TCI Lesson 9 & 10 Vocabulary

Front

checks and balances

Back

the system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other two branches

Front

executive branch

Back

the part of government that carries out, or executes, the laws

Front

federalism

Back

the constitutional system that shares power between the national and state governments

Front

interest group

Back

an organization that actively promotes the view of some part of the public on specific issues in order to influence government policy

Front

interstate commerce

Back

trade and other business dealings between two or more states

Front

judicial branch

Back

the part of government, consisting of the Supreme Court and lower federal courts, that interprets the law

Front

judicial review

Back

the power of the Supreme Court to decide whether laws and acts made by the legislative and executive branches are unconstitutional

Front

legislative branch

Back

the lawmaking part of government, called the legislature. To legislate is to make a law.

Front

majority rule

Back

a basic principle of democracy that says laws are passed by majority vote and elections are decided by a majority of the voters

Front

popular sovereignty

Back

the idea that the government’s authority comes from the people