Chapter 9 Vocab

• 1. Popular Sovereignty: The authority of the government comes from the people; the government gets its power from the people.
  2. Legislative Branch: The part of government that makes the laws; Congress
  3. Bill: A law that hasn’t been passed yet; once the president signs a bill, it becomes a law.
  4. Bicameral: 2 houses—refers to Congress being made up of 2 groups
  5. Veto: What the president can say to bill when he doesn’t like it; its his way of saying “NO”
  6. Executive Branch: The president’s part of the government that is supposed to carry out (enforce or execute) the laws.
  7. Impeach: To formally accuse or to put on trial; usually talking about the president
  8. Judicial Branch: The part of government made up of judges and courts that interpret (or make sense of) the laws.
  9. Checks and Balances: A system in government that prevents or makes sure that no one branch of government becomes too strong
  10. Interstate commerce: Trade between the different states
  11. Federalism: The system of sharing power between the state governments and the national government
  12. Party: An organized political group that tries to get people elected
  13. Interest group: An organized group that is concerned with usually just one thing and tries to get laws passed in their favor (I.E., NRA)
  14. Majority Rule: When there’s a vote, the majority wins. 
  15. Amendment: A change to the Constitution
  16. Simple Majority: more than half
  17. Super Majority: 2/3 or more
  18. Office: A government job (I.E., Office of the President)