Goverment Final 2023

Government

a group of people who have control and authority over others who are under them

State

A body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically, and with the power to make and enforce law without consent of higher authority

Sovereign

a *territory* that has *all power* and *makes its own policies*

Dictatorship

Type of autocratic government in which a *single person* holds all the power

Democracy

Government where the main power is held by the people

Legislative

make laws

Executive

 execute, *enforce*, and administer *laws*

Judicial

 *interpret laws*

Republic

Government where the main power is held by the people who can vote

Autocracy

Government where the responsibility for the exercise of government *powers are held by a single person or small group*

Oligarchy

*small group* holds all the power

Unitary Government

All powers held by the government belong to a *single, centra*

Federal Government

Powers of government are *divided between a central and local* governments 

Confederation

Alliance of independent states

Presidential Government

*divide powers between executive and legislative* branches of government

Parliamentary Government

one person from parliament (prime minister)

Limited Government

goverment has the power to do things if the people allows it

**Representative Government**

 Government should serve the will of the people

Due Process

one can’t accuse someone of something and convict them guilty, they must go through court

Unicameral

One house legislature

Bicameral

Two house legislature

Popular Sovereignty

People are the only source of government authority

Articles of Confederation

document that says how the government will work now that they are independent

Quorum

Fewest number of members who must be present for a legislative body to conduct business; majority

Ratification

Formal approval

Virginia Plan

bicameral (2-house) legislature, representatives in each house are determined by the State population

New Jersey Plan

unicameral (1-house), equal votes of states (each state gets 1 vote)

Connecticut Compromise

bicameral (2-house), equal representation of the states (each state gets 2 votes), and "The House" of Representatives determined by population. Both must agree to pass laws.

Three-Fifths Compromise

three-fifths of the slave population would be counted

Federalists

*someone who believes most power goes to central* government

Anti-Federalists

someone who opposed the adoption of the U.S. Constitution

Rule of Law

Principle that government and its officers are always subject to - never above - the law

Separation of Powers

Basic powers of government are distributed among distinct and independent branches of government

Checks and Balances

Each branch of government is subject to a number of constitutional restraints by the other branches

Judicial Review

Power of the court to determine the constitutionality of government action.

Unconstitutional

doesn’t agree with the constitution

Right

a legal entitlement to obtain somethings in a certain way

Bill of Rights

 the first ten amendments to the US Constitution

Living Document

Document which *can be changed* or amended over time

Amendment

Changes in its written words

Division of Powers

Assigns certain *powers to the National* Government and reserves *others to the States*

Delegated Powers

Government has only those powers granted to it by the Constitution

Expressed Powers

Powers delegated to the National Government specifically in the Constitution

Implied Powers

Powers not specifically stated in the Constitution but are reasonably suggested by express powers

Inherent Powers

Powers which belong to the National Government because it is the national government of a sovereign state in the world community

Reserved Powers

Powers the Constitution does not grant to the National Government and does not, at the same time, deny to the States

Exclusive Powers

Powers which can be exercised only by the National Government

Concurrent Powers

Powers which both the National Government and States possess and exercise

Supremacy Clause

States the Constitution is the "supreme Law of the Land" and ranks above all other laws in the United States

Apportioned

distributed to states based on their population

Reapportioned

redistributed to states based on their population

Gerrymandering

drawing district lines to the advantage of the party which controls the state legislature

Impeach

accuse

Caucus

a conference of members of a legislative body who belong to a particular party or faction

Seniority Rule

informal custom placing individuals with the longest service records into the most important positions

Speaker of the House

Leader of House of Representatives, Chosen by vote of House members, monitoring/running meeting

President of the Senate

vice president

President Pro Tempore

Acting leader chosen by Senate

Majority Leader

Leader of party with more votes

Minority Leader

Leader of minority party

Whip

Know how people are going to vote and secure votes

Committee Chairmen

Run meetings within a committee

Bill

proposed law presented to the House or Senate for consideration

Rider

a provision, not likely to pass on its merit, attached to a certain measure which is certain to pass

Filibuster

stalling tactic by which the minority of senators seek to delay or prevent Senate action on a measure

Veto

refusal to sign a law

Chief of State

Symbolic head of Nation

Chief Executive

Responsible for enforcing laws of Congress

Chief Administrator

the person responsible for all of the employees of the executive branch

Chief Diplomat

Negotiator / Ambassador to foreign government

Chief Legislator

shape public policies and can suggest laws to congress that he thinks are needed

Commander in Chief

 Head of Military

Power to Execute the Law

Enforces law with agencies

Executive Order

*order issued by the president to an executive branch of the government and is now a law.*

Appointment Power

power over judicial branch

Clemency Power

power to forgive or lower the punishment

Power to Recommend Legislation

The President can recommend to the Congress some changes in the legislature

Treaty Power

 Negotiate Treaties

Executive War Power

President can only control the military, but only Congress can declare war.

Bureaucracy

A large complex administrative structure which handles the everyday business of an organization

Jurisdiction

the authority of a court to hear a case

Original Jurisdiction

the authority of a court to hear a case first

Appellate Jurisdiction

the authority of a court to hear a case on appeal from lower court decision

Plaintiff

person or part who file the suit

Defendant

person or party against whom the complaint is made

Judicial Restraint

belief that judges should decide cases on the basis of the original intent of the law and/or precedent

Precedent

judicial decision that serves as a guide for settling later cases of similar nature

Judicial Activism

belief that provisions in the Constitution and in statute law should be interpreted and applied in light of ongoing changes in conditions and values

Political Party

a group of people who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office

Political Spectrum

range of political views

Partisanship

strong support by members to their political party and its policy

Bipartisan

 supported by two parties

Coalition

a temporary alliance of several groups who come together to form a working majority and so to control the government

Ideology

system of ideas and ideals

Nomination

the process of candidate selection in an electoral system

Direct Primar

each party holds an election to pick candidates for the general election

General Election

the regularly scheduled election at which voters make a final selection of officeholders

Ballot

device voter use to register a choice of election

Absentee voting

provision made for those unable to go to their regular polling place on Election Day

Precinct

smallest unit of election administration