Constitutional Vocab 1 Flashcards
Article
One of seven main divisions of the body of the constitution.
Jurisdiction
The authority of court to rule on certain cases.
Supremacy Clause
Statement in Article Vl that says that any rules made are the Law Of The Land.
Amendment
A change in the constitution.
Popular Sovereignty
Rule by the people.
Federalism
A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments.
Seperation of Power
The division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.
Checks and Balances
The system where each branch of government exercises some control over the others.
Judicial Review
The power of the supreme court to declare laws and actions of local, state, or national governments unconstitutional.
Veto
Rejection of a bill
Expressed Powers
Power directly stated in the constitution.
Enumerated Powers
The expressed powers of congress that are itemized and numbered.
Elastic Clause
Clause in article I, Section 8 of the constitution that gives congress the right to make all laws “Necessary and proper” to carry out the powers expressed in the other clauses of article 1.
Federal Bureaucracy
Departments and agencies of the federal government– mostly the executive branch.
Ratify
To Approve.
Petition
An Appeal.
Balanced Budget
Plan requiring that what the government spends will not exceed its income.
Impeach
To accuse a public official of misconduct in office.
Treaty
A formal agreement between the governments of two or more countries.
Executive Agreement
An agreement made by the president and the head of state.
Judicial Restraint
The philosophy that the supreme court should avoid taking the initiative on social and political issues.
Judicial Activism
The philosophy that the supreme court should play an active role in shaping national policies by addressing social and political questions.
Prior Restraint
Government censorship of information before it is published or broadcast.
Probable Cause
A reasonable basis to believe a person or premises is linked to a crime.
Search Warrant
An order signed by a judge describing a specific place to be searched for specific items.
Arrest Warrant
An order signed by a judge naming the individual to be arrested for a specific crime.
Due Process of Law
Principle in the fifth amendment stating that the government must follow proper constitutional procedures in trials and in other actions it takes against individuals.
Eminent Domain
The power of the government to take private property for public use.
Lame Duck
An outgoing official serving out the remainder of a term, after retiring or being defeated for re-election.
Poll Tax
Money paid in order to vote.
Delegated Powers
Powers the constitution grants or delegates to the national government.
Inherent Powers
Powers that the national government may exercise simply because it is a government.
Reserved Powers
Powers that strictly belong to the states.
Concurrent Powers
Powers that both the national government and the states have.
Enabling Act
The first step in the state admission procedure which enables the people of a territory to prepare a constitution.
Extradite
To return a criminal or fugitive who flees across state lines back to the original state.
Civil Law
One relating to disputes among two or more individuals or between individuals and the government.
Interstate Compacts
A written agreement between two or more states.
States’ Rights Position
A position that favors state and local action in dealing with problems.
Nationalist Position
A position that favors national action in dealing with problems.
Income Tax
The tax levied on individual and corporate earnings.
Sunset Law
A law that requires periodical checks of government agencies to see if they are still needed.
Sunrise Law
A law prohibiting public officials from holding meetings not open to the public.
Bureaucracy
Government Administrators.
