Civics Definitions

E.O.C. Review

Civics Definitions

Civics – the study of citizenship and government
Citizen – a member of a community that has a government and laws
Government – the power and authority that run and rule a community, state, or government
Dictatorship – a form if government rule by one person or a small group. The dictator makes all the decisions and citizens have no say so.
Democracy – a form of government where the citizens hold power and make the laws
Representative democracy – the citizens elect people to do the work of governing for them
Direct Democracy – citizens are directly involved in running the government
Alien – people who are not or have not become citizens of a country yet
Immigrant – people who move to another country with the intention of staying permanently
Deport – sending illegal aliens back to their own country
Naturalization – the process an immigrant must go through to become a citizen
Census – when the government counts the population
Quota –a numerical limit of people who are allowed to enter a country as immigrants
Refugee – people who have lost their home to war, famine, or political oppression
Migration – a mass movement of people
Parliament – the British legislative body
legislature – a group of people that make laws for a state or country
precedent – a ruling that is used as the basis for a judicial decision in a later, similar case
common law – a system of law based on precedent
colony – a group of people in one place who are ruled by the government of another
colonists – a member of a colony, those who settle in a new place
compact – an agreement or contract made among a group of people
town meeting – a gathering of local citizens to vote on and discuss important issue
mercantilism – an economic theory where a country exports more than it imports
boycott – a refusal to buy goods or use services as a means of protest
repeal – to cancel a law
delegate – a representative to a meeting
congress – an important meeting where representatives discuss important matters
independence – self reliance and freedom from outside control
interpret – to decide the meaning of
confederation – a group of individuals or states that band together for a common purpose
ratify – to vote for approval of
amend – to change
federal system – a political system in which the power is shared between a national government and the state
compromise – an agreement in which both sides agree to give up something to get something more important
export – to sell goods to other countries
Electoral College – a group of people who elect the president and the vice president
Anti-Federalist – a person who opposed the Constitution before 1789
Federalist – a person who supported the Constitution and a strong national government before 1789
Preamble –The introduction to the Constitution of the United States
legislative – having the power to make laws
executive – having the power to carry out laws

judicial – having the power to interpret the laws
checks and balances – a system where a branch of government is able to limit the other branches of government
veto – to reject a bill
override – to defeat a veto of a bill
popular sovereignty –the idea that people should have the right to rule themselves
enumerated powers – powers that the Constitution delegates to the national government
reserved powers – powers the Constitution reserves to the states
concurrent powers – powers that the state and national government share
supremacy clause – The constitution is the supreme law of the land
amendment – an addition to the Constitution
implied powers – powers that Congress can use that are not specifically delegated to them by the Constitution
search warrant – a legal document that allows a police officer to search a suspects home for evidence
indict – to formally accuse someone of a crime
double jeopardy – putting a person on trial again for a charge he has been acquitted of before
due process of law – procedures established by law and guaranteed by the Constitution
eminentdomain – the right of the government to take private land for public good
bail – money paid to the court by an accused person to guarantee that he/she will appear in court for trial
slander – the criminal act of lying about another person to harm their reputation
treason – an act of endangering one’s country or giving assistance to an enemy
libel – the criminal act of printing lies about someone in order to harm someone’s reputation
petition – a formal request for government action
suffrage – the right to vote
poll tax – a sum of money paid in exchange for the right to vote
civilrights – the rights of a citizen
discrimination – unfair an less equal treatment of a particular group
affirmativeaction – programs to help minorities and women gain access to opportunities and jobs
segregation – a separation of people because of race or ethnicity
duties – the things we are required to do
responsibilities – obligations people fulfill voluntarily
draft – to call up people for military services
toleration – respect and acceptance of people of a different race, religion, or lifestyle
welfare – the health, prosperity, and happiness of a person or community
community – a group of people who share common interest and concerns
public – pertaining to the people of given community, for use by all people of a community
candidate –a person seeking elected office
plurality – largest number of votes or seats in a legislature
majority – more than half
coalition – a political alliance with another party or parties
thirdparty – a minor political party in the United States that challenges the two major parties
nominate – to choose a candidate to run for political office
campaign – an organized effort to gather support for a candidate
patronage – giving jobs or special favors to loyal party members
precinct – a geographic area that contains a specific number of votes

