U.S. Government Terms
Mayflower Compact
• Agreement signed by Pilgrims before
landing at Plymouth in 1620
Declaration of Independence
• Written in 1776 by Jefferson
• Stated that colonies were free and
independent of Britain
• Based on ideas of John Locke
Articles of Confederation
• First plan of government
• Set up a weak central government
• Replaced by Constitution
Great Compromise
• The plan for a 2 house legislature that
settled differences between large and small
states over representation in Congress
Constitution
• A body of laws setting out the basic
principles, structures, process and
functions of government
• U.S. Constitution was signed in 1787
Legislative Power
• Lawmaking power
Executive Power
• Power of the executive branch to carry out
laws
Judicial Power
• Power of judicial branch to interpret laws
Popular Sovereignty
• Basic principle that the people are the only
source of any and all government power
• Power of people to vote for their leaders
Federalism
• A system of government in which authority
is divided between national and state
governments
Delegated powers
• Powers given by the Constitution to the
national government and denied to state
governments
Reserved Powers
• Those powers held by the states in the
federal system
Concurrent Powers
• Powers shared by the national and state
governments
Supremacy Clause
• Section of Constitution which makes it and
federal laws the “Supreme law of the land”
Separation of Powers
• The principle that gives the powers of
making, enforcing, and interpreting laws to
separate legislative, executive, and judicial
branches
Checks and Balances
• System in which each branch of
government has the power to limit the
actions of the other branches
Elastic Clause
• Basis for the implied powers of Congress
• a statement in the U.S. Constitution
granting Congress the power to pass
all laws necessary and proper for
carrying out the enumerated list of
powers (Article I, Section 8 ).
Amendment
• A change to the Constitution
Electoral College
• Assembly elected by voters to formally
elect the president
Judicial Review
• Power of Supreme Court to determine the
constitutionality of acts of legislative and
executive branches
Unwritten Constitution
• Political practices that are not part of the
Constitution
– Cabinet system
– Political parties
Cabinet
• A group of people chosen by the president
to be advisors
Political Parties
• Groups that seek to control the government
through the winning of elections and
holding public office
Bill of Rights
• 1st 10 Amendments to the Constitution
• Deals mostly with civil rights (liberties)
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st
1 Freedom of religion, speech, press, petition, and assembly
nd
2 The right to bear arms and form a militia
rd
3 No quartering of soldiers in private houses during peace time i.e. No Declaration of War has
been announced
th
4 Searches and seizures; warrants
th
5 Due process; Self-incrimination; Double jeopardy (Can't be tried for the same crime twice)
th
6 Rights of the accused, Right to a speedy public trial
th
7 Right to trial by jury in civil cases
th
8 No excessive bail & fines or cruel & unusual punishment
th
9 Unemunerated rights (i.e., rights not listed) retained by the people
th
10 Powers reserved to the states or to the people
Due Process Rights
• Constitutional guarantee that government
will not deprive any person of life, liberty
or property by any unfair, arbitrary, or
unreasonable action
Equal Protection Rights
• A right guaranteed under the 14th
Amendment
• No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any
State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due
process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the
equal protection of the laws.