U.S. Government - Middle School and High School

If you want to learn about the American political system, you're at liberty to study this list of terms related to U.S. government. You'll review the three branches of government (executive, legislative, and judicial), the Constitution, elections, and more. Cast your vote for vocabulary!
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. affirmative action
    a policy designed to redress past discrimination
  2. alliance
    an agreement establishing an association between groups
  3. ambassador
    a diplomat of the highest rank
  4. amendment
    a statement that is added to a proposal or document
  5. American Dream
    the widespread aspiration of Americans to live better than their parents did
  6. amicus curiae brief
    a document filed by an outside party to influence a lawsuit
  7. antitrust law
    law intended to promote free competition in the market place by outlawing monopolies
  8. appeal
    a legal proceeding to review a lower court decision
  9. appellate
    relating to challenges to a legal decision
  10. Articles of Confederation
    a written agreement ratified in 1781 by the thirteen original states; it provided a legal symbol of their union by giving the central government no coercive power over the states or their citizens
  11. bail
    money forfeited if the accused fails to appear in court
  12. balanced budget
    a budget is balanced when current expenditures are equal to receipts
  13. bill
    a statute in draft before it becomes law
  14. bill of attainder
    a legislative act pronouncing a person's guilt without trial
  15. Bill of Rights
    a statement of fundamental freedoms and privileges
  16. block grant
    a grant of federal money to state and local governments to support social welfare programs
  17. bureaucracy
    a government administered primarily by nonelective officials
  18. bureaucrat
    a nonelective government official
  19. cabinet
    group chosen by a head of state to run executive departments
  20. campaign
    a race between candidates for elective office
  21. candidate
    a politician who is running for public office
  22. capitalism
    an economic system based on private ownership of assets
  23. caucus
    a closed political meeting
  24. census
    a periodic count of the population
  25. centralization
    the act of consolidating power under a single authority
  26. citizen
    a native or naturalized member of a state
  27. citizenship
    membership in a state with rights and duties
  28. civil disobedience
    refusal to comply with a law as a form of political protest
  29. civil law
    the non-criminal legal code established by a state or nation
  30. civil liberty
    freedom from arbitrary governmental interence
  31. civil right
    right belonging to a person by reason of citizenship
  32. civil service
    the government workforce exclusive of military service
  33. class action
    a lawsuit brought by a representative member of a large group of people on behalf of all members of the group
  34. clear and present danger
    a standard for judging when freedom of speech can be abridged
  35. closed primary
    a preliminary election for members of one party
  36. closed shop
    a company that hires only union members
  37. cloture
    a rule for limiting or ending debate in a deliberative body
  38. coattails effect
    the impact a candidate can have on others in the same party
  39. collective bargaining
    negotiation between an employer and a trade union
  40. commission
    a special group delegated to consider some matter
  41. committee
    a special group delegated to consider some matter
  42. common law
    a law system based on priory decisions by judges
  43. concurrence
    agreement of results or opinions
  44. confederation
    a union of political organizations
  45. Congress
    the legislature of the United States government
  46. consensus
    agreement in the judgment reached by a group as a whole
  47. conservatism
    belief in preserving tradition and opposing radical change
  48. constituent
    a citizen who is represented in a government by officials
  49. Constitution
    the constitution written at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 and subsequently ratified by the original thirteen states
  50. constitutional
    sanctioned by or consistent with or operating under the law
  51. Constitutional Convention
    the convention of United States statesmen who drafted the United States Constitution in 1787
  52. constitutionalism
    advocacy of government according to founding principles
  53. consumer price index
    an index of the cost of all goods and services to a typical consumer
  54. convention
    a large formal assembly
  55. court of appeals
    a court whose jurisdiction is to review decisions of lower courts or agencies
  56. criminal law
    the body of law dealing with offenses and their punishment
  57. currency
    the metal or paper medium of exchange that is presently used
  58. dealignment
    a process whereby voters are moved toward nonpartisanship thus weakening the structure of political parties
  59. Declaration of Independence
    the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the Colonies from Great Britain
  60. de facto segregation
    segregation (especially in schools) that happens in fact although not required by law
  61. defendant
    someone against whom an action is brought in a court of law
  62. Defense Department
    the federal department responsible for safeguarding national security of the United States; created in 1947
  63. deficit
    an excess of liabilities over assets
  64. deficit spending
    paying with money attained through loans
  65. de jure segregation
    segregation that is imposed by law
  66. delegate
    a person appointed or elected to represent others
  67. democracy
    a political system in which power lies in a body of citizens
  68. Democratic Party
    the older of two major political parties in the United States
  69. demographic
    a statistic characterizing human populations
  70. department
    a specialized division of a large organization
  71. Department of Health and Human Services
    the United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with health and welfare; created in 1979
