State And Local Government Chapter 3

Front 1

What is Direct Democracy

Back 1

A system in which citizens make laws themselves rather than relying on elected representatives

Front 2

What is an Electorate

Back 2

The population of individuals who can vote.

Front 3

What is Judicial Federalism

Back 3

The idea that the courts determine the boundaries of state-federal relations.

Front 4

What is Dual constitutionalism

Back 4

A system of government in which people live under two sovereign powers. In the United States, these are the government of their state of residence and the federal government.

Front 5

What is Natural Law or higher law

Back 5

A set of morals and political rules based on divine law and binding on all people.

Front 6

What is Constitutional amendments

Back 6

Proposals to change a constitution, typically enacted by a supermajority of the legislature or through a statewide referendum.

Front 7

What is Plenary Power

Back 7

Power that is not limited or constrained.

Front 8

What are Appropriation Bills?

Back 8

Laws passed by legislatures authorizing the transfer of money to the executive branch.

Front 9

What are Colonial Charters?

Back 9

Legal documents drawn up by the British crown that spelled out how the colonies were to be governed.

Front 10

What are Unilateral legislatures

Back 10

Legislators that have only one chamber. Nebraska is currently the only u.s. state with an unilateral legislature.

Front 11

What is Separation of Powers?

Back 11

The principle that government should be divided into separate legislative, executive and judicial branches each with its own powers and responsibilities.

Front 12

What are Bicameral legislatures?

Back 12

Legislators made up of two Chambers, typically a House of Representatives, or assembly and a Senate.

Front 13

What does franchise mean in politics?

Back 13

The right to vote.

Front 14

What are Jim Crow laws?

Back 14

Legislative measures passed in the last decade of the 19th century that sought to systematically separate blacks and whites.

Front 15

What is a Constitutional Convention?

Back 15

In assembly convened for the express purpose of amending or replacing a constitution.

Front 16

What is Ratification?

Back 16

A vote of the entire electorate to approve a constitutional change, referendum or ballot initiative

Front 17

What is a Ballot initiative?

Back 17

Processes through which voters directly convey instructions to the legislator, approve a law or amend the Constitution.

Front 18

What are Referendums?

Back 18

Procedures that allow the electorate to accept or reject a law passed by the legislator.

Front 19

What are Constitutional revision commissions?

Back 19

Expert committees form to assess constitutions and suggest changes.

Front 20

What is a judicial review?

Back 20

The power of Courts to assess whether a law is in compliance with the Constitution.

Front 21

What is Reconstruction?

Back 21

The period following the Civil War when the southern states were governed under the direction of the Union Army.

Front 22

What is a model constitution?

Back 22

An expert-approved generic or "ideal" Constitution that states sometimes used as a yardstick against which to measure their existing constitutions.

Front 23

What is a line-item veto?

Back 23

The power to reject a portion of a bill while leaving the rest intact.

Front 24

What is the Municipal Charter?

Back 24

The document that establishes operating procedures for a local government.