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Amendment 1: Amendment that represents freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition
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Amendment 2: The right to bear arms
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Amendment 3: Amendment that prohibits forced quartering of soldiers
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Amendment 4: Amendment that prohibits unreasonable search & seizures
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Amendment 5: Amendment that lists the rules for indictment by grand jury, and eminent domain. Protects the right to due process. Prohibits self-incrimination and double jeopardy
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Amendment 6: Amendment that protects the right to a fair and speedy trial. Gives you the right to be notified of accusations, confront the accuser, and obtain a witness for or against you
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Amendment 7: Amendment that provides the right to trial by jury in civil cases
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Amendment 8: Amendment that prohibits cruel & unusual punishment
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Amendment 9: People's rights are not limited to those in the Constitution.
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Amendment 10: Amendment that states some powers reserved to the states
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Amendment 11: Amendment that states cases in which a state was sued without the consent from jurisdiction of federal government must be removed
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Amendment 12: Amendment that states presidential electors have to vote for president and vice president seperately
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Amendment 13: No person under the jurisdiction of the US can be a slave and congress can pass legislation implementing the abolition of slavery
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Amendment 14: Amendment that gives rights of citizens: 1)all persons born in the united states are granted citizenship, 2) no state can deny any person the equal protection of the laws, 3)no state can deny any person life, liberty, property without due process of law
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Amendment 15: Amendment that doesn't allow you to deny a vote because of race, color, previous condition of servitude
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Amendment 16: Amendment that states congress has the right to levy an income tax
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Amendment 17: Amendment that gives the right to elect US senators by popular vote
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Amendment 18: Congress has the right to prohibit the manufacture, sale and transportatin of liquor
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Amendment 19: Amendment that states all women have the right to vote
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Amendment 20: Presidential Inauguration Day is Jan. 20 and Jan. 3 is the date for the new congress opening. If the president dies before swearing in, the Vice President elect becomes president
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Amendment 21: Amendment that repeals the 18th Amendment; empowered Congress to regulate liquior industries
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Amendment 22: Amendment that limits the Presidnet to two full terms in office
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Amendment 23: Granted voters in the District of Columbia the right to vote for president and vice president
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Amendment 24: Amendment that forbade requiring the payment of a poll tax to vote in a federal election
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Amendment 25: Amendment that provided for succession to the office of president in the event of death or incapicity and for filling vacancies in the office of the vice president
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Amendment 26: Amendment that guaranteed the right to vote to 18 year olds
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Amendment 27: Amendment that banned Congress form increasing its members' salaries until the next election
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Appellate jurisdiction: authority held by a court to hear a case that is appealed from lower court
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bill of attainer: a law that punishes a person accused of a crime without a trial or a fair hearing in court
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Bipartisan: supported by two political parties
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Brown v. Board of Education (1954): decision holding that school segregation was inherently unconstitutional because it violated the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of equal protection. This case marked the end of legal segregation in the United States.
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budget deficit: spending more money than one is bringing in
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budget surplus: an excess of tax revenue over government spending
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Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives: Investigates and prevents federal offenses involving the unlawful use of firearms, trafficking alcohol, and tobacco products.
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censure: an action taken by congress accusing one of their members of misconduct
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Census: The count of the U.S. population every 10 years.
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Center for Disease Control: The federal agency that conducts medical reaserch and mentors the health of the nation.
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Central Intelligence Agency: Gathers information about the governments of other countries and deals with threats from foreign countries.
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Citizenship: Rights & responsibilities entitled to citizens belonging to a political state or country
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cloture: vote to end a filibuster
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commutations: occasion where someone may get a reduction in the severity of their punishment
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concurrent jurisdiction: authority for both state and federal courts to hear and decide cases
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concurrent powers: powers shared by the state and federal government
Ex: power to tax citizens
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Constitutional Convention: meeting of state delegates in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation, which produced the new U.S. Constitution
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Corporate Income Tax: a tax levied on the net income (accounting profit) of corporations
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delegated powers: powers specifically stated in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution as being granted to Congress
Ex: power to establish post offices, power to regulate commerce
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Department of Health and Human Services: Works for the health and well- being of all americans.
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Department of Transportation: Institutes and coordinates national transportation programs.
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Drug Enforcement Agency: Enforcement of federal statues on narcotics and controlled substances.
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elastic clause: clause in Article 1, Section 8 that gives Congress the right to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out its expressed powers
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Engel v. Vitale (1962): separation between Church and State in schools. S.C. prayer in public schools is unconstitutional, violates separation of church and state and freedom of religion
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enumerated/expressed/delegated powers: powers Congress has that are specifically stated in the Constitution
Ex: power to coin money and set its value, power to declare war
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Equal Protection: A guarantee under the fourth amendment that each state must treat it's individuals the same, A clause that is part of the 14th Amendment stating that "no state shall...deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
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Estate Tax: a tax on the estate, or total value of the money and property, of a person who has died
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ex post facto laws: law that does not allow someone to be punished for a crime that was not against the law when it was committed.
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Excise Tax: a tax that is measured by the amount of business done (not on property or income from real estate)
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exclusive jurisdiction: authority of only federal courts to hear and decide cases
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expulsion: to remove a political official from the role of polical authority
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federal bureau of investigation: law enforcement division of the department of justice covering domestic federal crimes
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Federal Emergency Management Agency: The branch of the Department of Homeland Security that aids in disaster relief.
