SS chapt. 3

a gove of laws not of the ppl; those who exercise gov. power are resticted in their use of it by a higher law

legal structure of a political system and establishes gov. authority

gov by representatives of the ppl rather than directly by the ppl themselves

belief tht shared cultural, historical, linguistic and social characteristics of a ppl justify the creation of a gov encompassing all of them and tht the resulting nation-state should be independent and legally equal to all other naiton-states

compulsory payments to the gov't

tax imposed on imported products

unified table area in which all goods and services can be sold or exchanged free from customs or tariffs

Proposed laws or constitutional amendments submitted to the voters for their direct approval or rejection (state constitutions only)

constitutional division of powers among the three branches of the national gov't certain checks over the action of the other branches

power of the U.S. supreme court and federal judiciary to declare laws of congress and the states and actions of the president unconstitutional and therefore legally invalid

Power of a legislature to approve or reject decisions made by other bodies

written guarantees of basic indvd. liberties

Powers specifically mentioned in the constitution as belonging to the national gov't

Formal change in a bill, law or constitution

proposed amendment to the constitution guaranteeing that equal rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex