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A-F
A
abridge- limit
absentee ballot- one that allows a person to vote without going
to the poll on Election Day
absolute monarch- one who has complete and unlimited power to
rule his or her people
acreage allotment- the program under which the government pays
support prices for farmers' crop grown on an assigned number of acres
administrative assistant- a lawmakers chief aide
adversary system- a judicial system in which lawyers for the
opposing sides present their cases in court
advisory opinion- ruling on a law or action that has not been
challenged
affirmative action- requirement that employers and other
institutions must take positive steps to remedy the effect of past
discrimination against minorities and women
alien- a person who lives in a country where he or she is not a
citizen
allegation- formal complaint
ambassador- government official who represents his or her
nation in diplomatic matters
amendment- change to the Constitution
amnesty- a group pardon to individuals for an offense against
the government
anarchy- political disorder
annexation- the process by which a local government absorbs new
territory
apportionment- the process of determining the number of
representatives to which each stats is entitled
appropriations bill- a proposed law to authorize spending money
article- one of seven main divisions of the body of the
Constitution
assessment- the process involved in calculating the value of
property to be taxed
at-large-as a whole; for example, statewide
autocracy- rule by one person
B
bail- money or property the accused deposits with the court to
gain release from jail until the trial
balanced budget- a financial plan requiring that federal
government spending does not exceed its income
bankruptcy- the legal proceeding to administer the assets
of a person or business that cannot pay its debts
bench trail- a case presented before a judge alone
biased sample- people who choose to respond to a poll
bicameral- two-house legislative body
bill- a proposed law
bill of attainder- a law that established guilt and punishes
people without a trail
bloc- a group united to promote a common interest
block grant- a large grant to federal funds to a state or local
government to be used for a general purpose
bond- a contractual promise on the part of a borrower to repay
a certain sum plus interest by a specified date
bureaucracy- the organization of government administrators
bureaucrat- a person who works for one of the
departments or agencies of the federal government
C
cabinet- an advisory group that helps the President make
decisions and sets government policy
cadre- government officials in China
canvass- to call on people in a district or group to determine
political support or opinions
canvassing board- the official body that tabulates election
returns and certifies the winner
capital- the means of production-, money, factories, -used to
produce goods
capitalism- an economic system based on private ownership of
the means of production and on individual economic
casework- the work that a lawmaker does to help constituents
with problems
cede- yield
censure- a vote of formal disapproval of a member's actions by
other members of a legislative body
census- population count
change of venue- new trial location
checks and balance- the system whereby each branch of the
government exercises some control of others
civil case- a dispute between two or more individuals or organizations
civil rights movement- the efforts to end segregation
civil servant- a person who works for the government
closed rule- one that forbids members of Congress to offer any
amendments to a bill from the floor
closed shop- a place of employment where only union members
may be hires
coalition government- one formed by several parties who combine
force to obtain a majority
collective bargaining- the practice of negotiating labor
contracts
committee staff- the people who work for the House and Senate
committees
compensation- salary
concurrent powers- those powers that both the national
government and the states have
conscription- compulsory military service; also called a draft
consensus- agreement
constituent- a person a member of Congress represents
constitution- a plan that provides the rules for government
constitutional commission- a group of experts
appointed to study a state constitution and recommend changes
constitutional convention- a gathering of citizens, usually
elected by popular vote, who meet to consider changing or replacing a
constitution
consul- a government official that promotes a nation's business
interests in a foreign country and safeguards its nation's travelers in
that country
copyright- the exclusive right to publish and sell a literary,
musical, or artistic work for a for a specified period of time
corporation- a business owned by individuals who purchase
shares of its stock
correspondent- reporter who sent on assignment and mails
stories to the home newspaper
counsel- an attorney
coup- a planned but sudden attempt to seize power
covert- secret
customs duties- the taxes levied goods imported into the United
States; also called tariffs
D
de facto- existing "in fact" rather than officially
of legally
defendant- a person against whom a civil or criminal
suit is brought in court
democracy- rule by many persons
dependent- one who depends primarily on another person for such
things as food, clothing, and shelter
deputy- a member of the lower house of Mexico's legislature
deregulate- to reduce the powers of regulatory agencies
developed nation- one that has successfully used natural
resources to develop a way of life based on business and industry
direct democracy- a government in which people rule themselves
by voting on issues individually as citizens
discrimination- unfair treatment of individuals on the basis of
race, sex, ethnic group, age, or religion
discount rate- the interest the Federal Reserve System charges
members banks for loans
district court- trail court created by Congress for both
criminal and civil federal cases
dividends- a share of the profits of a corporation that are
paid to shareholders
due of process of law- the principle requiring that a law must
be applied in a fair manner
E
economics- the study of human efforts to satisfy seemingly
unlimited wants through the use of limited resource
elector- a member of a political party chosen by popular vote
in each state to formally elect the President and Vice President
electoral vote- the official vote for President and Vice
President
electorate- the people who are entitled to vote during an
election
embargo- an agreement prohibiting trade
embassy- an ambassador's official residence and offices in a
foreign country
eminent domain- the power of government to take private
property for public use
enabling act- the first step in the admission procedure which,
when passed by Congress and signed by the President, enables the people
of a territory to prepare a constitution
enemy alien- a citizen of a nation with which the United
States is at war
entitlement- a required government expenditure, such as
social security payments
entrepreneur- a person who takes a risk making a new product
or selling a service in the hope of making a profit
enumerated powers- those government powers itemized in the
Constitution; also called expressed powers
equal time doctrine- a rule that requires stations to provide
equal airtime to all candidates for a public office
equity law- the system of rules by which disputes are resolved
on the grounds of fairness
establishment clause- the First Amendment guarantee that
Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion
estate tax- the money the federal government collects on the
assets of a person who dies
excise tax- one levied on the manufacture, transportation,
sale, or consumption of goods and the performance of services
exclusionary rule- a law prohibiting the use of illegally
obtained evidence in a federal court
executive agreement- one made directly between the President
and another head of state
executive order- a rule issued by the President that has the
force of law
executive privilege- the President's right to refuse to testify
before, or provide information to, Congress of a court
expatriation- giving up one's citizenship by leaving one's
native country to live in a foreign country
ex post facto law- one that makes crimes of acts that were
legal when they were committed
expressed powers- those powers that are directly stated in the
Constitution
extradite- to deliver a criminal to the jurisdiction of another
authority
extradition- the legal procedure through which a person
accused of a crime who has fled to another state where the crime
took place
extralegal- not sanctioned by law
F
faction- an interest group within a country's political parties
factors of production- resources that an economy needs to
produce goods and services
fairness doctrine- a rule requiring broadcasters to provide
reasonable opportunities for the expression of opposing views on
controversial issues of public importance
federal bureaucracy- departments and agencies that do the work
of the federal government
federalism- a system under which power is divided between
national and state governments
federal system- one that divides the powers of government
between the national government and state or provincial governments
felony- a major crime
filibuster- a method of defeating a bill in the legislature by
the use of lengthy speeches
first-strike capability- the ability of a country with
nuclear weapons to launch its weapons against an opponent before the
opponent launches its weapons
free enterprise- the opportunity to make economic gains and to
control one's economic decisions
free market- the economic system in which buyers and sellers
are free to make unlimited economic decisions in the marketplace
front-runner- the early leader in an election
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