov should have more power than the states

Delegated powers

Powere granted to the government

Elastic clause

Laws that are necessary and proper

Concurrent powers

Powers held jointly by national and state govs

Checks and balances

A way for each branch to check on each other

Amendment

Change or addition to the constitution or law

Establishment clause

Congress shall not make a law respecting a establishment of religion

Exclusionary rule

Improperly gathered evidence

Libel

Written defamation of a person’s character or reputation

Injunction

An order that legally prevents something

Acquittal

A judgement that someone is not guilty of a crime

Indictment

A formal charge or accusation of a serious crime

Subpoena

A court ordering of an appearance

Eminent domain

The right of gov to take private property. (5th amendment)

Extradition

When a fugitive from another state is returned to their own state

Apportionment

Distribution of representatives among the states

Gerrymander

To divide an area into voting districts to favor a political party

Constituent

A person congress has been elected to represent

Censure

To criticize harshly

Heabeas corpus

Protection against unlawful imprisonment

Bill of attainer

A law declaring an act illigal without a trial

Ex post facto

A law that allows a person to be punished for a crime that was not against the law when committed

Speaker of the house

Chosen by the majority

Has formal and informal powers

Second in line to succeed the presidency

President pro tempore

Official chair of the senate

Override

An action to reverse a veto

Filibuster

A speech to delay the vote on a bill

Cloture

A procedure for terminating a debate

Resolution

Decision to do or not do something

Pardon

Forgiveness of a crime

Amnesty

Pardon to a group of people

State of the union

A speech where the president addresses congress about the condition of the country

Pocket veto

President can kill a bill by not signing it for 10 days, in congress is not in session

Line-item veto

Power to remove items from a bill without killing the bill

Rider

A provision attached to a bill

Judicial review

Power of the court to declare laws unconstitutional

Strict constructionist

Someone that interprets the constitution in a way that the federal government can only take specific actions

Loose constructionist

Belief that judges should have freedom interpreting the constitution

Jurisdiction

Authority or control;

The right to administer justice

Original jurisdiction

To hear a case for the first time

Appellate jurisdiction

Authority of a court to review decisions by the lower courts

Appellate courts

Court that can hear cases from the lower court

District courts

The lowest federal court

Fed trials only held here

Chief justice

Head of the judicial branch

Basic structure of the Constitution

Preamble, 7 articles and 27 amendments

Bill of rights

First 10 amendments of the Constitution

How does the legislative branch check on the judicial branch?

The can override vetos

How does the executive branch check on the other 2 branches?

By vetoing a law for the legislative and declaring executive orders for the judicial

Hoe does the judicial branch check on the other 2 branches?

Declare laws unconstitutional