Glossary
Amendment: An amendment is a change to a legal document. There are twenty-seven amendments, or changes, to the Constitution. The first ten are called the Bill of Rights.
Bill: A bill is a draft of a law.
Bill of Rights: The Bill of Rights refers to the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
Branches of government: Branches refer to the different sections of government. The Constitution creates three such branches for the United States federal government: executive, legislative, and judicial. Each branch has different responsibilities, yet each branch is equal in power to the others.
Bullying: Bullying occurs when someone purposefully intimidates another by making him/her feel afraid or isolated. To learn more about bullying, click here. To learn more about cyber bullying, click here. As you look through the websites, think: What is bullying? What are the different types of bullying? How can someone make a law to protect others against bullying? Do you think that the Constitution protects bullying?
Checks and balances: Checks and balances refer to the system in which each branch of the United States government has equal power and can stop the other branches from becoming too powerful. For example, the Legislative Branch checks the Executive Branch and the Judicial Branch if it impeaches Supreme Court Justices, whom the President appoints.
Constitutionality: Constitutionality means that all laws and presidential edicts must obey the Constitution. For example, the Congress cannot make a law that causes people to lose their freedoms of speech and of the press. If a law is unconstitutional, it violates the Constitution.
Federal government: The federal, or national, government has power over any part of the country. In the United States, this government has three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
Freedom of speech: Freedom of speech, as protected under the First Amendment, or Article One of the Bill of Rights, is the right for people to say what they want, as long as it does not affect the rights of other people. For example, a person is not allowed to yell fire in a crowded room if there is no fire, because doing so could cause panic and could cause people to hurt themselves in the resulting chaos. Slander is also not allowed. Slander is the communication, through words or sign language, of a negative, untrue message about someone.
Freedom of the press: Freedom of the press, as protected under the First Amendment, is the right for people to write what they want, as long as it does not affect the rights of other people. Thus, the United States government is not allowed to censor information, or keep something from being published, unless the information threatens the security of the country or violates the rights of other people. For example, libel is not allowed. Libel is the written communication of a negative, untrue message about someone.
Nomination: A nomination is a suggestion for someone to take power or fill a certain position. The President nominates Cabinet members and Supreme Court Justices. If the Senate rejects the President's nominations, the President must find new people and the process repeats itself until the positions are filled.
Pocket veto: A pocket veto occurs when a President refuses to sign a bill after ten days and Congress is not in session. In this case, according to the Constitution, the bill dies and Congress does not have a chance to override the President's decision with a 2/3 majority vote. Compare with "veto" below.
Unconstitutional: See the entry for "constitutionality."
United States Constitution: The United States Constitution outlines the responsibilities of each branch of government and creates checks and balances. Written in 1787, it is the oldest constitution that still runs a country.
Veto: The President can stamp a law with a veto, which shows that s/he does not want the bill to become a law. After a veto, Congress must pass the bill by a 2/3 majority vote in each chamber in order for the bill to become a law. Compare with "pocket veto" above.
