1. Chapter 5
Vocabulary

2. the organization that has the authority to make and enforce laws
government

3. representative democracy
a democracy in which individual citizens elect people to serve, vote, and make decisions for them
representative democracy

4. the principle that power rests with the citizens
sovereignty

5. a type of government in which the power to govern comes from the people
republic

6. a document that describes the rights of the people and the framework of the government
constitution

7. the principle that the power of the government should be divided among the various branches
separation of powers

8. the principle of government by which each branch is given some power to control or prevent some actions of the other two branches
checks and balances

9. a system in which the national government and state governments share authority over the same territory and the same people
federalism

10. a native or naturalized member of a state or nation who owes allegiance to its government and is entitled to its protection
citizen

11. the process by which persons from other countries (called aliens) can become American citizens
naturalization

12. the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution
Bill of Rights

13. the rules established by courts to protect a person’s rights
due process

14. a group of citizens chosen to hear evidence in a legal case and to make a decision based on the evidence presented
jury

15. a group of individuals who are interested in one particular issue
special interest group

16. political action committee
PAC; a private organization whose members share similar views and who try to influence legislators to favor the group’s position
political action committee

17. one who presents to legislators the views of the organization that he or she represents
lobbyist

18. describes a one-house legislature
unicameral

19. roads, bridges, ports
infrastructure

20. representation based on population
proportional representation

21. refers to a two-house legislature
bicameral

22. a group of people (electors) from each state whose job it is to vote to determine the president
Electoral College

23. to approve officially
ratify

24. to change or add to an official document
amend

25. to redraw voting districts
reapportion

26. those powers specifically given to Congress in the United States Constitution
expressed powers

27. powers that are not specifically stated in the Constitution but come from Congress’s right to make all laws “necessary” to carry out its expressed powers
implied powers

28. to bring charges against an elected official while that official is still in office
impeach

29. a small group of delegates or senators who studies bills on a particular subject and makes recommendations on those bills to the full membership of each house
committee

30. proposed legislation
bill

31. to refuse to sign a bill
veto

32. the ability to set aside the actions of the legislative or executive branches of any government agency
judicial review