front 1 branch | back 1 laanta one of three parts of our government EXAMPLE: In the United States, there are three branches of government: the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. |
front 2 enforce | back 2 xoojin to make people obey a rule or law EXAMPLE: The teacher enforced the rule about cell phones. If she saw one, she took it away for the rest of the day. |
front 3 interpret | back 3 tarjunto to explain or decide what some words mean EXAMPLE: There is a law against smoking in public places. Judges decide what exactly the law means. They interpret the law. |
front 4 pardon | back 4 cafin an official decision to forgive someone who has committed a crime, and allow them to go free EXAMPLE: The president decided to pardon people who were in prison for having a small amount of marijuana. |
front 5 veto | back 5 diidmo-qayaxan to not allow something to happen after others said it was okay EXAMPLE: The president did not like the new law. She vetoed it before it became official. |
front 6 carry out | back 6 fuliso PHRASAL VERB: to do or complete something EXAMPLE: On Friday afternoon, my boss told me to throw away all the food in our company refrigerator. I carried out his order. Some of my coworkers were not happy Monday morning when they found out what I had done. |
front 7 checks and balances | back 7 jeegag iyo isku dheelitirnaan a way to prevent one person (the president) or group (Supreme Court or Congress) from having too much power EXAMPLE: In the United States, each branch of government has power, but no branch has more power than the others. Also, each branch can limit the actions of the other branches. This is called our system of checks and balances. |
front 8 Congress | back 8 Golaha the legislative branch EXAMPLE: Congress is made up of elected representatives and senators. Congress makes laws. |
front 9 divide | back 9 qaybin to separate into parts or groups EXAMPLE: Our government is divided into three branches. |
front 10 executive branch | back 10 waaxda fulinta the president, vice president, and the cabinet EXAMPLE: The job of the executive branch is to enforce the laws. |
front 11 federal | back 11 federaalka relating to the country as a whole, not to individual states EXAMPLE: We pay taxes to the federal government. One way they use the money is to support elderly people by giving them social security. Another way they use the tax money is to repair roads. |
front 12 Founding Fathers | back 12 Aasaasidda Aabayaal the group of men who started the United States and wrote its constitution EXAMPLE: The most famous Founding Father is George Washington. |
front 13 justices | back 13 cadaalad people who judge in a court of law, a synonym for judge EXAMPLE: There are 9 justices on the Supreme Court. |
front 14 hear a case | back 14 maqal dacwad listen to a trial officially EXAMPLE: In a criminal case, if a judge hears a case, they listen to it in court to decide if someone is guilty or innocent. |
front 15 judicial branch | back 15 waaxda garsoorka the Supreme Court and its 9 judges, as well as other federal courts EXAMPLE: The judicial branch hears cases and interprets laws. |
front 16 legislative branch | back 16 waaxda sharci dajinta Congress, which is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives EXAMPLE: The legislative branch of our government makes laws. |
front 17 nominate | back 17 magacaabid to officially suggest a person for a position EXAMPLE: The president nominates the justices for the Supreme Court. Then the person is approved or disapproved by Congress. |
front 18 system | back 18 nidaam a way or method of doing things EXAMPLE: When I served on a jury, I learned a lot about the American legal system. |