LSN Unit 4 Vocabulary

Terms in this set (73)

bicameral legislature
A legislature with two parts
constituents
A person a politician has been elected to represent
necessary and proper clause
Gives Congress powers to carry out their duties
10th Amendment
Reserves powers to the states
political party
A group who nominates candidates and tries to win elections
ordinance
A local law
civil rights
Rights of the people that protect us from the government
immigrant
A person who comes to the U.S. from another country
fiscal policy
Government actions used to influence the economy
legislation
The act of making rules
U.S. Senate
The upper house of the U.S. Congress
incumbent
An elected official that is already in office
implied powers
Powers of government not specifically stated in the Constitution
override
To pass a law over the objection (veto) of the president
Maryland General Assembly
Maryland's legislative branch
referendum
When citizens of a state vote on a law
quota
A limit of a quantity of something
House of Representatives
The lower house of the U.S. Congress
apportionment
The distribution of the number of members of the U.S. House of Representatives on the basis of the population of each state
writ of habeas corpus
Court order to determine whether a person has been legally detained
political action committee
A organization form to collect money and support political candidates
Maryland Senate
The upper house of the Maryland General Assembly
legislator
One that creates or enacts laws
Speaker of the House
The presiding officer of the House of Representatives or Delegates
impeachment
A formal accusation of misconduct in office against a public official
enumerated powers
Powers specifically stated in the Constitution
ex post facto law
A law that makes a crime of an act that was legal when it was committed
public opinion
Public consensus, as with respect to an issue or situation
urban sprawl
The unplanned, uncontrolled spreading of urban development into areas adjoining the edge of a city.
discrimination
Unfair treatment based on race, religion gender, etc
bill
A proposed law
appropriations
Government spending
term of office
The length of time an official serves in his job
expressed powers
Powers directly stated in the Constitution
limited government
Power of government is not absolute
County Council
The legislative branch of the county
segregation
Legal separation of people based on race, religion, etc
seniority rule
System which gives the longest serving members of Congress committee leadership
elastic clause
Gives Congress the power to make any law which is necessary and proper to carry out their duties
President of the Senate
Presiding officer of the Senate (is also the Vice President)
Conference Committee
Joint committee from the House and Senate who meet after different versions of the same bill have been passed
interest group
A group of people with common goals who organize to influence government
initiative
The right and procedure by which citizens can propose a law by petition and ensure its submission to the electorate.
equality
All people being treated the same
naturalization
To grant full citizenship to someone
budget
Government's plan for how to spend its money
census
A count of the population (every 10 years)
veto
The president's rejection of a bill
Maryland House of Delegates
The lower house of the Maryland General Assembly
lobbyist
The representative of a special interest group
redistricting
To set up new district lines after reapportionment is complete
bill of attainder
A law that establishes guilt and punishes people without a trial
media
tv, radio, newspapers, magazines
smart growth
Plan to limit growth of a city to prevent urban sprawl
non-native species
Species of a plant or animal not native to an area
depression / trough
A prolonged period of recession, or a significant and prolonged downturn in the economy
Consumer Price Index
Measures the change in the cost of a fixed number of products and services
business cycle
A predictable long-term pattern of alternating periods of economic growth (recovery) and decline (recession)
consumer
An individual who buys products or services for personal use
economic growth
A positive change in the level of production of goods and services by a country over a certain period of time
Gross Domestic Product
The total market value of all final goods and services produced in a country in a given year
recovery/ expansion
A period in a business cycle following a recession, during which the GDP rises.
inflation
An increase in prices
peak / prosperity
An economic state of growth with rising profits and full employment
unemployment rate
The number of people out of work at a given time
recession
A period of negative economic growth
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Banned discrimination in public places
Higher Education Act of 1972
Banned discrimination based on gender in sports and activities
Americans with Disabilities Act 1990
Provides for "reasonable" access for disabeled persons in public places
Individuals with Disabilities Act 1997
Governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to children with disabilities.
Voting Rights Act 1965
Forbid unfair practices to deny minorities the right to vote
Indian Education Act 1972
Provides federal assistance in education over and above the limited funds appropriated annually for Indian education
McCulloch v. Maryland
Established the supremacy of the federal government over the states
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