Government Forms
What is a unitary government?
Power concentrated in a single central government; local governments have little authority
What are the Articles of Confederation?
The United States' first constitution, establishing a loose confederation of states from 1781 to 1789
Legislative Branch?
Executive Branch?
The legislative branch makes laws, while the executive branch enforces them
What are civil liberties? Civil Rights?
Civil liberties are fundamental rights and freedoms protected by the Constitution that protect individuals from government overreach
Civil Rights are the rights of individuals to be free from unfair discrimination and to be treated equally by the government and other citizens
What is the house of representatives?
The House of Representatives is the lower house of the U.S. Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government, which also includes the Senate. It is composed of 435 members, with each state's number of representatives based on its population. The House is designed to be closer to the people, with representatives elected every two years.
What is a federal government?
Power is divided and shared between national and regional governments.
What is unanimous consent of the states?
procedure where all members of a state's legislature, or all relevant parties in a
What is veto a bill?
means to reject a piece of legislation passed by a legislature, preventing it from becoming law
What is "separate but equal"?
a legal doctrine established in the U.S. by the 1896 Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson that justified racial segregation under the premise that segregated facilities for African Americans could be "equal" to those for whites
What are the formal qualifications for the U.S. Senate?
Must be at least 30, a 9-year U.S. citizen, and a resident of the state you represe
What is a confederal (confederacy) government?
A loose alliance where member states keep most power and the central authority is weak.
What is the Bill of Rights?
the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution.
What is the Supremacy Clause?
establishes that the Constitution, federal laws made pursuant to it, and treaties are the "supreme Law of the Land" and take priority over conflicting state laws
What is freedom of religion?
What is freedom of the press?
What is freedom of assembly?
Freedom of religion is the right to believe in and practice a religion (or no religion) without government interference.
Freedom of the press is the right of the media to publish and report information and news without government censorship.
Freedom of assembly is the right of people to gather peacefully in groups to protest, express ideas, or for other purposes
What is overriding a veto with a two‑thirds vote in both chambers?
Overriding a veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers refers to the process by which the U.S. Congress can overturn a presidential veto of a bill, allowing the bill to become law without the president's signature [1]. This action serves as a crucial check and balance on the executive branch, demonstrating a high degree of congressional consensus.
What is a confederate government?
This system gives most authority to individual states or regions and was used by the Confederate States during the Civil War.
Who are Federalists?
supporters of the U.S. Constitution during the ratification debates, advocating for a strong central government over the weak one created by the Articles of Confederation
What is vote to propose (or pass a two‑thirds vote)?
a requirement where at least two-thirds of the votes cast are needed to pass a motion, making it a higher threshold than a simple majority.
What is the Fifteenth Amendment?
The Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1870, prohibits states from denying a citizen the right to vote based on their race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
What are investigative powers?
Investigative powers are the legal authority given to governments and other organizations to gather information through methods like issuing subpoenas, compelling testimony, and conducting surveillance.
What is representative democracy?
A system where citizens elect representatives to make laws on their behalf; practical for large populations.
Who are Antifederalists
a group that opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution because they feared it granted too much power to the central government at the expense of states and individual rights
What is ratification?
the action of signing or giving formal consent to a treaty, contract, or agreement, making it officially valid.
What is equal protection/due process under the Fourteenth Amendment?
The Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause guarantees procedural due process, meaning that government actors must follow certain procedures before they may deprive a person of a protected life, liberty, or property interest.
What is ratification of a treaty?
To ratify a treaty means to formally approve and sanction it, indicating a state's consent to be legally bound by its terms