civics

state governments

government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government

Americas population

319 Millon

state governments

government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government

Americas population

319 Millon

the 4 main Differences Among the States

• The size of the state
• The history of the state
• The people who live in the state
• The economy of the state

what is the smallest state

Rhode Island

when did Texas become a state

1845

what is Texas tea

petroleum

what dose bicameral mean

a legislative branch with two houses which normally consist of a Senate and House of Representatives

which state doesn’t have bicameral

Nebraska

what is the executive branch

the branch of government charged with the execution and enforcement of laws and policies and the administration of public affairs, the executive.

standing committee

A committee permanently established by the House or Senate

Decorum

Orderliness, polite behavior, and good taste in conduct

Task Force

 A committee that investigates and recommends legislation on a specific issue, such as education

Precedent

 An act or decision that serves as an example or model in the future

Breach

 The breaking or violation of an obligation

Autonomy

 The state of being self-governing

Bureaucracies

Organizations designed to handle complex tasks efficiently

Hot-Button issue

an issue that people generally feel strongly about on one side or the other

Census

An official counting of a population

Judicial Branch

The branch of government made up of courts

Apportionment

The number of representatives each state is allowed in Congress, based on population

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

 An agency whose mission is to support the president and the National Security Council

Courts of Limited Jurisdiction

 Includes small-claims, traffic, family, and juvenile courts

Bureaucracy

 Way of organizing work efficiently by assigning specialized tasks

Roe v. Wade (1973)

The Supreme Court decision that gave women the legal right to seek an abortion

Supreme Court

The court of last appeal

E Pluribus Unum

“Out of many, one”

District Courts

Federal trial courts

Department of Interior

 Protects natural resources and administer federal lands

Department of Labor

 Deals with unemployment, minimum wage, and job discrimination

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

 The Supreme Court decision that requires criminal suspects to be informed of their constitutional rights when they’re arrested

US Supreme Court

The highest court of the land

Levy

To impose taxes

Tariff

 A tax on goods that one nation (or state) buys from another nation (or state)

Interstate Trade

Trade from one state to another

Export

 A product taken from one country to another for the purpose of trade

Delegate

 A person who represents others at a meeting

Ratification

The process of approving something by a vote

Legislative Branch

 The part of a government that makes the laws of the country or state

Quorum

The number of members that must be present to conduct business

Impeachment

 The process by which a government leader is charged with a crime

Capital Crime

A crime that’s punishable by death

Repeal

To end or remove a law

Great Seal of the Republic

Used to authenticate certain documents issued by the US federal government

Three Main Sections of the Constitution

 Preamble, articles, and amendments

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments to the Constitution

Judicial Review

The power to interpret the Constitution

Article IV of the Constitution

Relations between the states

The First Amendment

 Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition

Fourth Amendment

Protection from illegal search

Second Amendment

 Right to bear arms

Sixth Amendment

Right to due process

Tenth Amendment

 Powers not given to the federal government are reserved to the states

Thirteenth Amendment

 Abolished slavery

Nineteenth Amendment

Women's right to vote

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

 Lowered voting age to 18

Checks and Balances

Controls given to one branch of government to limit the power of another branch

Popular Sovereignty

Rule by the people

Marbury v. Madison

Established the right of the Supreme Court to overturn laws deemed unconstitutional

Plessy v. Ferguson

The Supreme Court declared the "separate but equal" doctrine

Brown v. Education

Made school segregation illegal

Three-Fourths of the State Legislatures

What an amendment to the Constitution can be ratified by

Strong Central Government

Proposed by John Dickinson; giving power to levy taxes and control the western lands, with all states equally represented in the government

George Washington

 First commander of Continental Army

French and Indian War

Began in 1754; the French and Indians fought together against the British, who captured the French cities of Montreal and Quebec

First Continental Congress

The 1774 meeting in Philadelphia of delegates from every colony except Georgia; dealt with problems with Great Britain, including taxation

Declaratory Act

Gave Great Britain the right to force any law on the colonies

John Winthrop

 Chosen by the Massachusetts Bay Company to be colonial governor; created a colonial legislature

Confirmation of Charters

A document stating that taxes could be levied only by approval of Parliament.

House of Commons

Elects the prime minister and acts as the legislative body that debates and passes laws

Baron

Nobles; were taxed by King John before the Magna Carta

Magna Carta

 A document that changed the nature of government in England

Legislature

Center of representative democracy

Division of Labor

The way all jobs in modern society are connected

Direct Democracy

All citizens have a vote in all decisions

Representative Democracy

People participating in the decision-making through an elected representative

Social Class

A group of people with similar positions in society

Artisans

 People who make things that people need—like pots, weapons, and bricks for building

Immigrant

A person who goes from one country to another for the purpose of taking up permanent residence

Bill of Rights

A statement of the rights and liberties of a group of people

Government

One or more people who exercise control over a society

Surplus

An extra amount

Society

A group of people who live and work in a particular area

Agricultural Revolution

A type of farming that produces surpluses of food

Ratify

To approve by a vote

Mercenary

A soldier paid to fight for another country

Prime Minister

 Political leader of the United Kingdom

Indentured Servants

Immigrants who paid for their passage into North America by working for an employer for a set number of years

Mayflower Compact

Allowed the Pilgrims to establish laws based on a majority vote

Totalitarian

 When a political leader has total control of the government and the people

Absolute Monarchy

Governments ruled by emperors, kings, or queens who have absolute power

Sovereign

A country or state having the power to govern itself fully

Cultural Diversity

A region populated by people from different places who have different customs

Boycott

 A protest against a group or nation in which people refuse to buy goods from that group or nation

Tolerance

Respecting the faiths or beliefs of others

Regime

A system of government—but the term is often used to refer to a dictatorial or totalitarian government

Legislature

A group of people who propose, debate, and pass laws, such as a state or federal legislative body

Intolerance

The practice of condemning the religious practices or beliefs of others

New World

The land on which the new colonies were settled

Raw Materials

Goods used in the production or manufacture of products

Democracy

Government by the people