Chapter 5 Chapter 5

Vocabulary

the organization that has the organization that has the authority to make the authority to make

and enforce lawsand enforce laws

government

a democracy in which a democracy in which individual citizens elect individual citizens elect

people to serve, vote, people to serve, vote, and makeand make

decisions for themdecisions for them

representative democracy

the principle that power the principle that power rests with the citizensrests with the citizens

sovereignty

a type of government in a type of government in which the power to which the power to

govern comes from the govern comes from the peoplepeople

republic

a document that a document that describes the rights of describes the rights of

the people and the the people and the framework of the framework of the

governmentgovernment

constitution

the principle that the the principle that the power of the government power of the government should be divided among should be divided among

the variousthe variousbranchesbranches

separation of powers

the principle of the principle of government by which government by which each branch is given each branch is given

some power to control or some power to control or preventprevent

some actions of the other some actions of the other two branchestwo branches

checks and balances

a system in which the a system in which the national government and national government and state governments share state governments share authority over the sameauthority over the same

territory and the same territory and the same peoplepeople

federalism

a native or naturalized a native or naturalized member of a state or member of a state or

nation who owes nation who owes allegiance to its allegiance to its

government and is government and is entitledentitled

to its protectionto its protection

citizen

the process by which the process by which persons from other persons from other

countries (called aliens) countries (called aliens) can become American can become American

citizenscitizensnaturalization

the first ten amendments the first ten amendments to the United States to the United States

ConstitutionConstitutionBill of Rights

the rules established by the rules established by courts to protect a courts to protect a

person’s rightsperson’s rightsdue process

a group of citizens chosen a group of citizens chosen to hear evidence in a to hear evidence in a

legal case and to make a legal case and to make a decision based on the decision based on the

evidenceevidencepresentedpresented

jury

a group of individuals a group of individuals who are interested in who are interested in

one particular issueone particular issuespecial interest

group

PAC; a private PAC; a private organization whose organization whose

members share similar members share similar views and who try toviews and who try to

influence legislators to influence legislators to favor the group’s positionfavor the group’s position

political action

committee

one who presents to one who presents to legislators the views of legislators the views of

the organization that he the organization that he or she representsor she represents

lobbyist

describes a one-house describes a one-house legislaturelegislature

unicameral

roads, bridges, portsroads, bridges, ports

infrastructure

representation based representation based on populationon population

proportional representation

refers to a two-house refers to a two-house legislaturelegislature

bicameral

a group of people a group of people (electors) from each state (electors) from each state

whose job it is to vote to whose job it is to vote to determine the presidentdetermine the president

Electoral College

to approve officiallyto approve officially

ratify

to change or add to an to change or add to an official documentofficial document

amend

to redraw voting to redraw voting districtsdistricts

reapportion

those powers specifically those powers specifically given to Congress in the given to Congress in the

United States United States ConstitutionConstitution

expressed powers

powers that are not specifically powers that are not specifically stated in the Constitution but stated in the Constitution but come from Congress’s right tocome from Congress’s right tomake all laws “necessary” to make all laws “necessary” to

carry out its expressed powerscarry out its expressed powers

implied powers

to bring charges against to bring charges against an elected official while an elected official while

that official is still in that official is still in officeoffice

impeach

a small group of delegates or a small group of delegates or senators who studies bills on a senators who studies bills on a

particular subject and makesparticular subject and makesrecommendations on those bills recommendations on those bills to the full membership of each to the full membership of each

househouse

committee

proposed legislationproposed legislation

bill

to refuse to sign a billto refuse to sign a bill

veto

the ability to set aside the ability to set aside the actions of the the actions of the

legislative or executive legislative or executive branches of any branches of any

governmentgovernmentagencyagency

judicial review