politicalmachine – a strong party organization that can control appointments and deliver votes
platform – a political party’s statement of its goals and position on public issues
plank – an item in the party platform
grassroots – beginning with the people
accountable – having to explain ones action to the voters
nonpartisan – not involving political parties
electorate – the people who are eligible to vote in an election
literacy test – a test to prove a voter can read, write and understand political issues
apathy – a lack of interest
caucus – a meeting of a political party members to conduct party business
primary election –an election where party members choose candidates to run for office
propaganda – techniques used to promote a particular person or idea
canvassing – going through neighborhoods asking for votes or doing an opinion poll
PAC – Political Activist Committee
pollingplace – a place where voters vote
straightticket – voting for all candidates in one political party
splitticket – voting for candidates in both political parties
exitpoll – a survey taking at polling places asking how people voted
popularvote – votes directly cast for candidates
electoral vote – votes cat for members of the Electoral College
initiative – procedures where citizens can propose laws through petitioning
proposition – a petition asking for a new law
referendum – allowing voters to decide an issue
recall – an election where voters can remove elected officials from office
publicopinion – the attitudes of a large group of people about a particular person or issue
mass media – sources of news and information that are widely distributed
interest group – people with similar point of view who work together to promote that point of view
pollster – a person who takes polls or samples of public opinion
bias – a one-sided or slanted point of view
impartial – not favoring any particular side
lobby – trying to get government officials to support the goals of a special interest group
lobbyist – a person who tries to get govt. officials to support the goals of a special interest group
bicameral – having two legislative houses
gerrymandering – dividing the state into odd shape voting districts for political reasons
constituent – a person from a legislator district
franking privilege – the right of members of Congress to send work related mail without postage
immunity – legal protection against prosecution
expulsion – forcing members of Congress who have committed a serious crime to step down
censure – a legislature’s formal disapproval of one of its members
session – a period of time when Congress meets
majority leader – the leader of the majority party of Congress
minority leader – the leader of the minority party of Congress
party whip – a Republican and a Democrat from each house of Congress who try to persuade their party members to vote together

speaker of the house – the leader of the House of Representatives chosen by the majority party
president pro tempore – the unofficial leader of the Senate chosen by the majority party
standing committee –
subcommittee –
select committee – a temporary committee of Congress that deals with a particular issue
joint committee – a committee that involves members from both house of Congress
conference committee – a joint committee of Congress that deals with the details of a purpose law
seniority system – a system that gives the most desirable committee assignments to Congressmen who have served the longest
expressed powers – powers that are given to the national government by the Constitution
impeach – to accuse a government official of wrongdoing
appropriations – funds reserved for specific use
pigeonhole – to sit a bill aside in a committee without considering it
filibuster – a tactic for defeating a bill in Senate by talking until the bill sponsors withdraws it
cloture – a procedure used in senate to limit the debate on a bill
voice vote – yea or nay votes
standing vote – standing for or opposing a measure under consideration
roll-call vote – a procedure everyone is called on to voice his vote
pocket veto – veto a president can use. If congress is out of session for 10 days the president can kill a bill by not signing it
cabinet – a group that advises the president and heads departments
bureaucracy – a government with many different organizations and procedures
executive order – a rule that the President orders that has the power of law
ambassador – an official representative of a country’s government
treaty – a formal agreement between two or more countries
executive agreement – an agreement between the president and a leader of another country
pardon – a declaration of freedom or forgiveness of punishment (1 person)
reprieve – an order to delay carrying out a sentence or court order
amnesty – pardon granted to members of a group for breaking a law
administration – officials who help the president plan and carry out policy
domestic – relating to matters within a country
foreignpolicy – a government plan for dealing with foreign countries
embassy – a government office, run by an ambassador, setup in a foreign country
consulate – a group of officials in a foreign country that protect the interest of their citizens
consul – an official who heads a consulate
passport – an official document that identifies a traveler as a citizen of a particular country
visa – a permit that allows a person to stay in a country a certain amount of time
executiveagency – an independent agency setup to deal with specialized areas of the government
regulatorycommission – an independent agency that protects the public by controlling certain types of businesses and industries
governmentcorporation – a business owned and operated by the government that provides public services
redtape – inefficiency caused by too many rules