  72. deregulation
    the act of freeing from rules
  73. devolution
    the delegation of authority
  74. diplomacy
    negotiation between nations
  75. diplomat
    an official engaged in international negotiations
  76. direct primary
    an election where voters pick general election candidates
  77. discrimination
    unfair treatment of a person or group based on prejudice
  78. dissent
    the difference of one judge's opinion from the majority
  79. district
    a region marked off for administrative or other purposes
  80. docket
    the calendar of a court
  81. domestic
    of concern to or concerning the internal affairs of a nation
  82. double jeopardy
    prosecution of the same crime twice
  83. due process
    administration of justice according to rules and principles
  84. earmark
    give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause
  85. elector
    a citizen who has a legal right to vote
  86. electoral college
    the body that formally selects the United States president
  87. embargo
    a government order imposing a trade barrier
  88. eminent domain
    a right of the state to take private property for public use
  89. entitlement
    right granted by law or contract
  90. equal protection of the laws
    a right guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution and by the due-process clause of the Fifth Amendment
  91. ethnicity
    an affiliation resulting from racial or cultural ties
  92. ethnocentrism
    belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group
  93. excise tax
    a fee measured by the amount of business done
  94. exclusionary rule
    a rule that provides that otherwise admissible evidence cannot be used in a criminal trial if it was the result of illegal police conduct
  95. executive
    having the function of carrying out plans or orders
  96. Executive Office of the President
    the branch of the United States government that is responsible for carrying out the laws
  97. expatriation
    migration from a place
  98. extradition
    surrender of an accused by one state or country to another
  99. faction
    a dissenting clique
  100. Federal Communications Commission
    an independent government agency that regulates interstate and international communications by radio and television and wire and cable and satellite
  101. federalism
    government divided between central and regional powers
  102. federalist
    advocate of government with both central & regional powers
  103. Federal Reserve System
    the central bank of the United States
  104. felony
    a serious crime, such as murder or arson
  105. Fifth Amendment
    an amendment to the Constitution of the United States that imposes restrictions on the government's prosecution of persons accused of crimes; mandates due process of law and prohibits self-incrimination and double jeopardy; requires just compensation if private property is taken for public use
  106. filibuster
    a tactic for delaying legislation by making long speeches
  107. First Amendment
    an amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing freedoms
  108. fiscal policy
    a government policy for dealing with the budget
  109. food stamp
    a government-issued stamp that can be used in exchange for food
  110. foreign policy
    a plan of action governing international relations
  111. Fourteenth Amendment
    an amendment to the Constitution of the United States adopted in 1868; extends the guarantees of the Bill of Rights to the states as well as to the federal government
  112. framer
    someone who writes a new law or plan
  113. freedom of speech
    the right to express your ideas and opinions
  114. free trade
    the exchange of goods without governmental interference
  115. fundamentalist
    a supporter of sacred texts as literal truth
  116. gag order
    a court ruling restricting information during a lawsuit
  117. general election
    a vote conducted at the national or state level
  118. gerrymander
    divide voting districts unfairly and to one's advantage
  119. globalization
    growth to a worldwide scale
  120. government bond
    a bond that is an IOU of the United States Treasury
  121. grand jury
    a panel to determine if a case should be brought to trial
  122. grant
    any monetary aid
  123. grassroots
    of or involving the common people rather than those in power
  124. Green Party
    an environmentalist political party
  125. gross domestic product
    the value of all things made and sold by a country in a year
  126. habeas corpus
    the right to a writ protecting against illegal imprisonment
  127. health maintenance organization
    group insurance that entitles members to services of participating hospitals and clinics and physicians
  128. honeymoon
    the early period of a relationship; business or political
  129. House of Representatives
    the lower legislative assembly of the United States Congress
  130. humanitarian
    someone devoted to the promotion of welfare and reform
  131. idealism
    belief that the best possible concepts should be pursued
  132. ideology
    an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group
  133. immigration
    movement of people into a country or area
  134. immunity
    an act exempting someone
  135. impeachment
    the act of charging an official with an offense committed while in office
  136. implementation
    the act of accomplishing some aim or executing some order
  137. incumbent
    the official who holds an office
  138. independent
    a neutral or uncommitted person, especially in politics
  139. independent agency
    an agency of the United States government that is created by an act of Congress and is independent of the executive departments
  140. indexation
    a system of economic regulation: wages and interest are tied to the cost-of-living index in order to reduce the effects of inflation
  141. indictment
    an accusation of wrongdoing
  142. individualism
    a belief in the virtue of self-reliance
  143. inflation
    a general and progressive increase in prices
  144. integration
    incorporating a racial or religious group into a community
  145. interest group
    people uniting around a specific issue to meet a common goal
  146. internationalism
