Civics Vocabulary List #1

Naturalized

Naturalization is the legal process where a foreign-born person becomes a citizen of a new country.

Representatives

Individuals chosen by citizens through an election to act, speak, and make laws on their behalf within a government.

Rule of law

All people, citizens, and government leaders are equally subject to a system of clear, publicly shared laws. No person or official is above the law.

Common good

The set of conditions, resources, and systems that benefit all or most members of a community

Heritage

The traditions, values, culture, and history handed down by a group or country.

Legislature

The official lawmaking branch of a government.

Charter

An official legal document from a governing authority that creates a city, town, or organization and gives it the right to exist and self-govern

Tyranny

A form of government where one ruler or a small group holds absolute, unrestricted power and uses it in an unfair, cruel, or oppressive way.

Direct democracy

A system of government where citizens vote directly on laws and policies instead of electing representatives to make choices for them.

Republic

A form of government where power rests with the people and their elected representatives, and there is an elected or appointed head of state rather than a monarch.

Natural rights

Basic, permanent freedoms that all people get just by being born.

Separation of powers

A system that divides the duties of government into distinct branches.

Compact

A formal, official agreement or contract between two or more parties, such as states, groups, or a government and its people.

Ratification

The action of signing or giving formal consent to a treaty, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States. It created a loose bond of friendship among the 13 original states. The states kept most of the power. The central government was very weak because people feared a king.