Vocabulary

Vocabulary for Constitution Overview(Review from last unit)

1. Amendment2. Popular sovereignty3. Delegated powers4. Veto5. Preamble6. Concurrent Powers7. Reserved Powers8. Legislative Branch9. Executive Branch10. Separation of Powers11. Limited Government12. Checks and Balances13. Judicial Branch14. Cabinet15. Repeal16. Majority rule

• New Vocabulary for Legislative Branch

1. Bicameral legislature – a law making body of two houses. The Congress is a bicameral legislature made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

2. Apportioned – distributed. Seats in the House of Representatives are

apportioned based on the state’s population.

• TEXAS – 32 REPRESENTATIVES– Population (estimate)26.1MILLION

• MONTANA – 1 REPRESENTATIVEPopulation (estimate)1.01 MILLION

3. Gerrymandering – Drawing lines when making up

the districts to favor one party over another. Gerrymandering creates districts that helps one

party’s candidate get elected.

4. immunity – legal protection Members of Congress have legal immunity.5. Expulsion –When a person must give up his or her seat in

Congress. Expulsion because of a serious offense needs a two-thirds vote of

the Senate6. Censure – formal disapproval of the actions of a member of

Congress. A censured member of Congress must stand alone in front of his/her peers and listen to their offenses.

7. Sessions – Meetings of CongressEach term of Congress is made of two sessions.

8. President Pro Tempore- President for the “time being” (When Vice President is absent)The president pro tempore presides over the Senate’s daily

meetings

9. Whip – officer who persuades party members to vote for their party’s legislation.

A party whip counts votes and encourages loyalty to the party.10. Speaker of the House – The person who presides over the House of

Representatives. The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives.11. Implied powers-authority that Congress has claimed over the Elastic

Clause Implied powers are not specifically “spelled out” in the Constitution.12. Elastic Clause – Constitution that gives Congress powers that it

considers “necessary and proper”.The Elastic Clause allows Congress to have leeway in acting on matters not specifically mentioned in the Constitution.

13. Impeach – To accuse an office holder of misconduct Congress can impeach officials for treason.

14. Treason – Betray one’s country Congress can impeach someone for treason.

15. Bill –Proposed law• Congress votes on a bill to make it a law.16. filibuster-delaying votes in Senate by making lengthy speeches.• The record for the longest filibuster goes to U.S. Sen. Strom

Thurmond of South Carolina, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

• F.Y.IAccording to U.S. Senate records, Thurmond began speaking at 8:54 p.m. on Aug. 28 and continued until 9:12 p.m. the following evening, reciting the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, President George Washington's farewell address and other historical documents along the way.

Questions to Know

• What is the main job of the Legislative Branch?

•What is the main job of the Judicial Branch?

• What is the main job of the Executive Branch?

• How many houses make up Congress?

• What are the requirements for the House of Representatives?

• Can a person be punished for a crime before there was a law against it?

• Can a person be held in jail without being told why?

Facts to know:• The Declaration and Constitution clearly reflect

the ideas of John Locke.• The President must be a native born citizen of

the US.• If a President dies or leaves office the new

president nominates the new Vice President.• One of the responsibilities of the Department

of State is to handle foreign policy.• The president has the power to grant pardons.

The president cannot declare war or override a veto.

More facts to know:

• Supreme Court Justices are appointed for life.• The three main levels of federal courts are

District Courts, Court of Appeals and U.S. Supreme Court.

• The Supreme Court has the right to decide if Congress is interpreting laws correctly.

Main Concepts#1 What is the difference between the way a

state is represented in the House of Representatives and the Senate?

#2 Which part of Congress is more important? (opinion)

#3What is the difference between Congress’s delegated and implied powers?

#4 Which powers does each house have?#5 How do bills become laws?

Executive Branch Vocabulary1. Presidential succession- the order of who will take

over if there is a presidential vacancy2. State of the Union Address- Every year the president

sets forth his plans for laws for Congress to make.

3. Foreign Policy- government’s plan for interacting with other countries of the world.

4. Diplomacy-The art of interacting with other countries.

5. Treaties-written agreements with other countries.

5. Reprieve- postponement of sentence.6. Pardon- forgives and eliminates sentence.7. Commutation- reducing a person’s sentence.8. secretary- Title of cabinet members.9. attorney general- Head of the Department of

Justice.10.ambassadors- highest ranking U.S.

representatives in a foreign country.11.embassy-official residence of an ambassador

in a foreign country.

Judicial Branch Vocabulary1. Crime- illegal behavior2. Criminal law - group of laws that defines

what acts are crimes.3. Civil law- group of laws that refer to disputes

between people.4. Common law - law that comes from a

judge’s decision5. Precedent- earlier decision6. Constitutional law - Law based on the

Constitution and Supreme Court decisions

7. Appeal-asking for a review of a court’s decision.8. Jurisdiction-courts authority to hear the case

brought before it.9. district courts- Lowest level of federal courts10. courts of appeals – Second level of federal courts.11. Justices – Supreme Court judges12. judicial review- Allows the courts to decide if a law

or a presidential action is constitutional.