1. Unit 4: Government
Illustrated Glossary

2. loyalty and obedience owed to one's country or government
allegiance
loyalty and obedience owed to one's country or government

3. a major change or addition in a constitution or a law
amendment
a major change or addition in a constitution or a law

4. selected for a position, office or duty
appointed
Sonia Sotomayor was appointed as a Supreme Court Justice
selected for a position, office or duty

5. a person selected for some office or position
appointee
a person selected for some office or position

6. assembly a law making body
In New York State government, one of the two houses of the Legislative branch.

7. a proposed law that has not been voted upon
bill
a proposed law that has not been voted upon

8. budget
a government plan for spending the money that is received from citizens during a certain period

9. branches of government
parts of government
The United States has three branches of government: Executive, Judicial and Legislative.

10. a group of advisors to the President
cabinet
a group of advisors to the President

11. a union of states or nations with limited central power
confederation
a union of states or nations with limited central power

12. a person who is a member of a state or nation
Citizen
a person who is a member of a state or nation

13. to settle a disagreement where each side gives up part of its demands
compromise
to settle a disagreement where each side gives up part of its demands

14. the lawmaking or legislative branch of our federal government
Congress
the lawmaking or legislative branch of our federal government

15. Constitution
a plan of government

16. a law, which follows or is line with the Constitution
constitutional
a law, which follows or is line with the Constitution

17. Constitutional Convention
a meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 at which 55 delegates wrote a plan of government called the Constitution

18. a large, official meeting of people
convention
a large, official meeting of people

19. to discuss or argue for or against, in a formal way
debate
to discuss or argue for or against, in a formal way

20. what a person owes to another
debt
what a person owes to another

21. justice
fairness

22. Declaration of Independence
a document that states the reasons the 13 American colonies wanted to be free of Great Britain’s government

23. something that guards or protects
defense
something that guards or protects

24. a person who represents others at a convention
delegate
a person who represents others at a convention

25. democracy
a form of government in which the citizens vote for the laws. In the United States we have a representative democracy; we elect representatives to vote for the laws for us.

26. document
a written or printed paper that gives information or serves as evidence of something

27. having to do with the events inside the United States
domestic
having to do with the events inside the United States

28. chosen for office by a vote
elected
chosen for office by a vote

29. Electors
The number of chosen people from each state who actually vote to elect the President of the United States. They are called members of the “Electoral College.”

30. the group of people who actually choose the President
Electoral College
the group of people who actually choose the President

31. make sure that something is obeyed
enforce
make sure that something is obeyed

32. establish
to set up

33. the branch of government that carries out the laws
Executive
the branch of government that carries out the laws

34. federal
The White House: symbol of United States national government
New York State Capital Building: symbol of NYS government
a type of government where some of the power is at the national level and some of the power is at the state level

35. a plan or method of action or conduct for dealing with other countries
foreign policy
a plan or method of action or conduct for dealing with other countries

36. a group of people who make laws and see that they are carried out
government
a group of people who make laws and see that they are carried out

37. House of Representatives
the part of Congress in which the number of representatives is determined by a state's population

38. immigrants
people who come to another country with the purpose of making a home there

39. the branch of government that interprets the law
Judicial
the branch of government that interprets the law

40. justice
fairness

41. a rule made and carried out by government
law
a rule made and carried out by government

42. one of the three branches of government that makes laws
Legislature
one of the three branches of government that makes laws

43. freedom from control by others
liberty
freedom from control by others

44. a government ruled by a king or queen
monarchy
a government ruled by a king or queen

45. one of the two houses that make up the legislative branch in New York
New York State Senate
one of the two houses that make up the
legislative branch in New York

46. oath
a formal promise

47. ordain
to order

48. to pass a law in spite of the President’s veto
override
to pass a law in spite of the President’s veto

49. the act of continuing with determination
persistence
the act of continuing with determination

50. a formal written request to a group in authority
petition
a formal written request to a group in authority

51. left for all the people in the future
posterity
left for all the people in the future

52. power
legal authority

53. the opening of the Constitution that states its purpose
Preamble
the opening of the Constitution that states its purpose

54. a person who is chosen or elected to speak for others
representative
a person who is chosen or elected to speak for others

55. Senate
the House of Congress in which each state has two members regardless of its population

56. freedom from outside control
sovereign
freedom from outside control

57. state
one of the 50 parts of the United States that has some powers of its own

58. tranquility
calm, peaceful

59. the act of joining together
union
the act of joining together

60. a decision made by a jury at the end of a trial
verdict
a decision made by a jury at the end of a trial

61. veto
a decision of an elected official not to sign into law a bill that was passed by a legislature

62. for the good of the people
welfare
for the good of the people