Abolition the official ending of the practice of slavery
Absolute having total power or authority
Accountability responsibility to someone or for something
Accountable responsible to somebody or for something
Ad hoc committee a temporary Congressional committee set up to fulfill a specific purpose
Advocate someone who gives support, helps on behalf of another, or speaks in favor of something
Amoral of what is considered acceptable behavior by most people
Anarchy an absence or lack of any formal system of government or control
Appeal formal request to a higher authority requesting a change of decision, such as a case to a higher court from lower courts
Appellate Court the jurisdiction to hear case appeals and review the decisions of lower courts, also known as a court of appeal
Apportionment the distribution of seats in the House among the states based on proportion of total population, calculated after conducting a census every 10 years
Appropriation permission through legislation to spend funds on a specific program or agency
Arable Land land suitable for growing crops
Aristocracy people of a group thought to be superior to others, such as from a noble family
Authoritarian political system in which obedience to the ruler and government is strictly enforced
Authority the right to command, or the holder of official power
Authorization bill permission through legislation to start or continue a government program or agency
Ballot a paper or card on which someone can cast a vote in an election
Bench trial trial held without a jury
Bias preference toward a particular belief or attitude
Bicameral legislature a part of government that makes laws, consisting of two houses
Bill of Attainder a law that declares a person guilty of a crime without a trial
Burden responsibility of a problem
Bureaucracy staff, policies, and actions of administrative groups led by non-elected officials to carry out specific laws and responsibilities
Cabinet a group of advisers to the president, composed of the heads of the executive departments and other officials as determined by the president
Campaign an organized series of events intended to achieve a specific goal, such as selection of a particular candidate for office
Caucus a closed meeting of people from one political party, especially a local meeting to select delegates or candidates
Censor ban or removal of content considered threatening or offensive
Census official count of a population carried out at set time intervals
Chaos a state of complete disorder and confusion
Charter formal document creating an organization or company
Charter a formal written statement describing the rights and responsibilities of a state and its citizens
Civil Case a lawsuit brought before a court relating to the rights of citizens, usually a dispute between citizens or groups
Civil Liberties basic rights granted to individuals by law
Civilian a citizen who is not a member of the military
Class-action Lawsuit a lawsuit brought before a court by one party on behalf of a group of individuals who all have the same complaint
Closed primary primary election where only registered members of the political party may vote
Cloture a process of the Senate where it can vote to limit debate on a bill; can stop a filibuster
Coalition an alliance of separate interest groups
Common Good the greatest possible conditions of society for the greatest number of people living in it
Compensation money to pay for or make up for a loss to another person in a civil case
Complacent satisfied and unaware of potential dangers
Concurrent powers powers shared by the national, state, and/or local governments
Concurring Opinion opinion written by a justice in support of the minority or majority decision
Confederation a group of loosely allied states, such as the United States under the Articles of Confederation
Conference committee a Congressional committee with members of both houses that creates a compromise bill between similar bills passed separately by the House and Senate
Connotation feeling that a word invokes for a person in addition to its primary meaning
Consent to agree to or give permission
Constituent someone who votes to appoint another to act on his or her behalf
Constitution a plan, or outline, for government, such as the U.S. Constitution
Controversial provoking strong disagreement, debate, or disapproval
Criminal Case a lawsuit brought before a court involving someone who is accused of committing a crime
Delegate chosen authority given the responsibility to act on behalf of the people they are representing
Delegated powers powers granted to the national government, also known as delegated powers
Democratization the process of transitioning to a more democratic government
Demographics characteristics about the human population or a part of it, such as size or growth
Deportation to force a foreign national to leave a country
Diplomacy the process of negotiating alliances and peaceful resolutions to conflict
Disenfranchise to deprive a person or a group of people of the right to vote
Dissenting Opinion also known as the minority opinion, written by a justice who does not agree with the majority decision
Diversity a variety in people, relating to culture, language, or other traits
Diversity Case a case involving citizens or groups from more than one state
Double Jeopardy someone on trial for a crime for which he or she has already been tried before
Dual sovereignty a Constitutional concept that both the state and the federal governments are sovereign
Due process established laws and legal proceedings that are followed to protect the rights of individuals
Elastic clause also known as the necessary and proper clause, it allows the U.S. government to make laws that are considered 'necessary and proper' that are not directly given in the Constitution
Electoral College the group of people from each state who officially elect the president of the United States, typically based on the popular vote in each state.