    quality of being global in scope
  147. international law
    the body of laws governing relations between nations
  148. interstate
    of relations between individual divisions of a country
  149. intervention
    policy of getting involved in the affairs of other countries
  150. isolationism
    a policy of nonparticipation in international relations
  151. Jim Crow
    barrier preventing blacks from participating in activities
  152. Joint Chiefs of Staff
    the executive agency that advises the President on military questions; composed of the chiefs of the United States Army and the United States Navy and the United States Air Force and the commandant of the United States Marine Corps
  153. judicial
    relating to the administration of justice
  154. judicial activism
    an interpretation of the U.S. constitution holding that the spirit of the times and the needs of the nation can legitimately influence judicial decisions (particularly decisions of the Supreme Court)
  155. judicial review
    the court's power to decide whether a law is constitutional
  156. jurisdiction
    the territory within which power can be exercised
  157. jury
    a body of citizens sworn to give a verdict in a court of law
  158. Justice Department
    the United States federal department responsible for enforcing federal laws (including the enforcement of all civil rights legislation); created in 1870
  159. Keynesianism
    the economic theories of John Maynard Keynes who advocated government monetary and fiscal programs intended to stimulate business activity and increase employment
  160. laissez faire
    a doctrine that government should not interfere in commerce
  161. legislation
    law enacted by an assembly
  162. legislative
    relating to a lawmaking assembly
  163. levy
    a charge imposed and collected
  164. libel
    a false and malicious publication
  165. liberalism
    a political orientation favoring social progress by reform
  166. libertarianism
    an ideological belief in freedom of thought and speech
  167. limited war
    a war whose objective is less than the unconditional defeat of the enemy
  168. lobby
    a group of people who try actively to influence legislation
  169. lobbyist
    someone who is employed to persuade how legislators vote
  170. logroll
    work toward the passage of some legislation by exchanging political favors such as trading votes
  171. loophole
    an ambiguity that makes it possible to evade an obligation
  172. majority
    more than half of the votes in an election
  173. majority leader
    leader of the majority party in a legislature
  174. majority opinion
    the judgement joined by more than half of the court
  175. majority rule
    the doctrine that the numerical majority of an organized group can make decisions binding on the whole group
  176. mandate
    commission given to a government through electoral victory
  177. manifest destiny
    a policy of imperialist expansion said to be inevitable
  178. mass medium
    a technology that publicly transmits to a large audience
  179. Medicaid
    government-funded health care for those with low income
  180. Medicare
    federally administered health care for older individuals
  181. merit system
    the system of employing and promoting civil servants on the basis of ability
  182. military-industrial complex
    armed forces and businesses and agencies that support them
  183. minority leader
    leader of the minority party in a legislature
  184. Miranda rule
    the rule that police (when interrogating you after an arrest) are obliged to warn you that anything you say may be used as evidence and to read you your constitutional rights (the right to a lawyer and the right to remain silent until advised by a lawyer)
  185. misdemeanor
    a crime less serious than a felony
  186. monetarism
    an economic theory holding that variations in unemployment and the rate of inflation are usually caused by changes in the supply of money
  187. monopoly
    a market in which there are many buyers but only one seller
  188. Monroe Doctrine
    an American foreign policy opposing interference in the western hemisphere from outside powers
  189. movement
    a group of people who try together to achieve certain goals
  190. multiculturalism
    the doctrine that different peoples can coexist peacefully
  191. national debt
    the debt of the national government
  192. National Intelligence Community
    a group of government agencies and organizations that carry out intelligence activities for the United States government; headed by the Director of Central Intelligence
  193. National Security Council
    a committee in the executive branch of government that advises the president on foreign and military and national security; supervises the Central Intelligence Agency
  194. naturalization
    the proceeding whereby a foreigner is granted citizenship
  195. natural law
    a body of inherent rules governing human conduct in society
  196. neoconservatism
    an approach to politics or theology that represents a return to a traditional point of view (in contrast to more liberal or radical schools of thought of the 1960s)
  197. news media
    all magazines, TV, etc. that deliver info to the public
  198. Nineteenth Amendment
    an amendment to the Constitution of the United States adopted in 1920; guarantees that no state can deny the right to vote on the basis of sex
  199. nomination
    the act of officially naming a candidate
  200. nongovernmental organization
    an organization that is not part of the local or state or federal government
  201. nonpartisan
    free from party affiliation or bias
  202. Office of Management and Budget
    the executive agency that advises the President on the federal budget
  203. open primary
    an initial election in which any registered voter can vote
  204. open shop
    a company whose workers are hired without regard to their membership in a labor union
  205. opinion
    the legal document stating reasons for a judicial decision
  206. opinion poll
    an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a random sample of people
  207. Oval Office
    the office of the President of the United States in the White House
  208. override
    reject or overturn a decision or an argument
  209. oversight
