Glossary of terms about the U.S. government
Get definitions of unfamiliar words about the presidency and branches of government.
Annexation: To formally declare a piece of land for a different country, without a treaty or money from a sale
Acquit: To set free from a criminal charge
Bill: A proposed law given to Congress for debate
Checks and balances: A system to ensure that no one branch of government becomes too powerful
Constitution: A document that defines the beliefs and laws of a country
Continental Congress: The assembly of delegates from the 13 colonies who met before, during, and in the years immediately following the Revolutionary War for independence from Britain
Draft: A requirement of military service for young men
Electoral College: The process by which the country elects its president
Executive order: The implied power of the president (not in the Constitution) to give an order with the legal status of a law
Impeach: To charge the president with a crime
Inauguration: The swearing in of a new president who promises to do his or her best for the country, based on the U.S. Constitution
Income tax: A yearly charge based on a person’s salary
Pardon: To officially forgive someone for a crime
Treaty: A formal agreement between nations
Veto: A presidential power used to stop a bill from becoming a law
From the Nat Geo Kids book Weird But True Know-It-All: U.S. Presidents by Brianna Dumont, revised for digital by Laura Goertzel