front 1 government | back 1 a system of laws and leaders that helps keep people safe and protects their rights |
front 2 popular sovereignty | back 2 the power and authority of the government comes from the people |
front 3 constitution | back 3 the highest law of our land and the document that describes how our government is organized |
front 4 preamble | back 4 the introduction to our constitution |
front 5 laws | back 5 statements that define how citizens should behave |
front 6 rule of law | back 6 the principle that everybody, including government officials, must obey the laws |
front 7 separations of powers | back 7 power is separated, or divided, among three branches of government |
front 8 branches of government | back 8 the three different sections of government |
front 9 legislative branch | back 9 the branch of government that makes laws |
front 10 executive branch | back 10 the branch of government that enforces laws |
front 11 judicial branch | back 11 the branch of government that decides what laws mean |
front 12 articles | back 12 parts of the constitution |
front 13 checks and balances | back 13 the way in which the different branches of government keep each other from having too much power |
front 14 veto | back 14 when the president turns down a bill or refuses to sign it into law |
front 15 override | back 15 when congress votes to cancel a president's veto |
front 16 limited government | back 16 the government can only do what the people have given it the power to do |
front 17 federalism | back 17 power is divided between the federal government and state government |
front 18 federal government | back 18 the government of our country |
front 19 state government | back 19 the government is centered in Lansing, Michigan |
front 20 individual rights | back 20 things an individual person is entitled to have or to do |
front 21 amendment | back 21 a change, or addition, to the constitution |
front 22 bill of rights | back 22 the first ten amendments, or additions, to the constitution which give people important rights such as freedom of speech |