    management by watching and directing a person or group
  210. pardon
    grant release from punishment for an offense
  211. partisanship
    an inclination to favor one group or view over alternatives
  212. patronage
    granting favors in return for political support
  213. petition
    a formal request that something be submitted to an authority
  214. petit jury
    the group that decides the outcome of a legal trial
  215. photo op
    an occasion that lends itself to (or is deliberately arranged for) taking photographs that provide favorable publicity for those who are photographed
  216. plaintiff
    a person who brings an action in a court of law
  217. plea
    a defendant's answer by a factual matter
  218. plea bargain
    (criminal law) a negotiation in which the defendant agrees to enter a plea of guilty to a lesser charge and the prosecutor agrees to drop a more serious charge
  219. pluralism
    a social organization in which diversity is tolerated
  220. plurality
    greatest number of votes, but less than half of the total
  221. pocket veto
    indirect veto of legislation by refusing to sign it
  222. political action committee
    a group that raises money and distributes it for elections
  223. political party
    a group that tries to run the government
  224. political science
    the study of government of states and other political units
  225. polling place
    a site where voters go to cast their votes in an election
  226. pollster
    someone who conducts surveys of public opinion
  227. poll tax
    an amount to be paid as a requirement for voting
  228. populism
    political doctrine that supports the rights of common people
  229. Populist Party
    a former political party in the United States
  230. pork barrel
    appropriations designed to ingratiate constituents
  231. poverty line
    a level of income that provides for basic necessities
  232. preamble
    a preliminary introduction, as to a statute or constitution
  233. precedent
    a legal decision that influences subsequent decisions
  234. preemption
    the judicial principle asserting the supremacy of federal over state legislation on the same subject
  235. President
    the person who holds the office of head of state of the United States government
  236. press
    the print media responsible for publishing news
  237. primary
    an election to choose a candidate for the general election
  238. primary election
    an election to choose a candidate for the general election
  239. probable cause
    (law) evidence sufficient to warrant an arrest or search and seizure
  240. progressive tax
    any tax in which the rate increases as the amount subject to taxation increases
  241. progressivism
    the political orientation of those who favor progress toward better conditions in government and society
  242. property right
    the legal right of ownership
  243. proportional representation
    representation of all parties in proportion to their popular vote
  244. protectionism
    the policy of taxing imports to shield domestic industries
  245. proxy war
    a war instigated by a major power that does not itself participate
  246. public assistance
    governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need
  247. public defender
    a lawyer who represents indigent defendants at public expense
  248. public opinion
    a belief or sentiment shared by most people
  249. quid pro quo
    something given in exchange for something else
  250. racial profiling
    the practice of targeting people due to their ethnicity
  251. random sample
    a sample in which every element in the population has an equal chance of being selected
  252. ratify
    approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation
  253. rationalism
    the doctrine that reason is the basis for regulating conduct
  254. realism
    the attribute of accepting the facts of life
  255. recall
    the act of removing an official by petition
  256. referendum
    a legislative act referred for approval to a popular vote
  257. regime
    the governing authority of a political unit
  258. register
    sign up to be a voter
  259. regulation
    an authoritative rule
  260. remand
    refer a matter or legal case back to another authority
  261. repeal
    an official or legal cancellation
  262. representative
    a member of the lower body of the United States Congress
  263. reprieve
    postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal
  264. republic
    a political system in which power lies in a body of citizens
  265. Republican Party
    the younger of two major political parties in the United States; GOP is an acronym for grand old party
  266. revenue sharing
    the distribution of tax money to different government areas
  267. revolution
    the overthrow of a government by those who are governed
  268. rider
    a clause that is appended to a legislative bill
  269. rugged individualism
    individualism in social and economic affairs
  270. rule of law
    a state of order in which events conform to the law
  271. sales tax
    a tax based on the cost of the item purchased and collected directly from the buyer
  272. sanction
    impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on
  273. scarcity
    a small and inadequate amount
  274. search warrant
    a warrant authorizing law enforcement officials to search for objects or people involved in the commission of a crime and to produce them in court; the warrant describes the locations where the officials may search
  275. Secretary of State
    the position of the head of the State Department
  276. secret ballot
    a voting system in which each person's vote is private
  277. sedition
    an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority
  278. segregation
    a social system that provides different facilities for minority groups
  279. select committee
    a parliamentary group appointed for some special purpose
  280. Senate
    the upper house of the United States Congress
  281. senator
    a member of a legislative assembly
  282. slander
    words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another
  283. socialism
    an economic system based on state ownership of capital
  284. Social Security
    social welfare program in the U.S.
