E.O.C. Review
Civics Definitions
Civics – the study of citizenship and government
Citizen – a member of a community that has a government and laws
Government – the power and authority that run and rule a community, state, or government
Dictatorship – a form if government rule by one person or a small group. The dictator makes all
the decisions and citizens have no say so.
5. Democracy – a form of government where the citizens hold power and make the laws
6. Representative democracy – the citizens elect people to do the work of governing for them
7. Direct Democracy – citizens are directly involved in running the government
8. Alien – people who are not or have not become citizens of a country yet
9. Immigrant – people who move to another country with the intention of staying permanently
10. Deport – sending illegal aliens back to their own country
11. Naturalization – the process an immigrant must go through to become a citizen
12. Census – when the government counts the population
13. Quota –a numerical limit of people who are allowed to enter a country as immigrants
14. Refugee – people who have lost their home to war, famine, or political oppression
15. Migration – a mass movement of people
16. Parliament – the British legislative body
17. legislature – a group of people that make laws for a state or country
18. precedent – a ruling that is used as the basis for a judicial decision in a later, similar case
19. common law – a system of law based on precedent
20. colony – a group of people in one place who are ruled by the government of another
21. colonists – a member of a colony, those who settle in a new place
22. compact – an agreement or contract made among a group of people
23. town meeting – a gathering of local citizens to vote on and discuss important issue
24. mercantilism – an economic theory where a country exports more than it imports
25. boycott – a refusal to buy goods or use services as a means of protest
26. repeal – to cancel a law
27. delegate – a representative to a meeting
28. congress – an important meeting where representatives discuss important matters
29. independence – self reliance and freedom from outside control
30. interpret – to decide the meaning of
31. confederation – a group of individuals or states that band together for a common purpose
32. ratify – to vote for approval of
33. amend – to change
34. federal system – a political system in which the power is shared between a national government
and the state
35. compromise – an agreement in which both sides agree to give up something to get something
more important
36. export – to sell goods to other countries
37. Electoral College – a group of people who elect the president and the vice president
38. Anti-Federalist – a person who opposed the Constitution before 1789
39. Federalist – a person who supported the Constitution and a strong national government before
1789
40. Preamble – The introduction to the Constitution of the United States
41. legislative – having the power to make laws
42. executive – having the power to carry out laws
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43. judicial – having the power to interpret the laws
44. checks and balances – a system where a branch of government is able to limit the other branches
of government
45. veto – to reject a bill
46. override – to defeat a veto of a bill
47. popular sovereignty –the idea that people should have the right to rule themselves
48. enumerated powers – powers that the Constitution delegates to the national government
49. reserved powers – powers the Constitution reserves to the states
50. concurrent powers – powers that the state and national government share
51. supremacy clause – The constitution is the supreme law of the land
52. amendment – an addition to the Constitution
53. implied powers – powers that Congress can use that are not specifically delegated to them by the
Constitution
54. search warrant – a legal document that allows a police officer to search a suspects home for
evidence
55. indict – to formally accuse someone of a crime
56. double jeopardy – putting a person on trial again for a charge he has been acquitted of before
57. due process of law – procedures established by law and guaranteed by the Constitution
58. eminent domain – the right of the government to take private land for public good
59. bail – money paid to the court by an accused person to guarantee that he/she will appear in court
for trial
60. slander – the criminal act of lying about another person to harm their reputation
61. treason – an act of endangering one’s country or giving assistance to an enemy
62. libel – the criminal act of printing lies about someone in order to harm someone’s reputation
63. petition – a formal request for government action
64. suffrage – the right to vote
65. poll tax – a sum of money paid in exchange for the right to vote
66. civil rights – the rights of a citizen
67. discrimination – unfair an less equal treatment of a particular group
68. affirmative action – programs to help minorities and women gain access to opportunities and jobs
69. segregation – a separation of people because of race or ethnicity
70. duties – the things we are required to do
71. responsibilities – obligations people fulfill voluntarily
72. draft – to call up people for military services
73. toleration – respect and acceptance of people of a different race, religion, or lifestyle
74. welfare – the health, prosperity, and happiness of a person or community
75. community – a group of people who share common interest and concerns
76. public – pertaining to the people of given community, for use by all people of a community
77. candidate –a person seeking elected office
78. plurality – largest number of votes or seats in a legislature
79. majority – more than half
80. coalition – a political alliance with another party or parties
81. third party – a minor political party in the United States that challenges the two major parties
82. nominate – to choose a candidate to run for political office
83. campaign – an organized effort to gather support for a candidate
84. patronage – giving jobs or special favors to loyal party members
85. precinct – a geographic area that contains a specific number of votes
86. political machine – a strong party organization that can control appointments and deliver votes
87. platform – a political party’s statement of its goals and position on public issues
88. plank – an item in the party platform
89. grassroots – beginning with the people
90. accountable – having to explain ones action to the voters
91. nonpartisan – not involving political parties
92. electorate – the people who are eligible to vote in an election
