Unit 1: Government Concepts

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Limited government

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A political system where legal restrictions are placed on the powers of government officials.

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Popular sovereignty

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The principle that the authority of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people- usually through the vote.

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Representative government

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A system where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

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Federalism

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A system of government in which power is divided between a central (federal) authority and smaller political units (usually state and local).

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Separation of Powers

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The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches with distinct responsibilities to limit any one branch from having too much power.

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Checks & Balances

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A system that allows each branch of government to amend or veto acts of another branch to prevent any one branch from exerting too much power.

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Veto

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The power of a president or governor to reject a bill proposed by a legislature by refusing to sign it into law.

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Supremacy Clause

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A clause in the United States Constitution that establishes that the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties are the supreme law of the land.

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Enumerated powers

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Powers of the federal government that are specifically described in the Constitution.

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Concurrent powers

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Powers shared by both the federal government and each constituent political unit.