Gov_IA1 Vocabulary

Federalism

• A system where power is concentrated in a central government.

• A system of government where power is divided between a central government and regional governments, such as states or provinces.

• A form of government where all powers are held by local governments.

• A political system that promotes a single-party rule.

Democracy

• A system of government where supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation, typically involving periodic free and fair elections.

• A form of government where a single ruler holds absolute power and authority.

• A political system where decisions are made by a small group of elites without public input.

• A system where the government is controlled by a military force, often leading to authoritarian rule.

Articles of Confederation

• The first written constitution of the United States, which established a weak national government and was eventually replaced by the U.S. Constitution.

• A treaty that ended the Revolutionary War between the United States and Great Britain.

• The document that declared the independence of the United States from British rule.

• The framework for the current federal government of the United States.

Checks and Balances

• A system where one branch of government can overpower the others.

• A method to ensure that all branches of government work independently.

• A system in which each branch of government has the power to limit the actions of the other branches, preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful.

• A process that allows citizens to vote on government decisions.

Fifth Amendment

• An amendment that guarantees the right to free speech.

• An amendment that protects against self-incrimination and guarantees due process.

• An amendment that allows for the quartering of soldiers in private homes.

• An amendment that prohibits the right to bear arms.

Anti-Federalists

• A group that supported a strong national government.

• A group that opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and advocated for a weaker national government and stronger state governments.

• A political party that emerged in the 19th century advocating for federalism.

• A coalition of states that sought independence from the United States.

Override

• To support a decision made by a lower authority.

• To overrule or set aside a decision or action, especially by a higher authority.

• To create a new rule that contradicts an existing one.

• To approve a decision made by a higher authority.

Three-Fifths Compromise

• A compromise that allowed enslaved individuals to be counted as full persons for representation purposes.

• A compromise reached at the Constitutional Convention that determined that each enslaved person would count as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes.

• A compromise that established the abolition of slavery in the United States.

• A compromise that set the voting age to 21 years.

Judicial Branch

• The branch of government responsible for making laws and overseeing their implementation.

• The branch of government responsible for interpreting laws, administering justice, and resolving legal disputes, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts.

• The branch of government responsible for enforcing laws and ensuring public safety.

• The branch of government responsible for conducting elections and managing public resources.

Limited Government

• A system where the government has unlimited powers.

• A system of government where the powers of the government are restricted, typically through a constitution or other legal documents.

• A government that operates without any laws or regulations.

• A system where the government controls all aspects of life.