93. literacy test – a test to prove a voter can read, write and understand political issues
94. apathy – a lack of interest
95. caucus – a meeting of a political party members to conduct party business
96. primary election –an election where party members choose candidates to run for office
97. propaganda – techniques used to promote a particular person or idea
98. canvassing – going through neighborhoods asking for votes or doing an opinion poll
99. PAC – Political Activist Committee
100. polling place – a place where voters vote
101. straight ticket – voting for all candidates in one political party
102. split ticket – voting for candidates in both political parties
103. exit poll – a survey taking at polling places asking how people voted
104. popular vote – votes directly cast for candidates
105. electoral vote – votes cat for members of the Electoral College
106. initiative – procedures where citizens can propose laws through petitioning
107. proposition – a petition asking for a new law
108. referendum – allowing voters to decide an issue
109. recall – an election where voters can remove elected officials from office
110. public opinion – the attitudes of a large group of people about a particular person or issue
111. mass media – sources of news and information that are widely distributed
112. interest group – people with similar point of view who work together to promote that point of view
113. pollster – a person who takes polls or samples of public opinion
114. bias – a one-sided or slanted point of view
115. impartial – not favoring any particular side
116. lobby – trying to get government officials to support the goals of a special interest group
117. lobbyist – a person who tries to get govt. officials to support the goals of a special interest group
118. bicameral – having two legislative houses
119. gerrymandering – dividing the state into odd shape voting districts for political reasons
120. constituent – a person from a legislator district
121. franking privilege – the right of members of Congress to send work related mail without postage
122. immunity – legal protection against prosecution
123. expulsion – forcing members of Congress who have committed a serious crime to step down
124. censure – a legislature’s formal disapproval of one of its members
125. session – a period of time when Congress meets
126. majority leader – the leader of the majority party of Congress
127. minority leader – the leader of the minority party of Congress
128. party whip – a Republican and a Democrat from each house of Congress who try to persuade
their party members to vote together
129. speaker of the house – the leader of the House of Representatives chosen by the majority party
130. president pro tempore – the unofficial leader of the Senate chosen by the majority party
131. standing committee –
132. subcommittee –
133. select committee – a temporary committee of Congress that deals with a particular issue
134. joint committee – a committee that involves members from both house of Congress
135. conference committee – a joint committee of Congress that deals with the details of a purpose
law
136. seniority system – a system that gives the most desirable committee assignments to
Congressmen who have served the longest
137. expressed powers – powers that are given to the national government by the Constitution
138. impeach – to accuse a government official of wrongdoing
139. appropriations – funds reserved for specific use
140. pigeonhole – to sit a bill aside in a committee without considering it
141. filibuster – a tactic for defeating a bill in Senate by talking until the bill sponsors withdraws it
142. cloture – a procedure used in senate to limit the debate on a bill
143. voice vote – yea or nay votes
144. standing vote – standing for or opposing a measure under consideration
145. roll-call vote – a procedure everyone is called on to voice his vote
146. pocket veto – veto a president can use. If congress is out of session for 10 days the president can
kill a bill by not signing it
147. cabinet – a group that advises the president and heads departments
148. bureaucracy – a government with many different organizations and procedures
149. executive order – a rule that the President orders that has the power of law
150. ambassador – an official representative of a country’s government
151. treaty – a formal agreement between two or more countries
152. executive agreement – an agreement between the president and a leader of another country
153. pardon – a declaration of freedom or forgiveness of punishment (1 person)
154. reprieve – an order to delay carrying out a sentence or court order
155. amnesty – pardon granted to members of a group for breaking a law
156. administration – officials who help the president plan and carry out policy
157. domestic – relating to matters within a country
158. foreign policy – a government plan for dealing with foreign countries
159. embassy – a government office, run by an ambassador, setup in a foreign country
160. consulate – a group of officials in a foreign country that protect the interest of their citizens
161. consul – an official who heads a consulate
162. passport – an official document that identifies a traveler as a citizen of a particular country
163. visa – a permit that allows a person to stay in a country a certain amount of time
164. executive agency – an independent agency setup to deal with specialized areas of the
government
165. regulatory commission – an independent agency that protects the public by controlling certain
types of businesses and industries
166. government corporation – a business owned and operated by the government that provides
public services
167. red tape – inefficiency caused by too many rules
168. spoils system – the practice of giving jobs as reward for loyalty
169. civil servant – a government employee
170. inferior court – a lower court
171. criminal case – a case in which a person is accused of breaking laws
172. civil case – a case where one party takes action against another
173. suit – the formal complaint to the court in a legal matter
174. jurisdiction – The authority to hear and decide a case in a court of law
175. exclusive jurisdiction – having the authority to hear and decide a court case (federal)
176. concurrent jurisdiction – state and federal both share jurisdiction to hear and decide a court
case
177. district court – the first level of courts where cases are tried and decided
178. original jurisdiction – the authority a to hear and decide a court case first (district court level)
179. magistrate – a person on the district court level who issues court orders and hears the preliminary
evidence to decide whether a case so go to trial.
