Constitution Constitution VocabularyVocabulary

Vocab related to the Vocab related to the roots of our roots of our

government…government…

Absolute monarchAbsolute monarch

A ruler with complete A ruler with complete authority over the authority over the government and peoplegovernment and people

Related term: Related term: monarchy – gov’t ruled monarchy – gov’t ruled by king/queenby king/queen

divine rightdivine right

The belief The belief that a ruler’s that a ruler’s authority authority come directly come directly from God from God

Natural rightsNatural rights

Rights that belong to Rights that belong to every human from birthevery human from birth

evidentevident

Obvious, clear, easy to Obvious, clear, easy to understandunderstand

direct democracydirect democracy

System of gov’t in which System of gov’t in which ordinary citizens have the ordinary citizens have the power to governpower to govern

republicrepublic

System of gov’t in which the System of gov’t in which the people choose representatives people choose representatives to govern themto govern them

Root = publica (of the people) Root = publica (of the people)

representative governmentrepresentative government

Political system in which Political system in which voters elect others to make voters elect others to make lawslaws

Who represents you?? Who represents you??

enlightenedenlightenedTo be freed To be freed

from the from the superstitions superstitions and ignorance and ignorance of the Middle of the Middle Ages and Ages and embrace reason embrace reason and experienceand experience

town meetingtown meeting Meeting in Meeting in

colonial New colonial New England during England during which settlers which settlers discussed and discussed and voted on issuesvoted on issues

grievancegrievance

A formal complaintA formal complaint

Vocab related to our Vocab related to our constitution…constitution…

constitutionconstitutionA document which sets A document which sets

out the law and out the law and principles of governmentprinciples of government

Adjective: constitutionalAdjective: constitutional

preamblepreamble An introduction An introduction

to an official to an official documentdocument

ratifyratify

To approveTo approve

CompromiseCompromiseAn agreement in which each An agreement in which each

side gives up part of what it side gives up part of what it wants to end a disagreement wants to end a disagreement

ExecutiveExecutive In government, In government,

the person the person who sees that who sees that laws are laws are carried out carried out (president)(president)

legislature legislature

The part of a The part of a government government that makes that makes lawslaws

Separation of powersSeparation of powers

The principle by which The principle by which the powers of the gov’t the powers of the gov’t are divided among are divided among separate branches to separate branches to prevent corruption and prevent corruption and tyrannytyranny

Vocab related to the Vocab related to the roots of our Bill of roots of our Bill of

Rights…Rights…

bill of rightsbill of rights

A written list of freedoms A written list of freedoms that a gov’t promises to that a gov’t promises to protectprotect

Related term – bill (piece of Related term – bill (piece of paper upon which some paper upon which some thing important is written!)thing important is written!)

amendmentamendment

A revision or addition to a bill, a A revision or addition to a bill, a law, or a constitutionlaw, or a constitution

Habeas corpusHabeas corpus

The right not The right not to be held in to be held in prison prison without first without first being being charged with charged with a specific a specific crimecrime

juryjury

Panel of Panel of citizens who citizens who have the have the power to power to make make judgments in judgments in a triala trial

Freedom of the pressFreedom of the press

The right of newspapers The right of newspapers and other public media to and other public media to publish articles that they publish articles that they believe to be accuratebelieve to be accurate

libellibel

The publishing of The publishing of statements that damage a statements that damage a person’s reputationperson’s reputation

Adjective form: libelous

violateviolate To break a rule To break a rule

or lawor law

AllianceAlliance an agreement between countries an agreement between countries

to support each otherto support each other