2. Academic TermPersonal Illustration Universal Suffrage Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence The right to vote for everyone over the age of 18 years. In the United States, we have Universal Suffrage.

3. Academic TermPersonal Illustration Referendum Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence All voters given the opportunity to vote on an important issue. Used when government needs/wants public support – but voters can be easily swayed by the wording of the referendum Washington state called for a referendum on gun laws.

4. Academic TermPersonal Illustration Bicameral Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence When a legislature has two “chambers” or “houses.” Need a majority in both houses to get new laws passed.

5. Academic TermPersonal Illustration Cabinet Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence Consists of the head of government with his/her government ministers (called Secretaries in the US), who head the main gov’t departments or ministries

6. Academic TermPersonal Illustration Coalition Government Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence An alliance of political parties which have agreed to co-operate in a government. Small parties form coalitions for more influence. Big parties form coalitions to gain a majority. Some form coalitions to ensure national unity during a crisis.

7. Academic TermPersonal Illustration Proportional Representation Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence Representation in the legislative branch is proportional to the total vote received by the various political parties.

8. Academic TermPersonal Illustration First-past-the-post Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence The winner is the first to cross the finish line (% needed for a majority). In each district, only the candidate with the most votes gets a seat in parliament. Other candidates get nothing.

9. Academic TermPersonal Illustration Confederation Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence A loose association of states. It is looser than a federal union.

10. Academic TermPersonal Illustration Bicameral Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence When a legislature has two “chambers” or “houses.” Need a majority in both houses to get new laws passed. The United States has a bicameral legislature because the House of Representatives and the Senate make up our legislative branch.

11. Academic TermPersonal Illustration Cabinet Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence Consists of the head of government with his/her government ministers (called Secretaries in the US), who head the main gov’t departments or ministries The President called her a cabinet meeting to discuss going to war.

12. Academic TermPersonal Illustration Coalition Government Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence An alliance of political parties which have agreed to co-operate in a government. Small parties form coalitions for more influence. Big parties form coalitions to gain a majority. Some form coalitions to ensure national unity during a crisis. The Republicans and Tea Party formed a coalition to gain a majority in the House.

13. Academic TermPersonal Illustration Proportional Representation Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence Representation in the legislative branch is proportional to the total vote received by the various political parties. The National Assembly is elected using proportional representation, so if the ANC gets 65% of the votes, than they 65% of the seats in the assembly.

14. Academic TermPersonal Illustration First-past-the-post Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence The winner is the first to cross the finish line (% needed for a majority). In each district, only the candidate with the most votes gets a seat in parliament. Other candidates get nothing. The United States operates on a first-past-the-post system.

15. Academic TermPersonal Illustration Confederation Technical DefinitionPersonal Sentence A loose association of states. It is looser than a federal union. The Southern states formed a confederation during the Civil War, to oppose the more central power of the federal government.