(Unit 1) Government-5th Grade
government
a system of laws and leaders that helps keep people safe and protects their rights
popular sovereignty
the power and authority of the government comes from the people
constitution
the highest law of our land and the document that describes how our government is organized
preamble
the introduction to our constitution
laws
statements that define how citizens should behave
rule of law
the principle that everybody, including government officials, must obey the laws
separations of powers
power is separated, or divided, among three branches of government
branches of government
the three different sections of government
legislative branch
the branch of government that makes laws
executive branch
the branch of government that enforces laws
judicial branch
the branch of government that decides what laws mean
articles
parts of the constitution
checks and balances
the way in which the different branches of government keep each other from having too much power
veto
when the president turns down a bill or refuses to sign it into law
override
when congress votes to cancel a president's veto
limited government
the government can only do what the people have given it the power to do
federalism
power is divided between the federal government and state government
federal government
the government of our country
state government
the government is centered in Lansing, Michigan
individual rights
things an individual person is entitled to have or to do
amendment
a change, or addition, to the constitution
bill of rights
the first ten amendments, or additions, to the constitution which give people important rights such as freedom of speech