Vocabulary terms
- Popular Sovereignty: A theory that the Government is made for the people
- Federalism: A system where there's one strong, central Government that has controlling authority
- Separation of Powers: Each branch of Government is separate from each other, and have different powers
- Checks and Balances: Each branch of Government checks and balances another out, to make sure that one isn't stronger than another.
- Judicial Review: The Judicial Branch can declare a law constitutional or unconstitutional
- Limited Government: A government with clearly defined, limited powers, in order to protect the people's freedoms.
- Bill of Attainder: Congress declares you guilty of a crime without a trial.
- Elastic Clause: Congress creates any law that's "necessary and proper".
- Supremacy Clause: The U.S. Constitution is the Supreme law of the land.
- Writ of Habeas Corpus: Government has to tell you why you’re being arrested for a crime.
- Ex Post Facto: You can’t be charged with a crime you’ve committed after a law’s been written to make it illegal.
- Due Process: The law and law enforcement agents must treat your fairly and follow a set of rules for gathering evidence against and prosecuting a person
- Expressed Powers: Written down powers in the Constitution that the President, Supreme Court, and Congress has.
- Implied Powers: Unwritten rules and assumed powers in the Constitution that the government has.
- Full Faith and Credit: A law, about how each state has to recognize and respect other state's laws.
- Privileges and Immunities: Also known as the Comity Clause. No citizen is given privileges over others; all U.S. citizens are treated equally.
- Extradition: Turning over a criminal from one country to another.
- Republic: The people vote for a representative to represent them and make choices for them.