OVERVIEW
NEW WORDS
Nouns.
- amendment (plural: amendments) a change or addition designed to improve a text or piece of legislation.
- appropriation (plural: appropriations) a sum of money set apart for a specific purpose, especially by a legislature.
- authorization (plural: authorizations) official permission or approval.
- autocracy (plural: autocracies) government by an individual with unrestricted authority.
- ballot (plural: ballots) a slip of paper on which a voter marks his or her choice; voting in general.
- bill (plural: bills) a draft of a proposed law presented for approval to a legislative body.
- Bill of Rights the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. It spells out Americans’ rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, press, and religion.
- borough (plural: boroughs) the five major governmental districts that compose New York City. The boroughs are the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island.
- Cabinet (plural: Cabinets) a body of persons appointed by a head of state or a prime minister to head the executive departments of the government and to act as official advisers.
- campaign (plural: campaigns) a race between candidates for elective office.
- candidate (plural: candidates) a person who seeks or is nominated for an office, prize, or honor.
- citizen (plural: citizens) a person owing loyalty to and entitled by birth or naturalization to the protection of a state or nation.
- citizenship the status of a citizen with its attendant duties, rights, and privileges.
- city council (plural: councils) a municipal body with legislative powers, as passing ordinances and appropriating funds.
- City Hall the building housing the administrative offices of a municipal government.
- Civil Liberties individual rights protected by law from unjust governmental or other interference.
- Civil Rights the rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.
- Commander in Chief one who holds the supreme command of an armed force.
- Congress a national legislative body, especially that of the US. The US Congress, which meets at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., was established by the Constitution of 1787 and is composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
- Congressman a male member of Congress, especially a member of the US House of Representatives.
- Congresswoman a female member of Congress, especially a female member of the US House of Representatives.
- consensus an opinion or position reached by a group as a whole.
- conservative (plural: conservatives) one favoring traditional views and values.
- constituent (plural: constituents) a resident of a district or member of a group represented by an elected official.
- constitution (plural: constitutions) the system of fundamental laws and principles that prescribes the nature, functions, and limits of a government or another institution.
- convention (plural: conventions) a formal meeting of members, representatives, or delegates, as of a political party, fraternal society, profession, or industry.
- court (plural: courts) an authority having power to adjudicate in civil, criminal, military, or ecclesiastical matters.
- council member (plural: members) a person who is a member of the local government of a town, city, or area.
- courthouse (plural: courthouses) a building housing judicial courts.
- debate (plural: debates) a discussion involving opposing points; an argumenta.
- democracy (plural: democracies) government by the people.
- deregulation the abolition or reduction of state controls and supervision over private economic activities.
- despot (plural: despots) a ruler with absolute power.
- dictatorship (plural: dictatorships) a government in which a single leader or party exercises absolute control over all citizens and every aspect of their lives.
- diplomacy the art or practice of conducting international relations, as in negotiating alliances, treaties, and agreements.
- diplomat (plural: diplomats) one, such as an ambassador, who has been appointed to represent a government in its relations with other governments.
- election (plural: elections) the act or process of electing someone to fill an office or position.
- Electoral College a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.
- entitlement (plural: entitlements) a government program that guarantees and provides benefits to a particular group.
- executive (plural: executives) the chief officer of a government, state, or political division.
- executive order (plural: orders) a regulation issued by the president, governor, or other chief executive and having the force of law.
- government (plural: governments) the form or system of rule by which a state, etc., is governed.
- governor (plural: governors) the chief executive of a state in the United States.
- House of Representatives the lower chamber of the United States Congress. It is part of the federal government legislative branch.
- ideology (plural: ideologies) a body of ideas that reflects the beliefs and interests of a nation, political system, etc and underlies political action.
- impeachment (plural: impeachments) the presentation of charges against a public official by the lower house, with trial to be before the upper house.
- indictment (plural: indictments) a written charge accusing someone of having committed a crime, presented by a grand jury.
- judge (plural: judges) a public official with authority to hear cases in a court of law and pronounce judgment upon them.
- jury (plural: juries) a group of, usually twelve, people sworn to deliver a true verdict according to the evidence upon a case presented in a court of law.
- landslide an election that sweeps a party or candidate into office.
- legislation a aw, body of laws, or the process of making laws.
- liberal (plural: liberals) favorable to progress and reform.
