Term
| 1.Amendment "An amendment could be thought of as mending a hole in a crucial portion of a fence. |
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Definition
| change, improvement, or addition that is made to a law or document, or the process of doing this [image] |
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Term
2. Aristocracy "Much like oligarchies, aristocracies never tend to last for very long." |
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Definition
| A government in which power is in the hands of a hereditary ruling class or nobility [image] |
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Term
| 3. Checks and balances "Checks and balances make sure each individual branch of government doesn't overstep their given boundaries." |
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Definition
| from Montesquieu, a fundamental democratic principle of American government which ensures that one branch does not accumulate too much power [image] |
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Term
| 4. Constitutionalism "Constitiutionalism allows for us to function on a constitution rather than arbitrary laws concocted by rulers." |
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Definition
| the belief that a government should be based on a constitution [image] |
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Term
| 5.Democracy "Democracy allows power to the people, and also puts the people before the government as well." |
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Definition
| a system of government in which every citizen in the country can vote to elect its government officials [image] |
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Term
| 6. Direct Democracy "Direct democracies function much more effectively in smaller groups." |
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Definition
| A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives [image] |
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Term
| 7. Executive "This branch of the government includes the president." |
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Definition
| the part of government that makes sure decisions and laws work well [image] |
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Term
| 8. Federalism "The federal government is not bound by counties or states; it encompasses the entirety of the country." |
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Definition
| belief in or support for a federal system of government [image] |
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Term
| 9. Indirect Democracy "Indirect democracies fare better in large societies, as it would be difficult to cater to the needs of 300 million people in one election." |
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Definition
| Form of democracy in which individuals are represented by appointed representatives. [image] |
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Term
| 10. Judicial "The judicial branch directly connects to the Supreme Court." |
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Definition
| relating to the law, judges, or their decisions [image] |
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Term
| 11. Judicial review power of courts to review decisions of another department or level of government "Judicial review is comparable to a proofreading session before publishing a document." |
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Definition
| power of courts to review decisions of another department or level of government [image] |
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Term
| 12. Legislative "The legislative branch analyzes the feasibility of laws before they are passed." |
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Definition
| an institution that has the power to make or change laws [image] |
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Term
| 13. Limited power "Limited power is a good thing; it keeps the government from micromanaging its citizens. |
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Definition
| a type of government in which its functions and powers are prescribed, limited, and restricted by law [image] |
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Term
| 14. Monarchy "Few true monarchies exist today. Many are replaced by democracies." |
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Definition
| A government ruled by a king or queen [image] |
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Term
| 15. Oligarchy "Oligarchies never last long - they're always leaning toward some other form of government." |
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Definition
| a small group of people who run a country or organization, or a country that is run by a small group of people [image] |
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Term
| 16.Popular Sovereignty "'Power to the people' in the realest way possible." |
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Definition
| basic principle of the American system of government which asserts that the people are the source of any and all governmental power, and government can exist only with the consent of the governed (p 70) [image] |
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Term
| 17. Preamble "Preambles are often found in the beginnings of novels, often called 'prologues.'" |
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Definition
| a statement at the beginning of a book, document, or talk, explaining what it is about [image] |
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Term
| 18. Ratify "Ratification is mandatory for any bill to be passed." |
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Definition
| to make a written agreement official by signing it [image] |
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Term
| 19. Republic "Republics are often comparable to indirect democracies, and vice versa." |
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Definition
| A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them [image] |
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Term
| 20. Separation of powers "This is the literal separation of powers of our government; no one branch can legally impede on another branch." |
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Definition
| division of governmental authority among the three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial branch. The US Constitution uses this principle in setting the presidency, the Congress, and the courts [image][image] |
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Term
| 21. Tyranny "Tyranny is the result of arbitrary ruling by a despot." |
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Definition
| cruel or unfair control over other people and/or cruel and unfair government [image] |
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Term
| 22. U.S. Bill of Rights "This bill explains our rights to us as citizens of the United States. It'd help to read and understand them." |
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Definition
| a written statement of the most important rights of the citizens of a country, part of the U.S. Constitution [image] |
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