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U.S. Government Terms
Mayflower Compact
• Agreement signed by Pilgrims before landing at Plymouth in 1620
Declaration of Independence
• Written in 1776 by Jefferson
• Stated that colonies were free and independent of Britain
• Based on ideas of John Locke
Articles of Confederation
• First plan of government
• Set up a weak central government
• Replaced by Constitution
Great Compromise
• The plan for a 2 house legislature that settled differences between large and small states over representation in Congress
Constitution
• A body of laws setting out the basic principles, structures, process and functions of government
• U.S. Constitution was signed in 1787
Legislative Power
• Lawmaking power
Executive Power
• Power of the executive branch to carry out laws
Judicial Power
• Power of judicial branch to interpret laws
Popular Sovereignty
• Basic principle that the people are the only source of any and all government power
• Power of people to vote for their leaders
Federalism
• A system of government in which authority is divided between national and state governments
Delegated powers
• Powers given by the Constitution to the national government and denied to state governments
Reserved Powers
• Those powers held by the states in the federal system
Concurrent Powers
• Powers shared by the national and state governments
Supremacy Clause
• Section of Constitution which makes it and federal laws the “Supreme law of the land”
Separation of Powers
• The principle that gives the powers of making, enforcing, and interpreting laws to separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches
Checks and Balances
• System in which each branch of government has the power to limit the actions of the other branches
Elastic Clause
• Basis for the implied powers of Congress
• a statement in the U.S. Constitution granting Congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the enumerated list of powers (Article I, Section 8 ).
Amendment
• A change to the Constitution
Electoral College
• Assembly elected by voters to formally elect the president
Judicial Review
• Power of Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of acts of legislative and executive branches
Unwritten Constitution
• Political practices that are not part of the Constitution– Cabinet system– Political parties
Cabinet
• A group of people chosen by the president to be advisors
Political Parties
• Groups that seek to control the government through the winning of elections and holding public office
Bill of Rights
• 1st 10 Amendments to the Constitution
• Deals mostly with civil rights (liberties)• 1st Freedom of religion, speech, press, petition, and assembly
• 2nd The right to bear arms and form a militia
• 3rd No quartering of soldiers in private houses during peace time i.e. No Declaration of War has
been announced
• 4th Searches and seizures; warrants
• 5th Due process; Self-incrimination; Double jeopardy (Can't be tried for the same crime twice)
• 6th Rights of the accused, Right to a speedy public trial
• 7th Right to trial by jury in civil cases
• 8th No excessive bail & fines or cruel & unusual punishment
• 9th Unemunerated rights (i.e., rights not listed) retained by the people
• 10th Powers reserved to the states or to the people
Due Process Rights
• Constitutional guarantee that government will not deprive any person of life, liberty or property by any unfair, arbitrary, or unreasonable action
Equal Protection Rights
• A right guaranteed under the 14th Amendment
• No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
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