11 Flashcards
Government
The organization of power within a country.
Government Accountability Office
Congress’s main investigative agency, the GAO investigates operations of government agencies as part of congressional oversight.
Government bond
A promissory note issued by the government to pay back the purchase price plus interest.
Government corporation
A federal agency that operates like a corporation (following business practices and charging for services) but receives some federal funding.
Grandfather clause
A voting law that stated that a person could vote if his grandfather was eligible to vote prior to 1867; designed to keep blacks from voting.
Grant-in-aid
A general term to describe federal aid given to the states for a particular matter.
Grant of power
Declaring that a certain person or group has a specific power.
Grassroots activism
Efforts to influence the government by mobilizing large numbers of people.
Great Compromise
The compromise plan on representation in the constitutional convention; it created a bicameral legislature with representation determined by population in one house and equality in the other; also known as the Connecticut Compromise.
gross domestic product
The total value of all economic transactions within a state.
guerrilla war
A war in which one or both combatants use small, lightly armed militia units rather than professional, organized armies; guerrilla fighters usually seek to topple their government, often enjoying the support of the people.
gun control
Policies that aim at regulating and reducing the use of firearms.
Hatch Act
A law passed in 1939 that restricts the participation of federal civil servants in political campaigns.
hierarchy
An arrangement of power with a small number of people at the top issuing orders through a chain of command to lower-level workers; each person is responsible to someone above him or her.
home rule
The granting of significant autonomy to local governments by state governments.
