American Govt 1-4

Front 1

Acts of Congress

Back 1

Laws that majority of Congress passes

Front 2

Anarchy

Back 2

absence of government

Front 3

Bicameral

Back 3

consisting of two houses, as in a legislature

Front 4

Bill of Rights

Back 4

First 10 amendments

Front 5

Charter

Back 5

Written grant of authority from the king to establish a colony

Front 6

Charter Colony

Back 6

Governed by colonist themselves

Front 7

Checks and Balances

Back 7

Each branch is subject to a number of constitutional restraints by other branches.

Front 8

Compromise

Back 8

acceptable to all

Front 9

Concurrent power

Back 9

system of government divided between central government and several regional governments

Front 10

Confederation

Back 10

an alliance of independent states

Front 11

Contract

Back 11

legally binding promise or agreement between parties

Front 12

Custom

Back 12

Law/regulation established by common practice

Front 13

Delegated Power

Back 13

Powers expressed implied or inherent granted to National Gov't by Constitution

Front 14

Democracy

Back 14

Supreme authority rests with the people

Front 15

Dictatorship

Back 15

Power held by a single person or by a small group

Front 16

Direct democracy

Back 16

Citizens making policy and law

Front 17

English Bill of Rights

Back 17

Prohibited a standing army in peace time without consent of parliament. King must get approval from parliament to enforce laws.

Front 18

Evolutionary Theory of Government

Back 18

Started with family unit, clans, and developed into organized government.

Front 19

Exclusive power

Back 19

powers that can be exercised by the National gov't

Front 20

Expressed power

Back 20

powers that are spelled out in Constitution.

Front 21

Federal Government

Back 21

Gov't in which power is divided between a central gov't and other local gov'ts.

Front 22

Federalism

Back 22

division of power among a central gov't and several regional gov'ts.

Front 23

Formal Amendment

Back 23

changes or additions that become part of WRITTEN constitution.

Front 24

Formal Government

Back 24

gov't with written laws

Front 25

Government

Back 25

institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policy.

Front 26

Grant

Back 26

Money or resources given to states or local gov't by Federal Gov't.

Front 27

Implied power

Back 27

suggested by expressed powers in Constitution.

Front 28

Informal Amendment

Back 28

Change of meaning without written word of Constitution changed.

Front 29

Inherent power

Back 29

Power constitution is presumed to have.

Front 30

Judicial Review

Back 30

power of courts to determine whether what gov't does is in accord with Constitution.

Front 31

Limited Government

Back 31

Gov't is restricted in what it can do, each individual has certain rights.

Front 32

Magna Carta

Back 32

Established the principle that the power of the monarchy was not absolute, trial by jury, due process

Front 33

Ordered Gov't

Back 33

Order by regulation of relationships-local gov't ie. sherriff, coroner, JP

Front 34

Parliamentary Gov't

Back 34

Governemnt in which members of the executive branch are also members of the legislative branch.

Front 35

Petition of Right

Back 35

Limited power of King, no martial law, no false imprisonment

Front 36

Popular Sovereignty

Back 36

Gov't draws its power from the people.

Front 37

Presidential Gov't

Back 37

Gov't in which executive and legislative branches and separate but equal.

Front 38

Proprietary gov't

Back 38

Organized by person the king has granted land to.

Front 39

Public policy

Back 39

all of the things government decides to do

Front 40

Representative Gov't

Back 40

Gov't run and served by the will of the people

Front 41

Reserved power

Back 41

powers set aside for the states

Front 42

Royal Colony

Back 42

Direct control by the crown

Front 43

Separation of Powers

Back 43

Basic powers are distributed among three distinct branches of gov't

Front 44

Socialism

Back 44

Philosophy that benefits of economic activity should be fairly distributed

Front 45

State

Back 45

A body of people libing a defined territory. Organized politically and with the power to make and enforce law without consent.

Front 46

Uncameral

Back 46

Government run by one house

Front 47

Unitary Gov't

Back 47

Gov't in which all power belongs to a central agency

Front 48

Veto

Back 48

Executive power to reject a bill passed by legislature.