Government Vocab

  1. Amendment- A change in, or addition to, the Constitution  

  2. Anarchy- The total absence of government

  3. Ballot- A device by which a voter registers a choice in an election

  4. Bicameral- A legislative body with two houses

  5. Bill of Rights- The first ten amendments to the constitution

  6. Cabinet- Presidential advisory body

  7. Checks and Balances- System of overlapping powers of the 3 branches, allowing each to oversee the others

  8. Commander in Chief- Term for the president as the head of our nation’s armed forces

  9. Concurrent Powers- Powers held by the federal government and the states in the federal system

  10. Confederation- Form of government in which independent states give limited power to a central authority

  11. Constituent- All persons represented by an elected official

  12. Constitution- Body of law, setting up the government of a state and placing limits upon its powers

  13. Dictatorship- Government in which those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people 

  14. Direct Democracy- A democratic system where the people participate directly in the making of laws

  15. Direct Primary- The most widely used method of using nominations in American politics

  16. Diplomacy- The act of engaging in foreign policy 

  17. Due Process- Constitutional guarantee that no state will deprive a person of life liberty or property by an unfair, arbitrary or unreasonable action

  18. Electoral College- Group of people that make the formal selection of the president 

  19. Executive Branch- Branch of the government that enforces the laws

  20. Expressed Powers- The delegated powers that are “enumerated” in the Constitution

  21. Federalism- Government where power is divided between a central government and its regional governments

  22. Federalists- Framers who supported the ratification of the constitution

  23. Framers- The group that came together in 1787 to draft the Constitution

  24. Full Faith and Credit- Requirement that each state respects the acts, records and judicial proceedings of other states

  25. Government- The complex of offices, personnel, and process by which a state is rule

  26. Impeachment- A formal charge brought against a public official by a legislative body

  27. Implied Powers- Those delegated powers including those of the “necessary and proper” clause

  28. Interest Group- Private organizations that tries to influence public policy

  29. Judicial Branch- Branch of government that oversees the law

  30. Judicial Review- Power of the courts to decide if a governmental act is constitutional

  31. Legislative Branch- Branch of government that makes the laws

  32. Major Party- A dominant party in a political system

  33. Minor Party- One of the less widely supported political parties in a governmental system

  34. Monarchy- Government with a hereditary ruler

  35. Necessary and Proper Clause- Otherwise known as the “Elastic Clause”

  36. Nomination- General term for the process of selecting candidates for public office

  37. Party Identification- Person’s sense of attachment, loyalty to a political party

  38. Plurality- Winning an election by having at least one more vote than the person in second place

  39. Political Action Committee- Political arm of a special interest group that gives money to various candidates

  40. Political Party- An organized group that seeks to control a government by winning elections

  41. Political Socialization- Complex process by which individuals gain their political attitudes and opinions 

  42. Polling Place- Particular location where voters vote in an election

  43. Presidential Succession- Manner in which a vacancy in the presidency is filled

  44. Ratification- Formal approval of a constitution, amendment or treaty

  45. Representative Democracy- Government where a small group of people, chosen by the people, act the will of those people

  46. Reserved Powers- Those powers held exclusively by the state in the federal system

  47. Separation of Powers- Basic principle of American government that the 3 branches should be divided and co-equal

  48. Sovereignty- Supreme, absolute power of a state within its own territory

  49. State- A body of people, living in a defined territory, organized under a government and having the power to make and enforce laws without the consent of any higher authority

  50. Suffrage- The franchise of voting

  51. Treaty- A formal agreement made between sovereign states

  52. Unconstitutional- Contrary to the Constitution and therefore invalid

  53. Veto- Chief executive ability to reject a bill passed by the legislature