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Articles
Numbered sections of a document. The unamended Constitution is divided into seven articles.
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Constitutionalism
Basic principle that government and those who govern must obey the law; the rule of law.
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Rule of Law
Concept that holds that government and its officers are always subject to the law.
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Seperation of Powers
- The seperation of powers means that the three branches of government
- are being seperated. The Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches
- must be seperate to give them all equal control.
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Checks and Balances
- Checks and balances are part of the U.S. government. Each part of the
- government, has a certain amount of power. Those parts will check each
- other out. They will make sure everything is running smooth.
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Veto
The power of a president to reject a bill passed by the legislature and thus prevent or delay its enactment into law.
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Judicial Reveiw
- Judicial review is a democratic practice that allows for invalidation,
- by the judiciary, of executive and legislative acts. This is the
- concept that allows, for example, the Supreme Court of the United
- States to annul a law that it finds to be incompatible with the
- Constitution.
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Unconstitutional
Not in accord with the principles set forth in the Constitution of the United States.
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Federalism
A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.
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Amendment
The process of formally altering or adding to the Constitution.
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Formal Amendment
A formal amendment to the constitution is when the people vote when we don't want the government to change the constitution.
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Bill of Rights
The first ten amendments of the United States Constitution.
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Informal Amendments
An 'Informal Amendment' is a change to the meaning or interpretation of the constitution of the United States.
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Executive Agreement
- An agreement made between the executive
- branch of the U.S. government and a foreign government without
- ratification by the Senate.
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Treaty
A formal agreement between two or more states, as in reference to terms of peace or trade.
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Electoral College
A body of electors chosen to elect the President and Vice President of the United States.
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Senetorial Courtesy
- The president will meet with the senior U.S. Senator, of his party, to
- seek advice before nominating anyone to a federal vacancy in that
- senators given state.
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Cabinet
- A group of officials assembled by the government that generally
- represents the executive branch of government. They are the council of
- ministers.
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