Civics 2
Terms
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- administration
- The officials and agencies of the executive branch that help the president plan and carry out policy
- consultate
- A government office in a foreign country that works to protect and promote the interests of its citizens
- domestic
- Referring to matters that affect only the United States
- petition
- A formal request for government action
- reprieve
- A delay in carrying out a court order or sentence
- executive agency
- An independent agency responsible for dealing with specialized areas of government
- executive order
- A rule issued by the president that has the force of law
- popular sovereignty
- The idea that people should have the right to rule themselves.
- ambassador
- An official who represents his or her nation in a foreign country
- Cabinet
- A group of advisors to the President (made up of the heads of the executive depts., the Vice President, and other important officials
- franking privilege
- The right of members of Congress to send work-related mail without paying postage
- poll tax
- A sum of money paid in exchange for the right to cast a ballot
- president pro tempore
- the official who presides over the Senate when the vice-president is away
- spoils system
- The practice of giving jobs as a reward for party loyalty
- immunity
- Legal protection from prosecution
- coalition
- A political alliance with another party or parties
- constituent
- A person who comes from a legislator's district or state
- passport
- An official document that identifies a traveler as a citizen of a particular country
- pocket veto
- A way the president can kill a bill, when Congress is not in session, by refusing to sign it (he puts it in his POCKET and forgets about it!)
- grassroots
- Beginning with the people
- pardon
- A declaration of forgiveness and freedom from punishment
- red tape
- Inefficiency caused by too many rules and regulations
- Speaker of the House
- The leader of the House of Representatives
- segregation
- The separation of people because of race or ethnic origin
- bureauracy
- a large, complex organization with many departments and different levels of responsibility
- embassy
- A government office in a foreign country which is run by an ambassador
- treaty
- A formal agreement involving two or more countries
- confederation
- A group of individuals or individual states who band together for a common purpose
- executive agreement
- An agreement between the president and the leader of another country
- government corporation
- A business owned an operated by the government that provides services to the public
- amnesty
- A pardon granted to members of a group after they break a law
- dictatorship
- A government that is controlled by one person or a small group of people
- senority system
- A system that gives the most desirable committee assignment to members of Congress who have served the longest
- visa
- A permit that allows a foreign citizen to remain in a country for a certain amount of time
- filibuster
- In the Senate, the practice of talking for hours to delay the vote on a bill
- compact
- An agreement or contract
- standing committee
- A permanent committee in Congress that specializes in a particular area
- civil servant
- Someone who works for the government (an employee of the government)
- impeach
- To formally accuse a government official of wrongdoing
- exit poll
- A survey taken at polling places to find out how people voted
- appropriations
- Funds (money) set aside for a particular purpose
- regulatory commission
- An independent agency that protects the public by controlling certain types of businesses and industries
- pigeonhole
- To set aside a bill in legislative committee without considering it.
- plurality
- In an election, winning more votes that any other candidate but not necessarily a majority
- merit system
- A system in which government jobs are given to those who are most qualified
- draft
- To call up men for military service
- duties
- The things we are required to do
- common law
- Unwritten law based on customs or tradition (precedent - what has always been done)
- public
- Pertaining to people in a community
- repeal
- To cancel
- affirmative action
- A program that is designed to help minorities and women gain access to jobs and opportunities
- political machine
- A strong part organization that can control political appointments and deliver votes
- nonpartisan
- Not involving political parties
- lobbyist
- A person who tries to persuade politicians to support a particular group or position
- split ticket
- The practice of voting for candidates of different parties in an election
- caucus
- A meeting of members of a political party to select candidates
- amend
- To change
- alien
- A person who lives in a country but is not a citizen of that country
- checks and balances
- A system in which each branch of government can check (restrain or stop) the action of the other branches
- search warrant
- A legal document that allows law enforcement officials (police) to search a suspect's home for evidence
- Straight ticket
- The practice of voting for all the candidates of one political party
- civics
-
The study of citizenship and government
- initiative
- A procedure through which citizens can propose laws through the use of a petition
- congress
- a formal meeting at which delegates discuss matters of concern
- naturalization
- The process by which resident aliens become citizens
- Federalist
- Someone who supported the Constitution and a strong national government
- mercantilism
- The theory that a country should sell more goods to other countries than it buys
- Enumerated powers
- Powers of the federal government that are specifically mentioned in the Constitution
- responsibilities
- Obligations (duties, jobs, or chores) that are fulfilled voluntarily
- Parliment
- The British legislature
- deport
- To expel, or send out of, a country
- accountable
- Having to explain one's actions to the voters
- compromise
- An agreement between two groups in which each side agrees to give up something in order to get something more important
- libel
- The crime of printing lies about other people
- electoral vote
- A ballot cast by an elector in the Electoral College System
- public opinion
- The attitudes or opinions of a large group of people on a particular issue or person
- eminent domain
- The right of the government to take private property for public use
- majority
- More than half
- impartial
- Not favoring any particular side
- patronage
- Giving jobs or special favors to loyal party workers
- citizen
- A member of a community with a government and laws
- PAC
- Political Action Committee; an organization established to raise money for a political candidate
- Ant-Federalist
- A person who opposed (did not agree)with the Constitution before 1789
- colony
- A group of people in one place who are ruled byt the government of another place
- electorate
- A group of people who are eligible to vote in an election
- executive
- Having the power to carry out laws
- platform
- The statement of a political party's goals and positions on various public issues
- judicial
- Having the power to interpret laws
- representative
- A person who represents other citizens in a government
- due process of law
- Judicial (court) procedures established by law and guaranteed byt the Constitution
- precinct
- A geographical area that contains a specific number of voters
- popular vote
- Votes cast directly by the people
- federal system
- A form of government in which power is shared between a national government and the states
- bias
- A one-sided or slanted point of view
- legislature
- A group of people that makes laws for a state or country
- plank
- A section of a political party's platform
- primary election
- An election in which party members choose candidates to run for office
- implied powers
- Congressional powers that are not specifically in the Constitution but are suggested by the Constitutions "necessary and proper" clause
- canvassing
- Going through a district asking for votes and taking polls
- discrimination
- Unfair or less equal treatment of a particular group
- indicted
- to be formally accused (of a a crime) by a grand jury
- legislative
- Having the power to make laws
- referendum
- An election by which voters can approve or reject a law
- double jeopardy
- the retrial (second trial) of a person who was judged not guilty of the crime in a previous trial
- mass media
- The sources of information that are widely distributed, including television, radio, newspapers, and magazines
- lobby
- To try to persuade government officials to support the cause of a special interest group
- toleration
- Respect for and acceptance of people of a different race, religion, or life-style
- pollster
- Someone who takes polls, or samples, of public opinion
- slander
- telling lies about another person with the intent to harm that person
- third party
- A minor political party in the United States
- interest group
- A group of people who share a similar point of view and who join together to promote that point of view
- bail
- Money paied to the court by an accused person as a guarantee that he or she will appear for trial.
- suffrage
- The right to vote
- civil rights
- The rights guaranteed to American citizens
- Supremacy Clause
- The statement in the Constitution that the national government has authority over state law
- quota
- A fixed number of people allowed or required for a particular function or activity
- refugee
- A person who has left his or her home because of war, famine, or political oppression
- ratify
- To vote approval of
- treason
- An act that is dangerous to one's country or gives assistance to its enemies.