Enlightment a time of change in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries when philosophers focused on reason as a way to solve problems
Evaluate to consider or examine something to judge its value, quality, or importance
Ex post facto law a law outlawing an action that has already occurred
Exclusionary rule a law that prevents evidence collected illegally from use in a criminal trial
Executive Privilege the right of the president to refuse to reveal confidential materials if doing so would interfere with the administration's ability to govern
Export the selling of goods to another country
Expressed powers powers specifically given to Congress in Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution
Externality unintended costs or benefits to third parties
Extremism a radical action or point of view
Faction a minority group within society that has different interests or beliefs conflicting with the majority
Federal district court a court established by the federal government having jurisdiction over questions of federal law
Federal-question case a case brought before a court where the meaning or intent of a federal law is under debate
Federalism the division of powers among local, state, and national governments
Filibuster a senator who talks endlessly or the act of talking endlessly to prevent a vote or action on an issue
Foreign policy the collection of laws, treaties, and programs governing relationships with other nations
Founding Era period during the late 1700s, when the Founding Fathers developed the foundational documents and principles for the United States government
Genocide the intentional killing or attempt to destroy all people of a certain national, ethnic, or religious group.
Gerrymander the dividing of a geographic region into representative districts that would give political advantage to a certain political party or other group
Good faith exception a rule that states evidence authorities believed they collected legally at the time can be used in a criminal trial, an exception to the exclusionary rule
Green Card a government identification card giving legal permission to an immigrant to live and work in the United States permanently
Gross Domestic Product market value of all goods and services produced within a country in a given period
Holocaust the systematic extermination of millions of European Jews, as well as Roma, Slavs, intellectuals, gay people, and political dissidents, by the Nazis and their allies during World War II
Human Trafficking the act of recruiting, holding, transporting, or receiving a person by force to exploit them
Impeach to make a formal accusation of misconduct against a public official
Imperialism a foreign policy approach where a country takes control over an area claimed by another country
Implied powers powers not directly stated in the Constitution but rather interpreted as belonging to the national government
Import to bring a product or good in from another country
In forma pauperis Latin phrase for "in the form of a pauper," referring to permission for a person to petition the courts without paying the court costs and fees due to inability to pay
Incorporation in constitutional law, a process where selected parts of the Bill of Rights are applied to the states through the due process clause of the 14th Amendment
Independent a person or candidate who votes and acts in accordance with his or her own judgment and without regard to the positions taken by any specific party
Indoctrinate to teach someone a specific belief, doctrine, or ideology with the goal of discouraging independent thought or acceptance of other contrary ideas.
