Glossary
GLOSSARY
A
abrasions. A part of the skin that has been lightly torn or scraped.
absolute veto. The inviolable power to cancel or nullify a legislative act.
abuse. Improper or excessive use or treatment.
acids. Chemical compounds with a sour taste that react with base to form salt, have a pH value of less than 7, react with metals to form hydrogen gas, and have the capability to eat away or dissolve metals and other materials.
acquitted. To discharge completely.
addiction. Physically or psychologically dependent on a substance, habit, or behavior that can lead to health, social, or economic problems; dependence on a drug.
admissible. Capable of being allowed or accepted (as in a court of law); worthy of being admitted.
admonition. Cautionary advice or criticism for a fault; a mild censure.
agenda. A list of tasks or a schedule to be followed.
alcohol. A beverage containing ethanol or ethyl alcohol which causes intoxication.
alkalis. Any base, as soda, potash, and so on, that is soluble in water, combines with fats to form soap, neutralizes acids, and forms salts with them.
allergic reaction. A physical reaction, often marked by sneezing, breathing difficulties, itching, rash, or swelling, that some people have when the come in contact with certain substances.
American constitutionalism. Government in which power is distributed and limited by a system of laws that must be obeyed by the rulers.
amino acids. The basic units of proteins, produced by living cells or obtained as an essential component of a diet.
amputation. The removal of an external part of the body, most often a limb or part of it, when it has been severely crushed or following the death of an extremity due to impaired blood circulation.
antivenin. An antitoxin used to counter-act venom.
appellate jurisdiction. The legal authority of a court to hear appeals from a lower court.
apportioned. The allocation of legislative seats.
arteries. Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart all parts of the body.
Article 15. The least severe and most commonly used punitive measure for minor military offenses. Though called on-judicial punishment, the accused company or battalion commander (who usually imposes non-judicial punishment) act in a quasi-judicial capacity.
automated external defibrillators. A device used to treat a patient with cardiac arrest whose heart is beating irregularly.
avulsion. The tearing away of a body part accidentally or surgically.
B
bail. Money or property - in the hands of the government to ensure that they will appear in court rather than forfeit it.
balance. The understanding that there is more than one side to every issue, and having the ability to come to an agreement and resolve differences by using either compromising or harmonizing solutions.
balance of power. The division of governmental powers in such a way that no one individual or group can dominate or control the exercise of power by others.
bar scale. A ruler used to measure actual ground distances by converting distances on a map.
bases. Chemical compounds with a slippery or soapy feel that react with acids to form salt, have a pH value above 7, and are used as cleaning materials.
beneficiaries. Those who benefit.
bills of attainder. An act of the legislature that inflicts punishment on an individual or group without a judicial trial.
Boston Massacre. On March 5, 1770, a mob of colonists harassed British soldiers guarding the tax collector's office in Boston. Soldiers killed five Bostonians.
Boston Tea Party. In an act of rebellion against British authority, and in particular to protest British taxes on tea imported to the colonies, a band of colonists boarded ships in Boston harbor and destroyed thousands of dollars' worth of tea by throwing it overboard.
broad construction. The idea that judges should be given great leeway in application of the U.S. constitution in order to adapt to a changing world.
burgesses. Wealthy merchants and craftsmen who represented the cities and towns of England.
C
calamine. A pink powder consisting of zinc oxide and some ferric oxide used in lotions and ointments.
calories. The amount of energy it takes to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water one degree Celsius; a measurement of energy.
cantons. A small territorial district; esp. one of the twenty-two independent states which form the SwissFederalRepublic.
capital punishment. The death penalty.
carbohydrates. One of the various neutral organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (including starches and sugars) produced by green plants and used to provide energy necessary for growth and other functions.
cardiac arrest. The sudden stoppage of the heart.
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (cpr). An emergency method to keep blood and oxygen flowing through a person whose heart and breathing have stopped.
catastrophe. A great and sudden misfortune.
caustic. Capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action; corrosive.
censure. An opinion or judgment that criticizes or condemns sternly.
charters. Written documents from a government or ruler which grants certain rights to an individual, a group, an organization, or the people in general.
chief justice. The highest honor at the end of the game is to become Chief Justice. The game will come to an end then one law form has reached the level of Supreme Court. The cadets are then asked to confirm a Chief Justice by secret.
civil and political rights. They protect the individual from wrongful acts by government and provide each citizen with ways to participate in public affairs.
civil rights. Fundamental rights belonging to every member of a society.
civil rights. These rights protect us in our private lives from the arbitrary and unfair actions of government.
