Unit 1: Vocabulary

federal means

• national government

• giving someone food

• judges

• reading a map

Answer explanation

The federal government is another word for the national government.

The Constitution...

• Describes how government works

• Says the rules for government

• Is a document

• Is brand new this year

Answer explanation

The Constitution was ratified in 1787. It describes the United States government and says the rules for what government can and cannot do.

national means...

• for the Constitution

• for Virginia

• for the whole country

• for the whole world

Answer explanation

National comes from nation - the whole country.

state means...

• one of the branches of government

• A part of the United States, like Virginia or California

• a country, like the United States or Mexico

• A city in Virginia, like Alexandria

Answer explanation

Each state in the United States has its own government. There are 50 states total.

local means...

• a part of the United States, like Virginia or California

• one of the branches of government

• crazy

• a city, town, or county in Virginia

Answer explanation

Virginia has 3 kinds of local governments: cities, towns, and counties. The government of Alexandria City is in charge of our school!

legislative is...

• one of the levels of government

• the branch of government that has Congress and makes laws

• the branch of government that has the President and enforces the laws

• the branch of government that has the Supreme Court and decides if the laws are fair

Answer explanation

Legislative, legislate, legislature, and legal all come from the root "legis," which means "law."

executive is...

• one of the levels of government

• the branch of government that has Congress and makes laws

• the branch of government that has the President and enforces the laws

• the branch of government that has the Supreme Court and decides if the laws are fair

Answer explanation

The executive branch is like the CEO of the country.

judicial is...

• one of the levels of government

• the branch of government that has Congress and makes laws

• the branch of government that has the President and enforces the laws

• the branch of government that has the Supreme Court and decides if the laws are fair

Answer explanation

Judicial and judge have the same root - that is how you can remember that the judicial branch has courts!

Country means...

• a nation that is controlled by a government, like Afghanistan or Guatemala

• a smaller area inside a nation, like Virginia or California

• A place where people live close together, like a neighborhood

• Anywhere that has humans in it

Answer explanation

A country is an area of land that is controlled by a single government. Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Chile, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Afghanistan, Bolivia, Colombia, Uruguay - these are all examples of countries!

County means...

• a nation controlled by a single government

• An area within a state that has a Board of Supervisors

• A place where people live very close together

• Figuring out how many of something that you have

Answer explanation

A county is one of the 3 types of local government in Virginia.