Infrastructure the basic physical systems of a community's people, including roads, electric power, and water supply
Initiative a process in many U.S. states that allows citizens to introduce ideas for new laws to the state legislature
Institution an established organization that is influential in the community
Interdependence the state of being unable to exist or survive without each other
Interest Group a group of people with shared goals who work together to influence public policy
Interstate commerce activity involving people or businesses in more than one state
Interventionism a foreign policy approach where a country takes direct action in events of another country, usually involving military
Isolationism refraining from the creation of alliances or participating in foreign conflict
Japanese-American Internment in 1942, the U.S. government relocated and interned about 110,000 Japanese Americans who lived along the Pacific coast
Joint committee a Congressional committee with members from both houses that makes a single set of recommendations to the whole Congress on a specific issue
Judicial Review the power to review and cancel laws or acts of government if determined to be unconstitutional
Jurisdiction the authority or geographic area of authority to enforce laws or make legal judgments
Jurisdiction the authority of a court to hear certain types of cases
Jury a group of ordinary citizens who decide together whether a person accused of a crime is guilty or not guilty
Justice the act of applying or upholding the law in a fair or reasonable manner
Labor union an organization of wage earners set up to promote its members' concerns, generally in the areas of pay, benefits, hours, and conditions
Legislation law passed or in the process of being passed by a lawmaking body, such as Congress
Legitimacy lawful and complying with recognized rules, standards, or traditions
Legitimacy acceptance or legality
Libel false and damaging statements about someone that are written or published
Literate the ability to read and write
Litigation a lawsuit
Majority Opinion official ruling on a court case in which a majority of the justices agree
Maritime relating to the seas and shipping
Market Economy an economy in which prices and wages are determined mainly by supply and demand, rather than being regulated by a government
Media the various means of mass communication as a whole group, such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the internet
Mediation a process where an outside person works with people on both sides of a dispute to try to help them reach an agreement without going to court first
Midterm election U.S. general election held two years after every presidential election where all seats in the House are up for election as well as one-third of the Senate seats
Militia a reserve military force for emergencies, not part of the regular armed forces
Monarchy a ruler, such as a king or queen, who rules a country or territory
Monopoly market structure where a single business dominates a product or service
Municipality a city, town, or other area that has its own local government
Nanking Massacre in 1937, the Japanese invaded the city of Nanking, and forces committed mass murder and rape of Chinese civilians
Natural Rights rights that people are born with and that no government can take away
Naturalization the legal process for nonnative residents to become U.S. citizens
Nonprofit organization a group of people organized to achieve some purpose that does not include making a profit
Nullify make something invalid or void of meaning
Obsolete no longer in use, outdated
Open primary primary election that is open to all voters, regardless of party membership
Ordinance a law or rule made by an authority such as a city government
Original Jurisdiction having the right to hear a case the first time it is presented in court
Oversight the responsibility of overseeing or supervising something
Parliament the name given to the legislative branch of government in Britain and other countries
Per capita by or for each person
Per curiam decision official ruling described by the court, instead of a majority and minority opinion
Permanent resident a legal status and permission for an immigrant to live and work in the United States for an unlimited time
Petition formal request to urge an authority into a course of action
Philadelphia Convention also known as the Constitutional Convention, took place in 1787 to address the problems with the Articles of Confederation and create the Constitution
Platform a set of policies and promises of a political party or political candidate
Political action committee a group set up by an interest group or corporation to raise and spend donated money on a political campaign
Political ideology a set of beliefs, values, and ideas that form the basis for an organization or program
Political Party people who share beliefs about government and support their members in elections to increase the group's power
Poll an assigned location where the casting, recording, and counting of votes take place during an election
Popular Sovereignty principle that the legitimacy of the government depends on the will or consent of its people
Popular vote a vote of the majority of the people in a country, the votes of the people
Precedent a court action or decision used as an example in later cases
Prerequisite something required before something else can happen
President Pro Tempore the highest-ranking member of the Senate after the President of the Senate (who is the vice president), usually the senior member of the majority party
Presidential Secession the ordered list of federal positions that would take over as acting president if the president were unable to carry out official duties
Primary election a process where voters choose the candidates who will run for political office