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filibuster: legislative tactic; holding th floor with endlessspeeches to stop a bill from coming to a vote.
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full faith and credit clause: Constitution's requirement that each state accept the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state
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Heart of Atlanta Motel v. US (1964): Supreme Court ruling banning racial discrimination on the part of the motel
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Homeland Security: an independent agency established by and accountable to the President in 2001
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house of representatives: the lower legislative house of the United States Congress
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immunity: an act of exemting a person from punishment
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impeachment: a formal document charging a public official with misconduct in office
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implied powers: powers Congress has that are not specifically stated in the Constitution
Ex: right to establish a national bank
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In Re Gault (1967): 14th amendment Due Process Clause allows requirements for state delinquency proceedings. Gault established (1st time) the broad principle that young persons have constitutional rights
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income tax: tax on the earnings of individuals or businesses
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Interest Groups: Organization of individuals with similar policy goals who enter the political process to influence legislation that affects the organizations interests
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Internal Revenue Service: Responsible for collecting the national government taxes.
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judicial branch: the branch of government that interprets the law; made up the U.S. Supreme Court and lower federal courts
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judicial review: the power of the supreme court to declare a law or action of federal, state, or government unconstitutional , began in marbury v. madison
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Korematsu v. US (1944): Court case that led to the interment of American-Japanese during World War II
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legislative branch: also called Congress; the branch that makes the law. There are two houses-the Senate and House of Representatives
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legislative leader: President can suggest laws and persuade congress to support legislation he favors; has the power to veto bills
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limited government: political philosophy that says government should have only restricted powers
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majority rule/ minority rights: powere of the majority to get its way in a democrarcy but only whiile honoring the rights of the minority
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Mapp v. Ohio (1961): Evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment, which protects against "unreasonable searches and seizures," may not be used in criminal prosecutions in state courts, as well as federal courts.
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Medicaid: State federal health care program for certoin low- income people.
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Medicare: Government program that provides health care for the aged.
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Miranda vs. Arizona, 1961: This case proves that the 5th Amendment requires that individuals arrested for a crime must be advised of their right to remain silent and to have counsel present. gave same constitutional rights to poor.
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National Transportation Safety Board: Conducts investigations on transportation accidents.
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non-legislative powers: Powers that do not have to do with creating laws
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original jurisdiction: authority held by a court to hear a case for the first time
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pardons: forgiveness a crime and thier from punishment
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party leader: In this role, the president is the head of his political party
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party whips: legislative floor leaders who report to the majority or minority leaders
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Patriot Act: This contraversial 2001 law allows anti-terrorism authorities to monitor e-mail and Internet traffic in order to prevent terrorist attacks. The government argues that cyberspace is public domain and that no warrants should be needed to access information.
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Plessy v. Ferguson 1896: Supreme Court case thatruled seperate but equal public accomodations for the races was constitutional
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popular sovereignty: the notion that power lies with the people
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preamble: the opening section of the Constitution; brief introductory statement of the fundamental purposes and guiding principles that the Constitution is meant to serve
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president of the senate: role of the Vice President of the U.S.
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president pro tempore: Officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president
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presidential succession: the order in which officials fill the office of president in case of a vacancy
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progressive tax: any tax in which the rate increases as the amount subject to taxation increases
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Redistricting: The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.
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regressive tax: a tax for which the percentage of income paid in taxes decreases as income increases
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reprieve: an order to delay a persons punishment until a higher court can hear the case
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Reserved powers: powers saved for the states
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senate: the upper house of the United States Congress
103.
Separation of Church and State: idea that the government and religion should be separate, and not interfere in each other's affairs. In the United States, this idea is based on the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which states that the government cannot make any laws to establish a state religion or prohibit the free exercise of religion.
(Voltaire)
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speaker of the house: the leader of the majority party who serves as the presiding officer of the House of Representatives
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Suffrage: The right to vote
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supremacy clause: clause of the Constitution that says the Constittution is the highest law of the land. Article 6, Clause 2
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Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg (1969): Supreme Court decision that extended the principles of the Brown v. Board of Education decision and he Civil Rights Act
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tariffs: tax on imports
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tax returns: citizens and businesses file a tax return which shoiws earnings and deductions for the preceding year
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term limits: laws limiting the number of years that can be served by a public official--- e.g. president serves four years under the constitution
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The State of Union Address: the speech the president gives each January, in which the president lays out the problems facing our nation as well as his legislative agenda, which he think.
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treaty: an agreement that is reached by two or more countries, nagotiated by the president and ratified by the senate
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U.S. Supreme court: last stop in the appeal process; 9 judges; highest court in the nation; hears only appeals; unanimous by judges; can hear cases from appeals court and state courts
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US Citizenship and Immigration Services: they control the immigration and naturalization, or the process by which aliens becomes citizens
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User fees: charges levied by governments in exchange for services; a type of hidden tax. (garbage disposal)
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Veto power: presidential power to stop a bill from becoming a law by rejecting it
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writ of habeas corpus: a court order that requires police to bring a prisoner to court to explain why they are holding the person