civility. Suggests the decency and integrity that are essential to a constitutional democracy.
clammy. Damp, soft, sticky, and unusually cool.
closed fracture. A fracture in which the broken bone does not push through the skin’s surface.
coerced. The act, process, or power of forcing someone to act or think in a given manner, such as by using force or threats as a form of control.
committees of correspondence. It was formed to publicize colonial opposition and coordinate resistance throughout the colonies.
common good. The good of the community as a whole.
common good. The obligation of each citizen to serve the good of the whole community.
common law. The body of unwritten law developed in England from judicial decisions based on custom and earlier judicial decisions, which constitutes the basis of the English legal system and became part of American law.
commonwealth. Something like a republic, that is, self-governing communities of equals whose members were expected to help serve the good of all.
complex carbohydrates. A carbohydrate that is formed by the body after the conversion of extra glucose; it supplies the body with long-term energy.
compresses. Folded clothes or pads applied so as to press upon a body part to stop bleeding or cool a burn.
consensus. A process by which everyone in a group accepts a decision. It is not necessary for everyone to agree to the decision to reach a consensus, but that everyone accepts the decision or the manner in which it was made, and will not oppose or undermine the results.
consent. To get approval for what is to be done or proposed by another.
consent. Agreement or acquiescence.
constituents. The people represented by an elected official.
constitutional government. A government in which the powers of government are limited in practice by a written or unwritten constitution which they must obey.
contracts. Binding agreements between two or more persons.
contrast. To show differences when compared.
controlled substance. A substance whose manufacture, possession, or sale is controlled by the law.
cooperation. The art of working together as a group towards a common goal; shown in an attitude of group awareness and willingness to help each other reach a common goal.
cosmopolitan. Composed of elements from the entire world or from many different parts of the world.
covenant. A binding agreement made by two or more persons or parties.
cross examine. To question the witness or opposing side.
cruel and unusual punishment. The power of judges and juries to decide punishments is limited by the laws passed.
D
decision-making. The process through which a decision is made.
Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of the Congress of the thirteen United States of America, on the 4th of July, 1776, by which they formally declared that these colonies were free and independent states, not subject to the government of Great Britain.
deficient. Having too little of something, such as a nutrient in the body.
dehydration. The condition that results when fluids are lost from the body and are not replaced; symptoms can include thirst, weakness, exhaustion, confusion, and may result in death.
delegates. A person chosen to act for or represent others, as at a convention.
deliberations. A period of time given to a jury to discuss and determine a ruling in a case.
democracy. A form of government in which political control is exercised by all the people, either directly or through their elected representatives.
dependency. Addiction to a substance.
depressed. Low spirits; sadness; dejection.
detoxification program. A type of program where drug users or addicts can get help withdrawing from substances.
diabetes. A disease that causes too much blood sugar to build up in the body.
discoloration. Altered or changed in color.
dislocation. The separation of a bone from its joint.
distilled. Heated and condensed to purify, form a new substance, or concentrate.
double jeopardy. By the legislatures that, in turn, are limited by the eighth amendment.
dressing. Ointment and bandages applied to a wound.
drugs. Chemicals that cause a change in a person’s body or behavior.
due process of law. Protection against arbitrary deprivation of life, liberty, or property.
E
E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one.
electoral college. The group of presidential electors that casts the official votes for president after a presidential election.
electors. A group of persons selected by each state party to vote for that party's candidates for president and vice president if the party's candidates win the popular vote in the general election in that state.
electronic city-state. The futurist vision of increased citizen participation in public affairs through a telecommunications-based network, or teledemocracy.
elevated. Raised up.
elevation. Height above sea level or the earth’s surface.
emanations. A specific listing of elements.
emergency medical service. Medical professional dedicated to the reduction of morbidity and mortality of residents through the provision of advanced and basic life support care, medically directed rescue, and transportation of the ill and injured.
empowerment. Describes the ability to “make one’s voice heard” in public affairs.
enlightened self-interest. Some people claim that the best way to achieve the common good is for each person to work for his or her self-interest.
enumerated powers. Those rights and responsibilities of the U.S. government specifically provided for and listed in the constitution.
equal [state] representation. Each state has the same number of representatives in Congress.
equal protection. A requirement of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that state laws may not arbitrarily discriminate against persons.
equal representation. Equal voting power for each state.
established religion. An official, state-sponsored religion.
ethyl alcohol. The type of alcohol found in beer, wine, and distilled spirits.