  285. socioeconomic
    involving social as well as economic factors
  286. socio-economic class
    a group of people sharing similar wealth and status
  287. soft money
    funds given to a party or PAC rather than a candidate
  288. solicitor general
    a law officer appointed to assist an attorney general
  289. sound bite
    a very short speech; usually on radio or television
  290. spoils system
    the practice of helping supporters after winning an election
  291. staffer
    an employee who is a member of a staff of workers
  292. standing committee
    a permanent legislative group that works on one subject
  293. state
    territory occupied by an administrative district of a nation
  294. statecraft
    wisdom in the management of public affairs
  295. State Department
    the federal department in the United States that sets and maintains foreign policies
  296. state government
    the government of a state in the United States
  297. state senator
    a member of a state senate
  298. states' rights
    a doctrine that federal powers should be curtailed and returned to the individual states
  299. statute
    an act passed by a legislative body
  300. subcommittee
    a small working group that is part of a larger group
  301. suffrage
    a legal right to vote
  302. supply-side economics
    the theory that lower taxes leads to financial prosperity
  303. Supreme Court
    the highest federal court in the United States
  304. tariff
    a government tax on imports or exports
  305. tax
    a charge that a citizen pays to support government programs
  306. tax credit
    a direct reduction in tax liability
  307. term
    a limited period of time during which something lasts
  308. theocracy
    the belief in government by divine guidance
  309. third party
    a political group opposed to others in a two-group system
  310. ticket
    a list of candidates nominated by a political party to run for election to public offices
  311. tort
    a wrongdoing for which an action for damages may be brought
  312. trade deficit
    an excess of imports over exports
  313. treaty
    a written agreement between two states or sovereigns
  314. trust
    something held by one party for the benefit of another
  315. turnout
    attendance for a particular event or purpose
  316. unemployment
    the state of not having a job
  317. unilateralism
    a doctrine that nations should conduct affairs individually
  318. value-added tax
    a tax levied on the difference between a commodity's price before taxes and its cost of production
  319. veto
    a vote that blocks a decision
  320. Vice President of the United States
    the vice president of the United States who presides over the United States Senate
  321. voter turnout
    the total number who cast ballots in an election
  322. war power
    an extraordinary power exercised (usually by the executive branch) in the prosecution of a war and involving an extension of the powers that the government normally has in peacetime
  323. weapon of mass destruction
    a weapon that kills or injures civilian as well as military personnel (nuclear and chemical and biological weapons)
  324. welfare
    governmental provision of assistance to persons in need
  325. whip
    a legislator appointed by the party to enforce discipline
  326. whistleblower
    a person within an organization who exposes wrongdoing
  327. World Trade Organization
    an international organization based in Geneva that monitors and enforces rules governing global trade
  328. writ of certiorari
    a legal document requesting a higher court to review a case
  329. writ of mandamus
    an extraordinary writ commanding an official to perform a ministerial act that the law recognizes as an absolute duty and not a matter for the official's discretion; used only when all other judicial remedies fail
  330. yellow journalism
    sensationalist reporting or headlines
Created on Tue Mar 07 10:41:48 EST 2017 (updated Tue Apr 18 14:28:28 EDT 2017)

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