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219 Cards in this Set
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democracy
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a country where the people govern themselves
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10
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republic
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a country where the people elect officials to govern for them
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10
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representative
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a person who speaks and acts for others
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10
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federation
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a tightly joined group of states giving certain powers, duties, and responsibilities that can be best carried out in the interest of all the states to a central government
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10
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confederation
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a loosely joined group of states that gives only limited powers to a central government with each state keeping the most important powers for itself
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10
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constitution
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a contract; a written agreement
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10
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supreme
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highest
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10
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United States Constitution
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the supreme law of the United States
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10
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lobby
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a special interest group, such as doctors, labor unions, businessmen, farmers or teachers which tries to get laws passed in its interests or keep laws that are against its interests from being passed
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10
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petition
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written statement supported by the signatures of citizens that are either for or against some action taken or about to be taken by our elected officials
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10
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minority
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less than half
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10
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majority
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more than half
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10
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unanimous
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all; 100 percent
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10
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candidate
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person seeking election to office
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10
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tyranny
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unreasonably harsh rule
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10
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Articles of Confederation
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the first plan of national government in the United States
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10
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ratify
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agree to; adopt; accept
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10
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assembly
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a gathering of persons
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10
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legislature
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lawmaking body
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10
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Congress
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our national legislature
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10
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executive
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person who sees that laws are carried out; an administrator
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10
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judiciary
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system of courts
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10
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taxes
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money paid to the government and used for its operation
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10
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convention
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meeting held for a special reason
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10
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revise
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change and improve
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10
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delegates
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representatives
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10
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compromise
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an agreement reached by each opposing side giving in on some points
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10
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population
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number of people in a given place
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10
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regulate
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control
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10
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commerce
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trace
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10
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exports
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goods shipped out of a country
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10
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treaty
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agreement between nations
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10
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political party
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group that attempts to control government by winning elections and holding offices
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10
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Preamble
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introduction to the Constitution
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23
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union
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act of joining together
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23
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justice
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fair treatment
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23
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domestic
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pertaining to the home
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23
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tranquillity
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peace
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23
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welfare
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well-being; good condition
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23
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liberty
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freedom
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23
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posterity
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those who are born after us
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23
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term
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period of time
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23
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register
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place name on list of qualified voters
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23
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congressional district
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section of a state that is represented by one member of the house
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23
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census
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count of the people in any given place- city, county, state, nation, world
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23
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direct tax
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a personal tax
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23
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apportion
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divide
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23
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resign
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quit; give up a job
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23
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vacancy
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a public office not held by anyone
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23
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presiding officer
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chairman; person who conducts a meeting
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23
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nominate
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name as a canidate
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23
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caucus
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meeting of leaders of a policical party held for some special purpose
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23
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sole
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one; only
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23
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impeachment
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act of accusing a public official of wrongdoing
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23
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impeachment trial
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act of deciding innocence or guilt of impeachmed official
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23
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expire
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end
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23
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appoint
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name to take office
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23
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temporary
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not permanent
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23
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session
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time spent in meeting
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23
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qualification
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requirement
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23
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originally
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at first; in the beginning
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23
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quorum
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number of members that must be present to carry on business
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23
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adjourn
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close a meeting until some future date
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23
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penalty
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punishment
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23
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proceedings
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manner of performing duties
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23
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expel
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remove
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23
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compensation
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payment for goods or services
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28
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privilege
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special right
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28
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restriction
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a limitation; control
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28
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immunity
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protection against
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28
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treason
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making war against the United States or helping its enemies
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28
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felony
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a serious crime
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28
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debate
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argument
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28
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civil suit
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court case involving a dispute between parties
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28
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slander
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damaging statements made against a person
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28
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revenue
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money received from taxation or any other source
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28
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bill
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a proposed law
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28
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originate
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begin; start
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28
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introduce
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bring up; make known
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28
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veto
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refuse to sign, along with act of returning with objections
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28
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objections
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reasons for being against
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28
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override
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pass over
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28
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sustain
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uphold
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28
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pocket veto
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President's act of allowing time limit to run out on a bill after Congress has adjourned
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28
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committee
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group set up for some special purpose
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28
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recommend
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speak in favor of; advise
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28
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lay
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raise; collect
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35
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duty
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tax on imports
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35
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impost
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tax on imports
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35
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excise
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tax on the manufacture, sale, or use of goods within a country
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35
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uniform
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the same
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35
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commerce
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trade; business
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35
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naturalization
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act of becoming a citizen of a country
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35
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bankruptcy
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act of turning over all one's holdings to those he owes to be legally free from debt, though his holdings are not equal in value to his debts
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35
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standard
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definite scale
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35
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counterfeit
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imitation; false
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35
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patent
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a license granted by the government giving inventors and discoverers the only rights to their works for a limited period of time
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35
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copyright
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a license granted from the government giving authors, artists, and musicians the only rights to their works for a limited period of time
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35
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tribunal
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court
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35
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appropriation
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amount set aside for a special purpose
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35
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militia
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state armed force; National Guard
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35