Probable cause a standard of proof to conduct a search, make an arrest, or find a person guilty of committing or having committed a crime
Prosecution the lawyers representing the people or a government body in a criminal trial
Public Policy a course of action accepted or used by a government to respond to a problem
Pure Democracy type of democracy where the power lies directly with the people instead of with elected representatives
Qualitative data facts and information relating to the quality or character of something instead of size or quantity
Quantitative data facts and statistics relating to the amount or number of something
Quota a maximum number allowed or needed
Ratification the act or process of formal approval, to make official
Rational having clear, sensible, reasoned thinking and judgment
Red tape complex rules and procedures set by a bureaucratic agency to carry out a policy
Referendum a process in many U.S. states that allows citizens to introduce ideas for changing existing laws to the state legislature
Reflection thinking about your actions to develop new thoughts, ideas, or opinions
Regulation an official rule or order that guides behavior related to laws, or the carrying out of a law
Remedy a legal means of enforcing the rights of those favored by a judicial decision
Renewable Resource something able to be sustained indefinitely because of new growth or overabundant supplies
Reparations compensation or actions meant to remedy a wrong, such as for losses in war
Representative Government a form of government where the people elect leaders to make decisions on their behalf, sometimes called a republic
Republic form of government in which people elect representatives to exercise power for them
Republicanism the principle that government officials are elected by the people and represent their interests
Reserved powers powers of the state governments not given to the national government nor denied to the states
Resident alien a person living in a country where he or she is not a citizen
Roving Wiretap legal tap directed at a suspect rather than a specific phone line; tap location could be changed without new authorization if the suspect uses a different phone
Rule of Law the principle that both those who govern and those who are governed must obey the law and are subject to the same laws
Scrutinize to examine something very closely
Self-Incrimination speech or action that suggests your own guilt
Separation of Powers the division of government powers into legislative, executive, and judicial branches
Service helping other people in the community
Slander false and damaging statements about someone that are spoken
Social Contract the idea that people agree, or consent, to government authority and in return the government protects the people and their rights
Socioeconomic trait characteristic relating to economic or social factors
Sovereign complete and permanent authority over one's own area or jurisdiction
Speaker of the House highest-ranking member of the House, usually the senior member of the majority party
Special Purpose District local government units that organize and monitor a service or set of services separate from the city, county, or other traditional local governments
Standing committee a Congressional committee that is permanent and addresses a particular topic
Stare decisis the policy of the courts to abide by decisions made in earlier, similar cases
State Legislature part of a state government responsible for making laws
State Militia a reserve army created and maintained by the states to be called up in an emergency
Subpoena legal order that requires a witness to appear or provide evidence to a court
Suffrage the right to vote in public elections
Supremacy position of authority over another
Supremacy clause states that the Constitution and federal laws are the highest laws in the nation
Sustainable able to maintain use of resources without destroying them or the environment
Swing state a U.S. state where no political party has a significant majority of voter support, making it possible for the state's electoral votes to go to any candidate
Tariff a tax on imported goods
Third party a political party organized in opposition to the major parties in a two-party system
Trial a formal legal process in court to settle disputes or determine the guilt or innocence of those accused of crimes
Trust fund government funds for programs collected and spent separate from the regular budget
Tyranny cruel and unjust government
U.S. Constitution the plan detailing the structure, functions, and powers of the government of the United States, also known as the Constitution
Unalienable impossible to take away
Unconstitutional not allowed by or against the ideas and principles of the Constitution
Unfunded mandate law passed by Congress that requires actions of the state government, creating costs not paid by the national government
Universal human rights rights belonging to all people no matter where they live
Universal suffrage the ability of all legal adults to exercise the right to vote without restrictions
Venture new business opportunity
Visa special permission granted within a passport which permits entry into and travel within a particular country for a specified period of time
Voter fraud interference with an election, such as illegal voter registration, preventing votes being cast or counted
Voter turnout the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election
Warren Court the Supreme Court of the United States between 1953 and 1969, during the Civil Rights Movement, when Earl Warren served as Chief Justice and expanded civil rights, liberties, and judicial power.
Watchdog a person or group guarding against illegal, wasteful, or unacceptable practices
Writ of certiorari order of the Supreme Court to review lower-court evidence and decisions
Writ of habeas corpus of a prisoner to be seen by a judge to determine if their imprisonment is lawful