- majority (plural: majorities) a number larger than half the total.
- mayor (plural: mayors) the head of government of a city, town, borough, or municipal corporation.
- midterms/ midterm elections Mid-term elections are elections that are held half-way through a President’s four year term. This election does not include voting for the Presidency, but does include elections for many members of Congress, the state legislatures, and many state governors. The members of the House of Representatives are elected for two-year terms. Because of this, each candidate for representative is on the ballot during every presidential-year election and mid-term election. Senators from each state are elected to six-year terms. Approximately one-third of senate seats are listed on the ballot during each mid-term election.
Most governors are elected for four-year terms; and, therefore, approximately half of state governors are up for re-election during mid-term elections. - migrant (plural: migrants) a person who leaves one country to settle permanently in another; an immigrant.
- minority (plural: minorities) a racial, religious, political, national, or other group thought to be different from the larger group of which it is part.
- partisanship a fervent, sometimes militant supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea.
- party (plural: parties) an established political group organized to promote and support its principles and candidates for public office.
- platform (plural: platforms) the declared principles, aims, etc, of a political party.
- president (plural: presidents) the chief executive or head of state of a republic.
- primary (plural: primaries) elections that political parties use to select candidates for a general election.
- recount (plural: recounts) a second count of votes cast in an election.
- referendum (plural: referendums) the submission of a proposed public measure or actual statute to a direct popular vote.
- representative (plural: representatives) a person representing a constituency in a deliberative, legislative, or executive body, especially a member of the House of Representatives
- representative democracy a form of democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives.
- refugee (plural: refugees) one who flees, especially to another country, seeking refuge from war, political oppression, religious persecution, or a natural disaster.
- Secretary (Secretaries) the head of an executive department and member of the President’s Cabinet.
- Senate the upper house of the United States Congress; consists of 100 Senators (two from each state).
- senator (plural: senators) Senators are elected to serve six-year terms and are part of the Legislative branch of Government.
- session (plural: sessions) a period in which the legislature meets.
- statute (plural: statutes) a law enacted by the legislative branch of a government.
- suffrage the right or privilege of voting.
- Supreme Court the highest court in the nation. Members of the Judicial Branch are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
- theocracy (plural: theocracies) government ruled by or subject to religious authority.
- voter (plural: voters) a citizen who has a legal right to vote.
- White House the White House is where the President and First Family of the United States live and work.
Adjectives.
- autocratic relating to an absolute and unrestricted ruler.
- bipartisan consisting of, or supported by members of two parties, especially two major political parties.
- conservative favoring traditional views and values.
- democratic characterized by or advocating or based upon the principles of democracy or social equality;
- dictatorial tyrannical; autocratic.
- Executive (e.g., the Executive Branch) relating to the branch of government charged with the execution and administration of the nation’s laws.
- judicial (e.g., the Judicial Branch) relating to to courts of law or to the administration of justice.
- legislative (e.g., the Legislative Branch) relating to the enactment of laws.
- liberal favoring reform, open to new ideas; not bound by traditional thinking.
- partisan (e.g., partisan politics) biased in support of a party, group, or cause.
- political (e.g., political system) relating to, or dealing with the structure or affairs of government, politics, or the state.
- presidential (e.g., the Presidential Library) relating to a president or presidency.
- statutory required, permitted, or enacted by statute.
- totalitarian relating to, being, or imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life, the individual is subordinated to the state.
Verbs.
- to appeal to request for an appeal of a case to a higher court for rehearing.
- to authorize to grant authority or power to.
- to dissent to differ in sentiment or opinion.
- to ratify to approve and give formal sanction to; confirm.
- to vote to express one’s preference for a candidate or for a proposed resolution of an issue.
Expressions.
- due process a requirement that legal matters be resolved according to established rules and principles and that individuals be treated fairly.
- run for office to compete as a candidate in an election.
- the Capitol Building the government building in Washington where the United States Senate and the House of Representatives meet
- straw vote (votes) an unofficial vote taken to indicate the relative strength of opposing candidates or issues.
- swing voter (plural: voters) a voter who may not be affiliated with a particular political party; an independent.
VISUAL VOCABULARY
- Let’s visit the government buildings in the capital cities of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand
KEY PHRASES
GRAMMAR TIPS
ONLINE RESOURCES
United States
Canada
United Kingdom
Ireland
Australia
New Zealand