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insurrection
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rebellion
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35
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purchase
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buy
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35
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authority
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power
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35
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magazine
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storage place for ammunition
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35
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arsenal
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storage place for weapons
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35
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elastic clause
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power given to Congress to make laws to see that its other powers are carried out
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35
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denied
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not allowed; prohibited
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35
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migration
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movement from one place to another
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35
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prohibit
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forbid
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35
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writ of habeas corpus
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legal paper stating the right of a jailed person to be released if proper charges cannot be brought against him
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35
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exceed
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go beyond
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35
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suspend
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take away; end
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35
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rebellion
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war to overthrow the government
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35
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invasion
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crossing of a country's borders by enemy troops
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35
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bill of attainder
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a law that punishes a single individual and denies him the right to a trial
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35
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ex post facto law
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law making a crime of an act dome before the time of making the law
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35
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proportion
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relation; ratio
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35
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title of nobility
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mark of rank raising a person above the law
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35
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emolument
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payment for service
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35
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obligation
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legal or moral duty
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35
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compact
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agreement; contract
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35
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imminent
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near; immediate
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35
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executive
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person who sees that acts are carried out properly; an enforcer
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44
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Chief Executive
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President of the United States
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44
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elector
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person elected by the people of a state to cast a vote for President and Vice President
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44
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electoral college
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all the electors in the United States
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44
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polls
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voting places
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44
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primary election
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election held before the general election to nominate canidates within a political party to run in the general election
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44
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nominate
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name to run for office
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44
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convention
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meeting
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44
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electoral vote
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votes cast by state electors to elect the President and Vice-President
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44
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general election
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any regular election to fill public offices
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44
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certify
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make official; declare true
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44
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succession
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following in the proper order
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44
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Cabinet
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President's advisers, who head executive departments
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44
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swear
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promise; take oath
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44
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oath
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sacred promise
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44
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affirm
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promise on one's honor
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44
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inauguration
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ceremony connected with taking office
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44
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principal
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chief; first
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44
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reprieve
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order to delay or suspend the carrying out of a court sentence
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44
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pardon
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order to release a person convicted of a crime
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44
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ambassador
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official representative of one government to another
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44
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consul
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official who watches over commercial interests of one country in another
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44
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inferior
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lower in rank
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44
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"state of the union" message
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address made by the President to Congress at the beginning of each session recommending needed laws to improve the condition of the nation
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44
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commission
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give official recognition
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44
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bribery
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payment for favors that cause the breaking of the trust of office
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44
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misdemeanors
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crimes less serious than felonies; minor criminal acts
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44
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judicial
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pertaining to courts
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50
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judicial branch
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the United States system of courts
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50
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interpret
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explain
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50
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jurisdiction
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power to try a case
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50
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original jurisdiction
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power to try a case first
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50
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appellate jurisdictoin
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power to re-try a case already tried in a lower court
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50
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criminal case
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court case concerned with law-breakers
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50
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civil case
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court case concerning a disagreement between parties
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50
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party
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one side of a dispute-a person, a group, a company, etc.
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50
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equity case
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case concerning asking for court action to prevent a wrong or end a wrong being done
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50
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controversy
|
dispute; disagreement
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50
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decision
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judgment; ruling
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50
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appeal
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request for new trial in a higher court
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50
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jury
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group selected to decide innocence or guilt of an accused person on trial
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50
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confess
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admit; tell
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50
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forfeiture
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loss of property as payment for a wrong act
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50
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claims
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demands made against
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50
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appraisal
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estimated worth; value placed upon
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50
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absentee ballot
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official mail-in ballot
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58
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fugitive
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one who flees; one escaping from the law
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58
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extradition
|
the return of a fugitive
|
58
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territory
|
land region belonging to a government
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58
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guarantee
|
assure
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58
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domestic violence
|
riots; mob action
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58
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valid
|
in effect; acceptable
|
58
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conflict
|
differ; disagree
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58
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attested
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witnessed
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58
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republican form of government
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representative government
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58
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Court-martial
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military trial held under military law
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58
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personal liberties
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individual rights
|
68
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advocate
|
call for; speak or write in favor of
|
68
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assembly
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gathering of people
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68
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redress
|
correction
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68
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greivance
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complaint
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68
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quarter
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supply room and board for
|
68
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siezure
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arrests or confiscations; taking of one's belongings
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68
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effects
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personal property
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68
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warrant
|
written court order allowing the arrest, search, and seizure of certain persons or certain property
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68
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writs of assistance
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general search warrants
|
68
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indict
|
charge with a crime and hold for trial
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68
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grand jury
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twelve to twenty-three persons selected to decide if evidence if evidence against an accused person is sufficient for holding a trial; indictment juty
|
68
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evidence
|
information; facts
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68
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double jeopardy
|
being tried again for a crime already found not guilty of
|
68
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testify
|
speak; bear witness
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68
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compensation
|
payment
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68
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prosecute
|
accuse and attempt to prove guilty
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68
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impartial
|
open-minded; not predjudiced
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68
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verdict
|
decision; ruling
|
68
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bail
|
a sum of money put up by an arrested person to insure his return, in order to be released until the time of his trial
|
68
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enumeration
|
number; count
|
68
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counsel
|
lawyer; attorney
|
68
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subpoena
|
court order forcing a witness to appear in court
|
68
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ineligible
|
unable to meet certain qualifications for membership
|
85
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involuntary servitude
|
work done against one's will
|
85
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appropriate
|
necessary; needed
|
85
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legislation
|
laws
|
85
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abridge
|
restrict; take away
|
85
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Confederacy
|
Southern states that attempted to secede from the United States
|
85
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secede
|
withdraw
|
85
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emancipate
|
set free
|
85
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bounty
|
reward
|
85
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void
|
expired; no longer existing
|
85
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income tax
|
tax paid on earnings
|
85
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intoxicating liquors
|
alcoholic drinks
|
85
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repeal
|
cancel; end
|
85
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suffrage
|
right to vote
|
85
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successor
|
person who follows a preceding office-holder in his office
|
85
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poll tax
|
voting tax collected to pay cost of holding and election, and in some cases, to prevent certain citizens, who cannot afford to pay, from voting
|
85
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confirm
|
approve
|
85
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