180. marshal – arrest suspects, delivers defendants to the courts, and serve subpoenas
181. subpoena – a court order requiring someone to appeal in court
182. court of appeals – the second level of court hierarchy. They decide whether to uphold, overturn,
or remand a court case back to a district court
183. appellate jurisdiction – appeals court can only hear cases that have been appealed
184. circuit – a particular geographic area that an appeals court has jurisdiction over
185. remand – send a case back to a district court to be re-tried
186. court-martial – when a military person breaks a federal or military law
187. judicial review – the supreme court can review any state or federal law to see if it is Constitutional
188. unconstitutional – when a law conflicts with the constitution
189. brief – written arguments of attorneys
190. docket – court calendar
191. adversary – two opposing sides in a court case
192. writ of certiorari – directs a lower court to send its records on a case to the supreme court
193. majority opinion – the written opinion in a supreme court case that majority agree with
194. concurring opinion – the written opinion of a supreme court justice that agrees with the majority
but for different reason
195. dissenting opinion – the written opinion of supreme court justices that disagrees with the majority
196. extradition – returning a suspect criminal to a state or country where he has committed a
supposed crime
197. commute – reducing a prison sentence
198. parole – an early release from prison with certain restriction
199. unicameral – one house legislature (Nebraska)
200. apportionment – the distribution of legislative seats according to population
201. misdemeanor – less serious crimes (traffic tickets)
202. magistrate courts – local courts or police courts
203. charter – a state plan of government
204. ordinance – any law passed by a county board or local government
205. township – smaller units that divide a county
206. special district – a special unit of government create by the state for a local government to
handle special issue
207. user fee – a fee charged for use of a service
208. home rule –the power granted by state legislatures to cities to take care of there own affairs
209. ward – a voting district within a city
210. member-at-large – a member of the city council that is elected by the whole city
211. infrastructure – a community’s system of roads, bridges, waterways, and sewers
212. zoning board – a commission setup to decide where a communities homes, business, and
industries should be located
213. urban renewal – rebuilding old neighborhoods in cities
214. jurisprudence – the study of the law
215. stare decisis – the practice of using earlier judicial rulings as a bases for deciding cases
216. bill of attainder – a law that punishes a person accused of a crime without a fair hearing in court
217. ex post facto law – a law that would allow a person to be punished for an action that was not
against the when the action took place
218. petit jury – jury that hears trials
219. bench trial – a trial by a judge
220. suit of equity – a special lawsuit that seeks fair treatment where no law exist
221. injunction – a court order commanding a person or group to stop an action
222. complaint – a formal notice that a lawsuit is being brought
223. penal code – the criminal laws of a state
224. larceny – the unlawful taking of property
225. vandalism – the deliberate destruction of property
226. fraud – taking property by dishonest means or misrepresentation
227. mandatory sentence – the punishment require by law for certain crimes
228. summons – a notice directing a person to appear in court to answer a complaint or a charge
229. arraignment – a hearing where a suspect enters a plea of guilty or not guilty
230. prosecution – the state side of the proceedings in a criminal court
231. testimony – the statement a witness makes under oath
232. cross-examination – the process of questioning a witness to check or discredit his/her testimony
233. acquittal – a vote of not guilty
234. hung jury – a jury that cannot agree on a verdict