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Civics chapter 2
vocabulary part 1
63
Other
9th Grade
09/26/2006

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Term
government
Definition
the authority, or power, that rules on behalf of a group of people.
Term
dictator or dictatorship
Definition
a form of government in which all power is in the hands of one person or a group of persons.
Term
monarchy
Definition
a form of government in which a king, queen, prince (a monarch) rules and sometimes is in charge of the government.
Term
laws
Definition
All the rules of conduct of a nation that are enforced by government.
Term
constitution
Definition
a written plan of government for a nation.
Term
ideals
Definition
basic beliefs or standards of conduct that people attempt to live up to.
Term
declaration of independence
Definition
a key document of American freedom, adopted on July 4, 1776, declaring the 13 American colonies to be free and independent of Great Britain.
Term
articles of confederation
Definition
our nation’s first written plan of government, in effect from 1781 to 1789.
Term
delegates
Definition
representatives who were chosen to attend the Constitutional Convention.
Term
constitutional convention
Definition
the meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 at which the Constitution of the United States was written.
Term
founding fathers
Definition
The men who founded the U.S. by writing/ adopting the Constitution.
Term
parliament
Definition
the lawmaking body of Great Britain.
Term
bicameral
Definition
a lawmaking body consisting of two houses.
Term
unicameral
Definition
a lawmaking body consisting of one house.
Term
great comprimise
Definition
the agreement reached by the Constitutional Convention that all states should have equal representation in the Senate and be represented according to the size of their population in the house.
Term
amend (amendment)
Definition
to change; a written change or addition in the Constitution.
Term
ratification (ratify)
Definition
to approve; approval of the Constitution in 1787 or of a constitutional amendment.
Term
represenative
Definition
members of the House of Representatives or a person who represents a group of people in the government.
Term
constitution of the united states of america
Definition
the plan of government approved in 1789 to be the “supreme law of the land”.
Term
federal government
Definition
the national government of our nation.
Term
legislative branch
Definition
: the branch of our federal, state or local government that makes the laws.
Term
executive branch
Definition
the branch of our federal, state or local government that carries out the laws.
Term
judicial branch
Definition
the branch of the federal, state or local government that decides if laws have been broken and that punishes lawbreakers.
Term
bill
Definition
a proposed law being considered by a lawmaking body.
Term
checks and balances
Definition
: the way in which the powers of government are balanced, or divided, among three branches, so that each branch may check, or limit, the other branches.
Term
cabinet
Definition
The heads of the executive departments in the federal government, who also act as advisors to the President.
Term
bill of rights
Definition
the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, which set forth the basic rights, or freedoms, guaranteed to all Americans.
Term
unwritten constitution
Definition
the traditional ways of doing things in our federal government that are seldom written down or made into laws.
Term
theocracy
Definition
Based on a theology or religious faith. It is a form of government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler and the God’s or deity’s laws are being interpreted by govt officials
Term
anarchy
Definition
Complete disorder that can result from having no government or laws.
Term
divine right
Definition
the doctrine that monarchs derive their right to rule directly from God and are accountable only to God.
Term
socialism
Definition
Under a socialist system the government has ownership over the countries basic goods and services (communication, transportation, health care, power, etc.); however, some services, are owned by private businesses
Term
olive branch petition
Definition
a letter written to King George III from the members of the 2nd Continental Congress that appealed to the king to address colonial grievances to avoid war.
Term
communism
Definition
political system in which ownership of all product and land are in the hands of the people, and all goods are equally shared.
Term
age of enlightment
Definition
Occurred in the 18th century. Philosophers wrote new ideas on politics such as the role of the “divine right” of kings and the separation of church and state.
Term
democracy
Definition
Government: Government by the people
Term
represenative democracy
Definition
Government where the people elect leaders to carry out the rules and ideals that they want.
Term
direct democracy
Definition
a system of government in which ALL citizens participate in politics and decision making.
Term
John Locke
Definition
Influential English philosopher who inspired Thomas Jefferson when writing the Declaration of Independence.
Term
thomas Jefferson
Definition
authored the Declaration of Independence.
Term
james madison
Definition
Father of the Constitution.
Term
treason
Definition
violation of allegiance to one’s country.
Term
traitors
Definition
A person who betrays his country.
Term
constitutional monarchy
Definition
which means that the king shares power with a group of advisors or a democratic body.
Term
patriots
Definition
Colonists loyal to the United States.
Term
Tory
Definition
Colonists loyal to the British.
Term
Thomas pane
Definition
author of Common Sense.
Term
King George III
Definition
King of England during the American Revolution.
Term
intolerable acts
Definition
Acts of law passed by England to punish the colonies for the Boston Tea Party.
Term
confederation
Definition
A group of nations or states united for a common cause.
Term
American Revolution
Definition
War fought to gain American independence from England.
Term
1st continental congress
Definition
A body of 55 representatives appointed by colonial legislatures who met to plan a response to England’s Intolerable Acts.
Term
Boston Tea Party
Definition
An act of protest of the stamp act by the American colonists against England.
Term
2nd continental congress
Definition
a body of representatives who met and approved the Declaration of Independence.
Term
minutemen
Definition
Armed civilians fighting during the Revolutionary War.
Term
monopoly
Definition
a company or group having exclusive control over commercial activity.
Term
john adams
Definition
A driving force calling for independence from England.
Term
3/5ths comprimise
Definition
A compromise reached by the Northern states and Southern states over how to count the slave population. Slaves were counted 3/5 of all other persons.
Term
federalist
Definition
People who supported the Constitution
Term
Anti-Federalists
Definition
People who were against the Constitution
Term
virginia plan
Definition
Large states plan for a bicameral congress with representation to be based on population.
Term
new jersey plan
Definition
Small states plan for a unicameral congress with equal representation.
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