Civics Vocabulary From Chapter 3

Front 1

Preamble

Back 1

The introduction to the Constitution of the United States

Front 2

Articles

Back 2

Numbered sections of a document. The unamended Constitution is divided into 7 articles.

Front 3

Constitutionalism

Back 3

Basic principle that government and those who govern must obey the law; the rule of law.

Front 4

Rule of Law

Back 4

Concept that holds that government and its officers are always subject to the law.

Front 5

Separation of Powers

Back 5

Basic principle of American system of government, that the executive, legislative, and judicial powers are divided among three independent and coequal branches of government.

Front 6

Checks and Balances

Back 6

System of overlapping the powers of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to permit each branch to check the actions of the others.

Front 7

Veto

Back 7

Chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature.

Front 8

Judicial Review

Back 8

The power of a court to determine the constitutionality of a governmental action.

Front 9

Unconstitutional

Back 9

Contrary to constitutional provision and so illegal, null and void, of no force and effect.

Front 10

Federalism

Back 10

A system of government in which a written constitution divides power between a central, or national, government and several regional governments.

Front 11

Amendment

Back 11

A change in, or addition to, a constitution or law.

Front 12

Formal Amendment

Back 12

Change or addition that becomes part of the written language of the Constitution itself through one of four methods set forth in the Constitution.

Front 13

Bill of Rights

Back 13

The first ten amendments to the Constitution.

Front 14

Executive agreement

Back 14

A pact made by the President directly with the head of a foreign state; a binding international agreement with the force of law but which does not require Senate consent.

Front 15

Treaty

Back 15

A formal agreement between two or more sovereign states.

Front 16

Electoral College

Back 16

Group of persons chosen in each State and the District of Columbia every four years who make a formal selection of the President and Vice President.

Front 17

Cabinet

Back 17

Presidential advisory body, traditionally made up of the heads of the executive departments and other officers.

Front 18

Senatorial Courtesy

Back 18

Custom that the Senate will not approve a presidential appointment opposed by a majority party senator from the State in which the appointee would serve.