Intro to Government Vocab

Definition Paraphrase Picture

Government: A government is the system or

group of people governing an
organized community, generally a
state. In the case of its broad
associative definition,
government normally consists of
legislature, executive, and
judiciary.

Law: Law is a set of rules that are

created and are enforceable by
social or governmental
institutions to regulate behavior,
with its precise definition a
matter of longstanding debate. It
has been variously described as
a science and as the art of
justice.

Senate: A senate is a deliberative

assembly, often the upper house
or chamber of a bicameral
legislature.

House of Representatives: As per the Constitution, the U.S.

House of Representatives makes
and passes federal laws.

Legislature: A legislature is an assembly with

the authority to make laws for a
political entity such as a country,
nation or city.

Public Policy: Public policy is an

institutionalized proposal or a
decided set of elements like laws,
regulations, guidelines, and
actions to solve or address
relevant and real-world problems.

Constitution: A constitution is the aggregate of

fundamental principles or
established precedents that
constitute the legal basis of a
policy.
Checks & Balances: This provides each branch of
government with individual
powers to check the other
branches and prevent any one
branch from becoming too
powerful.

Division of Powers: Separation of powers refers to

the division of a state's
government into branches, each
with separate, independent
powers and responsibilities.

Democracy: Democracy is a system of

government in which state power
is vested in the people or the
general population of a state.

State: A state government is the

government that controls a
subdivision of a country in a
federal form of government,
which shares political power with
the federal or national
government.

Judicial Branch: Includes the California Supreme

Court and all the lower courts in
the state, and it interprets and
applies laws at state and local
levels.

Legislative Branch: Made up of the House and

Senate, known collectively as the
Congress.

Executive Branch: The executive, also referred to as

the executive branch or executive
power, is the term commonly
used to describe that part of
government which executes the
law.

Bill: A government bill is a bill which

is proposed, introduced or
supported by a government in
their country's legislature.

Congress: Congress is the legislative

branch of the federal government
that represents the American
people and makes the nation's
laws.
Watch the video and write down 7 reasons why it's important to learn about government and/or how you can get
involved in government:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrk4oY7UxpQ&list=PL8dPuuaLjXtOfse2ncvffeelTrqvhrz8H&index=1

1. We need to learn of the government because it enables you to participate in an informed way.
2. We need to vote in elections that can change our lives.
3. Participating in politics as a citizen can vary.
4. To form what ideology you agree or disagree with.
5. Know your civil rights are protected.
6. To make our government more responsive.
7. Make politics more inclusive.