Constitutional Vocab Flashcards
One of the seven main divisions of the body of the Constitution.
Article
The authority of a court to rule on certain cases.
Jurisdiction
Statement of article VI of the Constitution establishing that the constitution, laws passed by Congress, and treaties of the United States”shall be the supreme law of the land”
Supremacy Clause
A change to the Constitution.
Amendment
Rule by the people
Popular Sovereignty
A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments.
Federalism
The division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.
Separation of powers
The system where each branch of government exercises some control over others.
Checks and balances
Rejection of a bill.
Veto
The power of the Supreme Court to declare laws and actions of local, state, or national governments unconstitutional.
Judicial review
Powers directly stated in the Constitution
Expressed Powers
The expressed powers of congee that are itemized and numbered 1-18 in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution.
Enumerated powers
Clause in Article 1,Section 8 of the Constitution that gives Congress the right to make laws “necessary and proper” to carry out the powers expressed in the order clauses of Article 1.
Elastic clause
Departments and agencies of the federal government-mostly the executive branch
Federal bureaucracy
To approve
Ratify
An appeal
Petition
Plan required that what the government spends will not exceed its income.
Balanced budget
To accuse a public official of misconduct in office
Impeach
A formal agreement between the government of two or more countries.
Treaty
An agreement made between the president and a head of state.
Executive agreement
the philosophy that the supreme court declares laws and actions of local, state, or national governments unconstitutional.
Judicial restraint
The philosophy that the supreme court should play an active role in shaping national policies by addressing social and political issues.
Judicial activism
Government censorship of information before it is published or broadcast.
Prior restraint
A reasonable basis to believe a person or premises is linked to a crime.
Probable cause
An order signed by a judge describing a specific place to be searched for specific items.
Search warrant
An order signed by the judge naming an individual to be arrested for a specific crime.
Arrest warrant
principle in the Fifth Amendment clause stating that the government must follow proper constitutional procedures in trials and in other actions it takes against individuals.
Due Process of Law
The power of the government to take private property for public use.
Eminent domain
An outgoing official serving out the remainder of a term, after retiring or being defeated for reelection.
Lame duck
Money paid in order to vote.
Poll tax
Powers the constitution grants or delegates to the national government.
Delegated powers
Powers that the government requires to carry out the expressed constitutional powers.
Implied powers
Powers that the national government may exercise simply because it is a government.
Inherent powers
Powers that strictly belong to the states.
Reversed powers
Powers that both the national and state governments have.
Concurrent powers
The first step in the state admission procedure which enables the people of a territory to prepare a constitution.
Enabling act
To return a criminal or fugitive who lees across the state lines back to the original state.
Extradite
One relating to disputes among two or more individuals or between individuals and the government
Civil law
A written agreement between two or more states.
Interstate compact
A position that favors state and local action in dealing with problems.
States’ rights position
A position that favors national action in dealing with problems.
Nationalist position
The tax levied on individual or corporate earnings.
Income tax
A law that requires periodic checks of government agencies to see if they are still needed.
Sunset law
A law prohibiting public officials from holding meetings not open to the public.
Sunshine law
Government administrators
bureaucracy
Support for a republican system of government
Republicanism
A system in which the power of the government is limited, not absolute.
Limited government
The rights needed by each individual to pursue their lives and goals without interference from other individuals or the government.
Individual rights
