To revise or change

An addition to an existing document; in the U.S. Constitution, the amendments come after the original document

Something used to cast votes in an election. Ballots can either be on a piece of paper or a computer.

A legislature that has two parts; the U.S. Congress is bicameral because it has the House of Representatives and the Senate

In government, a draft version of legislation that is under debate and not yet law

The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution that list the freedoms of the people and states; the Bill of Rights was adopted in 1791

A governing body of a city or town

A section of government with its own purpose; the U.S. government has three sections of the government with different responsibilities that support each other to create, examine, and enforce laws

An estimate for how much money will be spent and made in a set amount of time

A group of unelected people who manage government business

In government, a group of people who advise the leader

Someone who is applying for a job. In a presidential primary election, a candidate is a person who is trying to get the job of president of the United States.

The center or federal government of a group of states; the U.S. central government is in Washington, D.C.

In government, when one part of the government legally stops another part from taking its desired actions

The idea where separate parts of the government are given powers to stop each other’s actions and are made to share power

A member by law of a nation or group

A group of people chosen or elected to make the laws for a colony or state; citizen legislators are not full-time politicians and usually have other jobs

The position of belonging to a nation or group by law

A group of elected officials that makes laws for a city

Having the traits necessary to take on the responsibilities of citizenship in a community

Actions taken to participate in the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a community

Actions citizens do and qualities citizens have that benefit their community

Behaving or speaking in a polite manner

A person who manages and keeps records and accounts in an organization

A group of people who make decisions and plans about a specific topic or issue

A phrase in the preamble of the Constitution; what is best for the community

A group of people living together or having something particular in common

The process of coming to a solution that works for everyone

When a group of people come to agreement about an issue

A document laying out the rules for how a government will work

The document that lays out the framework for how the federal government works; written in 1787 and ratified in 1789

The document that said the 13 colonies would be free of Great Britain's control; it was adopted in 1776

A time to explain, discuss, and debate proposals in government

A government ruled by majority vote of the people

When citizens participate in governing their community

The ruler of a nation or people who has absolute power

Unjustly treating someone or something differently

When people vote for a person for office or other position

Someone who is legally allowed to vote in an election

When people or things are treated the same

Describing the person or branch of government who puts plans and laws into effect

The section of government that puts plans and laws into effect

In New Hampshire, the elected group of people who advise the governor

The central government of a group of states; the U.S. federal government is in Washington, D.C.

When local towns, states, and the federal government share power together

An idea on which something stands; one foundational principle of the United States is the rule of law

A piece of writing that states the ideas or principles on which a government was founded; in the United States, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Federalist Papers are founding documents

The people who led the colonies in the American Revolution, then designed and set up the government of the United States; also called the framers

When the group of people who report the news are allowed to speak without controls from the government

The official name for the New Hampshire state legislature

Actions people take to appropriately behave as a member of a community, such as civic duty

A group of people that have the power to make and carry out laws for a community

The leader of the executive branch of a state government, or during the colonial period, a colony government

One of two legislative chambers; usually larger than the Senate

Freedoms a person has under a democratic government; for example, to speak freely or pursue happiness

To actively break a law or agreement

A group of people who care about a particular issue and try to influence the government on that issue

A person who investigates and reports the news

A person who knows the law and decides for the community whether actions follow the law

Describing the people or branch of government that decides if laws are fair

The section of government that decides if laws are fair

1) Behavior or treatment that is fair and right 2) A person who knows the law and decides for the community whether actions follow the law; justices are similar to judges but sit on state supreme courts or the U.S. Supreme Court

A rule that regulates the actions of members of a community

Describing the people or branch of government that makes laws

The section of government that makes laws

A person elected to serve in either the House of Representatives or Senate

A group of people chosen or elected to make the laws for a colony or state

The ability to read and write

A paper that is added to or changed through time

When decisions about government are left up to the local community, rather than the state or federal government

More than half of a group

The elected executive of a city

A system to communicate with a large number of people, such as television, radio, or newspapers; for example, the news media communicates about events

The ability to identify different means of communication, to recognize and to evaluate the messages in the information, and to create your own communication

Less than half of a group

A person who leads a meeting to ensure it is organized and balanced

A form of government led by a king or queen who holds the leadership position for life

A formal proposal made in a meeting

Describing something or someone who is not on any side of an issue

When political groups disagree on many issues and have trouble working together

The point of view expressed through writing, speech, photographs, and other sources of information

A question in a formal meeting whether the rules are being followed

An organized group of people with similar goals and opinions about how a nation should function. The United States has two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

Someone whose profession is to be in government

The elected executive of a government

News media including print and digital publications

Something that is supplied for the benefit of the people; examples of public services are police, libraries, school, roads, courts, and military

The person selected by a group of people who will communicate their views and make laws for them

A community where people are governed by their elected representatives

An action an individual takes to be accountable for something

Things a person should legally or morally be able to do or get to have

A group of elected representatives who make decisions about the school system in a town

A group of people elected to govern a town

One of two legislative chambers; usually smaller than the House of Representatives

When the actions government can take to govern are divided among parts of the government in order to limit government’s power

An agreement between people and their government to give up some rights in exchange for security and law and order

What comes when people live together in a community

In government, a member of the House or Senate who officially presents a bill to the legislature

People elected to maintain the official list of voters

An amount of money, added to the regular cost of an item, that goes to the government

A group of people elected to govern a town

The day on which a formal gathering of the citizens of a town to discuss and vote on town business occurs; in New Hampshire, this day is traditionally the second Tuesday in March

A yearly document laying out the management, money matters, and actions of a town

To reject something; in government, to reject the final version of a bill passed by the legislature

The number of people who voted in an election divided by the number of people allowed to vote; shown as a percentage

A document giving authority to do something

A planned action or discussion item to be considered at a town meeting