Agriculture Commissioner:
- Oversees all activities of the state Department of Agriculture
Amendments:
- Additions or changes
Appeal:
- Court case that is brought from a lower court to a higher court to be heard again
Attorney General:
- Lawyer for the state
Bank of North Dakota:
- The only state-owned bank in the United States
Bicameral:
- Two separate bodies that have equal power
- Senate and House of Representatives
Biennial:
- Every two years
Bill:
- Draft of a law
Bill of Rights:
- First 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution
- List of people’s rights that the government must protect
Census:
- Count of the people
Chamber:
- Room
Checks and balances:
- Sharing and balancing power so that one branch cannot have more power than the others
Chief Justice:
- Presides over the Supreme Court
Civil case:
- Involves disputes concerning people’s rights
Congress:
- Legislative branch of the U.S. government
- Made up of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives
Constitution:
- A document containing rules and laws explaining how the government is organized and run
Criminal case:
- Involves someone being accused of doing something illegal
Decennial:
- Every 10 years
Declaration of Rights:
- The bill of rights of North Dakota
- Consists of 25 items
Executive branch:
- Makes sure the laws are enforced
- President is in charge of the executive branch of the U.S. government
- Governor is in charge of the executive branch of state government
Governor:
- Chief executive officer of the state
Hearing:
- Public discussion
Illegal:
- Against the law
Initiative:
- Citizens make laws through petitions and voting
Insurance Commissioner:
- Responsible for making sure state laws regarding insurance are followed
Judicial branch:
- Explains the laws and settles disputes, or conflicts
- Made up of the court system
Justice:
- Judge on the Supreme Court
Legislative Assembly:
- Legislative branch of North Dakota government
- State legislature
- Law-making body
Legislative branch:
- Makes the laws
- Made up of Senate and House of Representatives
Lieutenant Governor:
- Becomes the chief executive if the Governor resigns, dies, or is unable to fulfill duties
Majority:
- Over half
Municipal Courts:
- Deal with violations of city ordinances
North Dakota House of Representatives:
- One of the two bodies of the legislative branch
North Dakota Senate:
- One of the two bodies of the legislative branch
North Dakota Supreme Court:
- Highest court in the state
Override:
- Win against a Governor’s veto by two-thirds vote of both the Senate and the House
Population:
- Number of people
Preamble:
- Introduction
Public Service Commissioners:
- Board of three people who oversee state transportation and communication
Ratified:
- Approved
Recall:
- Citizens remove an official from office by petitions and voting
Referendum:
- Citizens reject laws by petitions and voting
Secretary of State:
- Chief clerk of the state
Separation of powers:
- Separating government power and dividing it into three branches
State Auditor:
- Bookkeeper of the state
- Examines how the state uses its money
State Treasurer:
- Handles all money received by the state
Superintendent of Public Instruction:
- In charge of state education department
Supreme:
- Highest
Tax Commissioner:
- In charge of collecting special taxes
U.S. House of Representatives:
- Composed of 435 members
- Membership is based on the population of each state
- North Dakota has one U.S. Representative
U.S. Senate:
- Composed of 100 members
- Two members from each state
- North Dakota has two U.S. Senators
U.S. Supreme Court:
- Highest court of the United States
- Made up of nine justices (judges)
Veto:
- Reject
Washington, D.C.:
- Capital of the United States
- Located between Virginia and Maryland
- Site of many federal buildings