Chapters 11-15 Flashcards
commission
the official legal authorization appointing a person to an office or military position, indicating the nature of the duty, term of office, chain of command, and so on
lame duck
a political official during the time he or she remains in office after a defeat or inability to seek another term, and whose power is therefore diminished
writ
a formal legal document ordering of prohibiting some act
impeachment
the charge of a public official with improper conduct in office
pacifist
characterized by principled opposition to all war and belief in nonviolent solutions to conflict
consulate (consul)
a place were a government representatives is stationed in a foreign country, but not the main headquarters of diplomatic representation headed by an ambassador (the embassy)
cede
to yield or grant something, often upon request or under pressure (anything ceded is a cession)
precedent
in law and government, a decision or action that establishes a sanctioned rule for determining similar cases in the future
secession
the withdrawal, by legal or illegal means, of one portion of a political entity from the government to which it has been bound
conscription
compulsory enrollment of men and women in the armed forces
broadside
the simultaneous firing of all guns on one side of a ship
embargo
a government order prohibiting commerce in or out of a port
regiment
a medium sized military unit, larger than a company or battalion and smaller than a division
mediation
an intervention, usually by consent of the parties to aid in voluntarily setting differences between groups or nations
armistice
a temporary stopping of warfare by mutual agreement, usually in preparation for an actual peace negotiation between the parties
dynasty
a succession of rulers in the same family line; by extension, any system of predetermined succession in power
reaction
extreme conservatism, looking to restore political or social conditions of earlier time
protection
policy of preserving domestic producers by placing barriers against imported goods (using high tariffs)
raw materials
products in their natural, unmanufactured state
internal improvements
basic public works, such as roads and canals, that create the structure for economic development
intrastate
something existing wholly within a state of the U.S.
depression
in economics, a severe and very prolonged period of declining economic activity, high unemployment, and low wages and prices
boom
in economics, period of sudden, spectacular expansion of business activity or prices
wildcat bank
unregulated, speculative bank that issues notes without sufficient capital to back them
peculiar institution
widely used term for the institution of American black slavery
demagogic
concerning a leader who stirs up the common people by appeals to emotion and prejudice, often for selfish of irrational ends
contract
in law, and agreement in which each of two or more parties binds themselves to perform some act in exchange for what the other party similar pledges to do
deference
yielding of opinion to the judgement of someone else
puritanical
extremely or excessively strict in manners of moral or religion
mudslinging
malicious, unscrupulous attacks against an opponent
spoils
public offices given as a reward for political support
denominations
the major branches of Christianity organized into distinct church structures
evangelical
those believers and groups, usually Protestant, who emphasizes personal salvation, individual conversion experiences, voluntary commitment, and the authority of Scripture
hard money
metal money or coins (reliable money that maintained its purchasing power over time)
soft money
paper money (was assumed to inflate or lose value)
usurpation
the act of seizing, occupying, or enjoying the place, power, or functions of someone without legal right
favorite sons
presidential candidates who are nominated by their own state, primarily out of loyalty
machine
a hierarchical political organization, often controlled through patronage or spoil, where professional workers deliver large blocs of voters to preferred candidates
temperance
campaigns for voluntary commitment to moderation or total abstinence in the consumption of liquor
populist
a political program or style focused on the common people, and attacking perspectives and policies associated with the well-off, well-born, or well-educated
divine right
the belief that government or rules are directly established by God
caste
an exclusive or rigid social distinction based on birth, wealth, occupation, etc.
nativist
one who advocates favoring native born citizens over aliens or immigrants
factory
an establishment for the manufacturing of goods, including buildings and substantial machinery
trademark
a distinguishing symbol or word used by a manufacturer on its goods, usually registered by law to protect against imitators
patent
the legal certification of an original invention, product, or process, guaranteeing it’s holder the sole rights to profits from its use or reproduction for a specific period of time
liability
legal responsibility for loss or damage
incorporation
the formation of individuals into an organized entity with legally defined privileges and responsibilities
labor union
an organization of workers to promote the interests and welfare of its members, often by collective bargaining with employers
strike
an organized work stoppage by employees in order to obtain better wages, working conditions, and so on
capitalist
an individual or group who uses accumulated funds or private property to produce goods for profit in a market
turnpike
a toll road
posterity
later descendants or subsequent generations
productivity
the relative capacity to produce goods and services, measured in terms of the number of workers and machines needed to create goods in a certain length of time
barter
the direct exchange of goods and services for one another, without the use of cash or any medium of exchange
polygamy
the practice of having two or more spouses at one time
theocracy
rule by God; the term is often applied to a state where religious leaders exercise direct or indirect political authority
zealot
one who is carried away by a cause to an extreme or excessive degree
utopian
any place or plan that aims at an ideal social order
communistic
theory or practice in which the means of production are owned by the community as a whole
communitarian
the belief in or practice of the superiority of community life or values over individual life, but not necessarily the common ownership of goods
free love
the principle or practice of sexual relations unrestricted by law marriage, or religious constraints
eugenic
concerning the improvement of the human species through selective breeding or genetic control
coitus reservatus
the practice of sexual intercourse without the male’s release of semen
classical
concerning the culture of Ancient Greece and Rome, or any artistic or cultural values presumed to be based on these enduring ancient principles
mystical
referring to the belief in the direct apprehension of God or Devine mystery, without reliance on reason or human comprehension
nonconformist
one who refuses to follow established or conventional ideas or habits
nonviolence
the principle of resolving or engaging in conflict without resort to physical force
urbane
sophisticated, elegant, cosmopolitan
providential
under the care and direction of God or other benevolent natural or supernatural forces
