Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
government | a system of laws and leaders that help keep people safe and protect their rights |
popular sovereignty | the power and authority of the government comes from the people |
constitution | the highest law of our land and the document that describes how our government is organized |
Preamble | introduction to the constitution |
laws | statements that define how citizens should behave |
rule of law | principle that everyone, including government officials, must obey the laws |
separation of powers | power is separated, or divided, among three branches of government |
Branches of Government | Three different sections in government |
Legislative Branch | Makes the laws |
Judicial Branch | Interprets the laws or decides what laws mean |
Executive Branch | Enforces the laws or carries them out |
Articles | Parts of the Constitution |
Checks and Balances | The way in which different branches of government keep the others from having too much power |
Veto | When the president turns down a bill or refused to sign it into a law |
Override | When Congress votes to cancel a presidents veto |
Limited Government | The government can only do what the people have given them power to do |
Federalism | Power is divided between Federal (National) and State Governments |
Federal Government | The government of our entire country (Also known as National Government) |
State Governments | Governments of each state |
Individual Rights | Things each person is able to have or do |
Amendment | A change or addition to the Constitution |
Bill of Rights | First 10 Amendments, or additions, to the Constitution |
Limited Government | The government can do only what the people give it power to do |
16.2 secs by CarlBarnes12345
24,160 points by alexshock