Magruders American Government Ch.3 Vocab

Front 1

Preamble

Back 1

The short introdution in the constitution.

Front 2

Articles

Back 2

Numbered sections of a document. The unamended constitution is divided into seven of these.

Front 3

constitutionalism

Back 3

Basic principal that government and those who govern must obey the law.

Front 4

Seperation of powers

Back 4

That the executive, legislative, and judicial powers are divided among three independant and coequal branches of government.

Front 5

Rule of law

Back 5

That government is never above law and are subject to law.

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 others.

Front 7

Veto

Back 7

To reject any act of congress.

Front 8

Judicial Review

Back 8

Is the power of courts to determine whether what government does is in accord with what the constitution provides.

Front 9

Unconstitutional

Back 9

The power to declare illegal, null, and void of no force and effect.

Front 10

federalism

Back 10

The division of power among a central government and several regional governments.

Front 11

Amendement

Back 11

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

Front 12

formal amendment

Back 12

changes of additions that become part of the written language of the constitution itself.

Front 13

First Method

Back 13

An amendment may be proposed 2/3 vote in each congress and be ratified by 3/4 if state legislatures.

Front 14

Second Method

Back 14

An amendment may be proposed by congress and the ratified by conventions, called for that purpose, in 3/4 of states.

Front 15

Third Method

Back 15

An amendment may be proposed by a national convention, called by congress at the request of 2/3 the state legislatures.

Front 16

bill of rights

Back 16

first ten amendments of the constitution

Front 17

informal amentment

Back 17

process by which over time many changes have been made in the constitution which have not involved any changes in its written words

Front 18

executive agreement

Back 18

a pact made by the president directly with the head of a foreign state.

Front 19

treaty

Back 19

a formal agreement between two or more sovereign states.

Front 20

electoral college

Back 20

the group that makes the formal selection of the nations president

Front 21

cabinet

Back 21

an advisory body to the president made up of the heads of the executive departments and other officers

Front 22

senatorial courtesy

Back 22

a long established custom that the senate will approve presidential appointees that are acceptable to the senator or senators of the presidents part from the state involved.