VOCAB Flashcards
subpoena
a writ ordering a person to attend a court.
qualification for president
4 year term
natural born citizen
35+ years old
citizen for 14+ years
bill vs Law
bill = proposed law
law = signed into law
supremacy clause
the constitution is the highest law of the land
pleading the fifth
refusing to answer incriminating questions
checks and balances
each branch of gov. has some power over each other
impartial Jury
a jury made of people with no connection or bias to the case
jurisdiction
the power to make legal decisions
qualifications + terms (the house)
2 years
at least 25
U.S. citizen for 7+ years
live in the state when elected + registered voter
3 laws of political power
1 power flows
2 power is never static
3 power is exponential
Federalism
a system of government that divides power between a central government and regional governments
Branches of Government
legislative, executive, and judicial branches
The Great Compromise: Small States vs. Big States
The compromise gave large states more power in the House of Representatives and small states more power in the Senate
Search Warrant
a legal document authorizing a police officer or other official to enter and search premises.
Tyranny
cruel and oppressive government or rule.
Due Process
a legal requirement that the government must follow certain procedures before taking away a person’s life, liberty, or property
Articles of Confederation
the first constitution of the United States, establishing the country’s national government after the Revolutionary War.
Separation of Powers
a constitutional law doctrine that divides the government into three branches, each with its own responsibilities, to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
3/5 clause
a provision of the United States Constitution that states that enslaved people are counted as three-fifths of a free person for the purposes of determining representation in Congress
Treaty
a formally concluded and ratified agreement between countries.
Commerce Clause
a clause in the United States Constitution that gives Congress the power to regulate commerce
Haudenosaunee
a confederation of Indigenous nations in North America, also known as the Iroquois Confederacy or the Six Nations
Constitution
a body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.
Article 1
establishes the legislative branch of the government, Congress, and outlines its powers
article 2
establishes the executive branch of the federal government and the role of the President
article 3
establishes the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court and other lower federal courts
bill of rights
the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution
Impeach
to charge someone with doing something wrong, specifically a high government official, such as the U.S. president, a senator, or a federal judge
Veto
a constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body.
Eminent Domain
the power of the government to take private property for public use, while providing just compensation to the owner
Double Jeopardy
prohibits anyone from being prosecuted twice for substantially the same crime .
Probable Cause
when there is a reasonable basis for believing that a crime may have been committed (for an arrest) or when evidence of the crime is present in the place to be searched (for a search ).
Central Government Powers vs. State Government Powers
the federal government has powers to act on a national level, while state governments have powers to act on a regional level
Appeal
apply to a higher court for a reversal of the decision of a lower court.
Power vs. Right
the authority of a government to make decisions, give orders, and enforce laws Vs. a legal entitlement or privilege that is granted to a person or group of people
Qualifications and Term: Supreme Court Justices
Most Justices have attended law school, often at Harvard or Yale
Many have worked as lawyers or served as judges
Many have held public office
Serve For Life
Qualifications and Term: Senators
Be at least 30 years old
Have been a U.S. citizen for at least nine years
Be a resident of the state they represent at the time of election
serve for 6 years
James Madison
the fourth president of the United States and a Founding Father. He was a key figure in the ratification of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and came up with the idea of Federalism
Slave Trade Clause
restricted Congress’s ability to prohibit the importation of enslaved people before 1808
Sovereign
possessing supreme or ultimate power.
