Vocabulary
This term names the town or city where county courthouse and government offices are located.
What is a county seat?
Mississippi has this many counties, each with its own county government.
What is 82?
This basic governing document is issued when a municipality is approved.
What is a charter?
A newspaper criticizes city leaders. Name the constitutional freedom that protects its ability to publish criticism.
What is freedom of the press?
A citizen serves when summoned to help decide a court case. Name this civic responsibility.
What is jury duty?
A county district electing one supervisor is a beat; this term names a municipal district electing an alderman.
What is a ward?
A county has five beats, with one elected representative from each. Name the governing board they form.
What is the Board of Supervisors?
The chapter identifies this municipal government form, with a mayor and Board of Aldermen, as the most common in Mississippi.
What is mayor-council government?
Citizens peacefully gather and submit a request to local officials. Name both freedoms they are exercising.
What are freedom of assembly and freedom of petition?
A resident studies candidates and casts a ballot. Name the civic action that directly helps choose government leaders.
What is voting?
A foreign-born person completes a legal process to become a U.S. citizen. Name the process.
What is naturalization?
A voter needs help with county election records. Identify the county official described in the chapter as the chief elections officer.
Who is the circuit clerk?
Voters elect a mayor and commissioners, each responsible for specific departments. Name this form of government.
What is commission government?
A government requires candidates for public office to follow a particular religion. Which freedom does this violate?
What is freedom of religion?
The chapter says citizens must register this many days before an election.
What is at least 30 days?
A property owner pays more tax when the taxable value of the property increases. Name this type of tax.
What is an ad valorem tax?
Residents need the official records of Board of Supervisors meetings. Identify the official who maintains them.
Who is the chancery clerk?
An elected council hires a professional to manage employees, daily operations, and the budget. Name this government form.
What is council-manager government?
An accused person refuses to testify against themself. Name the constitutional protection being used.
What is protection against self-incrimination (the Fifth Amendment)?
A student cannot yet vote but wants to help improve a local park. Identify two appropriate ways to participate.
What are any two of: community service, attending a public meeting, contacting officials, or organizing a peaceful petition? Accept equivalent civic actions.
This term describes becoming a legally recognized city, town, or village.
What is incorporation (to incorporate)?
A county court issues an order that must be enforced. Which county official is the chief law enforcement officer?
Who is the sheriff?
In the chapter, a petition to incorporate an area is submitted to this court.
What is Chancery Court?
This jury decides whether enough evidence exists to issue an indictment, rather than deciding guilt at trial.
What is a grand jury?
A citizen dislikes a county policy. Name two lawful ways to seek a change while respecting others’ rights.
What are any two of: contacting supervisors, speaking at a public meeting, voting, peaceful assembly, or petitioning?
A homeowner receives a reduction in the taxable value of a primary residence. Name this benefit.
What is a homestead exemption?
Each supervisor controls road equipment and spending within a separate district. Identify the county operating system.
What is the beat system?
An incorporation petition needs signatures from two-thirds of qualified voters. If there are 900 qualified voters, how many signatures are required?
What is 600 signatures?
A court requires money as a guarantee that an accused person will return for trial. Name the payment.
What is bail?
A class finds a dramatic online claim about the mayor. Explain one responsible action before sharing it and why it matters.
What is checking reliable sources or official records, because citizens need accurate information to make informed decisions?
A harmful false statement is spoken in one case and published in another. Name the two terms in that order.
What are slander and libel?
A county wants one administrator to coordinate daily operations while supervisors focus on policy. Identify the system that fits.
What is the county unit system?
Name two municipal revenue sources from the chapter other than property taxes.
What are any two of: a share of state general sales tax, local business taxes, federal grants, fees, fines, or listed road/gasoline taxes?
Investigators request a search warrant. Name the standard requiring reasonable grounds to believe evidence of a crime will be found.
What is probable cause?
Students have constitutional rights but must also follow reasonable school rules. Explain why a right does not automatically excuse every action at school.
What is rights coexist with reasonable rules that protect safety, order, and other people’s rights?
A person accused of a crime must receive fair procedures before government takes away liberty. Name this protection.
What is due process?
An offender enters treatment, supervision, and testing to address substance abuse. Which specialized court emphasizes this approach?
What is a drug court?
A city wants elected leaders to make policy and a hired professional to supervise services. Which form best matches this goal, and why?
What is council-manager government, because the council hires a manager to run daily operations?
An official says an indictment proves that a defendant is guilty. Explain why the statement is incorrect.
What is an indictment is a formal charge based on sufficient evidence to proceed; guilt must still be determined at trial?
Residents complain about unsafe county bridges but oppose all county revenue. Explain the connection they must consider.
What is maintaining bridges costs money, and county taxes or other revenues fund that public service?
A grand jury issues formal charges, but a trial jury later returns a not-guilty verdict. Name the formal charge and the verdict.
What are an indictment and an acquittal?
Two beats buy similar expensive road machines that each use only occasionally. Explain how a county unit system could address this problem.
What is coordinating equipment countywide to reduce duplicate purchases and share resources? Accept equivalent explanations.
Explain the key difference between commission and council-manager government in who supervises city departments.
What is elected commissioners supervise departments in commission government, while a hired manager supervises daily operations in council-manager government?
Compare the main decisions made by a grand jury and a trial jury.
What is a grand jury decides whether there is enough evidence to formally charge, while a trial jury decides guilt or innocence based on trial evidence?
A citizen says, "I voted, so I have no other responsibilities." Give two responsibilities that show why the claim is incomplete.
What are any two of: obeying laws, serving jury duty when summoned, staying informed, and participating in the community?
A detained person asks a court to examine whether the detention is lawful. Name the court order that serves this purpose.
What is a writ of habeas corpus?
County supervisors approve bridge repairs, a sheriff enforces a court order, and a court decides a case. Match these actions to legislative, executive, and judicial functions.
What are approving repairs: legislative/policymaking; enforcing the order: executive; deciding the case: judicial?
A homeowner argues that a homestead exemption makes county services cost nothing. Explain the error and identify the replacement funding described in the chapter.
What is the exemption reduces taxable home value rather than eliminating service costs, and the state reimburses local governments for lost revenue?
A person is held without a lawful basis and denied fair legal procedures. Identify two protections that could address these different problems and explain each.
What are habeas corpus, to challenge the lawfulness of detention, and due process, to require fair established legal procedures?
A county road problem affects several beats. Propose a three-step civic response that combines becoming informed, contacting the right government, and participating respectfully.
What is checking facts about the problem, contacting the Board of Supervisors, and attending a meeting or submitting a peaceful petition with a proposed solution? Accept equivalent three-step plans.