spoils system – the practice of giving jobs as reward for loyalty
civil servant – a government employee
inferior court – a lower court
criminal case – a case in which a person is accused of breaking laws
civil case – a case where one party takes action against another
suit – the formal complaint to the court in a legal matter
jurisdiction – The authority to hear and decide a case in a court of law
exclusive jurisdiction – having the authority to hear and decide a court case (federal)
concurrent jurisdiction – state and federal both share jurisdiction to hear and decide a court case
district court – the first level of courts where cases are tried and decided
original jurisdiction – the authority a to hear and decide a court case first (district court level)
magistrate – a person on the district court level who issues court orders and hears the preliminary evidence to decide whether a case so go to trial.
marshal – arrest suspects, delivers defendants to the courts, and serve subpoenas
subpoena – a court order requiring someone to appeal in court
court of appeals – the second level of court hierarchy. They decide whether to uphold, overturn, or remand a court case back to a district court
appellate jurisdiction – appeals court can only hear cases that have been appealed
circuit – a particular geographic area that an appeals court has jurisdiction over
remand – send a case back to a district court to be re-tried
court-martial – when a military person breaks a federal or military law
judicial review – the supreme court can review any state or federal law to see if it is Constitutional
unconstitutional – when a law conflicts with the constitution
brief – written arguments of attorneys
docket – court calendar
adversary – two opposing sides in a court case
writ of certiorari – directs a lower court to send its records on a case to the supreme court
majority opinion – the written opinion in a supreme court case that majority agree with
concurring opinion – the written opinion of a supreme court justice that agrees with the majority but for different reason
dissenting opinion – the written opinion of supreme court justices that disagrees with the majority
extradition – returning a suspect criminal to a state or country where he has committed a supposed crime
commute – reducing a prison sentence
parole – an early release from prison with certain restriction
unicameral – one house legislature (Nebraska)
apportionment – the distribution of legislative seats according to population
misdemeanor – less serious crimes (traffic tickets)
magistratecourts – local courts or police courts
charter – a state plan of government
ordinance – any law passed by a county board or local government
township – smaller units that divide a county
special district – a special unit of government create by the state for a local government to handle special issue
user fee – a fee charged for use of a service

home rule –the power granted by state legislatures to cities to take care of there own affairs
ward – a voting district within a city
member-at-large – a member of the city council that is elected by the whole city
infrastructure – a community’s system of roads, bridges, waterways, and sewers
zoning board – a commission setup to decide where a communities homes, business, and industries should be located
urban renewal – rebuilding old neighborhoods in cities
jurisprudence – the study of the law
stare decisis – the practice of using earlier judicial rulings as a bases for deciding cases
bill of attainder – a law that punishes a person accused of a crime without a fair hearing in court
ex post facto law – a law that would allow a person to be punished for an action that was not against the when the action took place
petit jury – jury that hears trials
bench trial – a trial by a judge
suit of equity – a special lawsuit that seeks fair treatment where no law exist
injunction – a court order commanding a person or group to stop an action
complaint – a formal notice that a lawsuit is being brought
penal code – the criminal laws of a state
larceny – the unlawful taking of property
vandalism – the deliberate destruction of property
fraud – taking property by dishonest means or misrepresentation
mandatory sentence – the punishment require by law for certain crimes
summons – a notice directing a person to appear in court to answer a complaint or a charge
arraignment – a hearing where a suspect enters a plea of guilty or not guilty
prosecution – the state side of the proceedings in a criminal court
testimony – the statement a witness makes under oath
cross-examination – the process of questioning a witness to check or discredit his/her testimony
acquittal – a vote of not guilty
hung jury – a jury that cannot agree on a verdict