European Convention of Human Rights. Established a European court to which the citizens of these countries could appeal when they believed their rights had been violated.
evaluate. To determine if an act, process, or method has been attained; to assess; to determine he significance of by careful appraisal and study.
ex post facto laws. A criminal law that makes an act a crime that was not a crime when committed, that increases the penalty for a crime after it was committed, or that changes the rules of evidence to make conviction easier.
executive. Made up of several persons appointed by Congress; this branch has the power to administer national laws, appoint other executive officials, and direct all military operations.
executive departments. Cabinet-level agencies in the federal government.
executive power. The powers of the executive branch of the federal government.
existence. The state or fact of having being especially independent of human consciousness and as contrasted with nonexistence.
F
factions. Groups that seek to promote their own special interests at the expense of the common good.
fainting. To lose consciousness briefly because of temporary decrease in the amount of blood that flows to the brain.
fairness. The act of tempering individual desires with the needs of society as a whole.
fat soluble vitamins. A vitamin that is absorbed through the intestinal tract with the help of fats and is stored in the body.
fatigue. Weakness or exhaustion due to hard work or mental effort.
fats. Nutrients made up of fatty acids that are insoluble in water and provide energy to the body.
federal system. A form of political organization in which governmental power is divided between a central government and territorial subdivisions.
federalism. The distribution of power in an organization (as a government) between a central authority and the constituent units.
felony. A crime for which the punishment in federal law may be death or imprisonment for more than one year.
ferment. To produce a chemical change in a carbohydrate material resulting in alcohol.
fiber. Coarse food made mostly of carbohydrates, such as bran or lettuce that serves to stimulate and aid the movement of food through the intestines.
first aid. The immediate care given to a victim of injury or sudden illness before professional medical help arrives.
First Continental Congress. The body of delegates representing the colonies that first met to protest British rule and that eventually became the government of the United States.
flush. To cleanse or wash out with running water or another liquid.
forum. A place or opportunity for open discussion and participation.
four freedoms. The four basic rights that Franklin D. Roosevelt declared worthy of fighting a war to preserve: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from fear, and freedom from want.
framers. The fifty-five delegates who attended the Philadelphia Convention.
frostbite. An injury caused to body tissue by frost or extreme cold.
fugitive slave clause. Provided that slaves who escaped to other states must be returned to their owners.
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. Adopted in 1639, this series of laws is the first written constitution in North America.
futurists. The theorist who considers possibilities for the future based on current information and trends.
G
gateway. A term attached to alcohol and tobacco due to the fact that their use often leads to further drug abuse.
general, special, and summary court-martials. The lowest level of trial courts in the military justice system, which provides for the disposition of minor offenses under a simple procedure when no punitive measures and punishment are inappropriate or ineffective. It may try only enlisted personnel; its punishment is less severe for senior enlisted personnel; and it does not have the authority to impose a dishonorable discharge of any kind.
global village. The achievements of modern technology are turning the world into a global village, with shared cultural, economic, and environmental concerns.
goals. What one strives to achieve and attain.
good samaritan law. A law enacted in most states that protects people from lawsuits if medical complications arise after they have administered first aid correctly.
governor. The manager or administrative head of an organization, business, or institution.
Great Compromise, The. Adopted at the Philadelphia Convention, this plan provided for equal representation of the states in the senate and house of representatives according to population.
greatest happiness of the greatest number. The goal that human conduct, laws, and institutions should have, according to utilitarianism.
ground rules. Rules to ensure that everyone has an equal chance to participate fully and the group works together.
H
hallucinogens. Drugs that cause hallucinations.
heat cramps. A condition that is marked by the sudden development of cramps in the skeletal muscles and that results from prolonged work in high temperatures accompanied by profuse perspiration with loss of sodium chloride from the body.
heat exhaustion. A condition that occurs when a person is exposed to excessive heat over a period of time, caused by the loss of water and salt from the body through excessive perspiration.
heatstroke. A life threatening condition caused by prolonged exposure to high heat.
Heimlich maneuver. An upward push to the abdomen given to clear the airway of a person with a complete airway obstruction; procedure used to expel an object lodged in the airway of a choking victim.
hemorrhage. Heavy uncontrollable bleeding.
hierarchical. Organized or classified according to rank, capacity, or authority.
higher (fundamental) law. As used in describing a legal system, refers to the superiority of one set of laws over another.
higher law. As used in describing a legal system, refers to the superiority of one set of laws over another.
house of representatives. Elected directly by the people of each state.
human nature. Personality and character traits that all human beings have in common.
human rights. Basic rights and freedoms assumed to belong to all people everywhere.
hypothermia. Too little body heat with abnormally low internal body temperature.
I
impeach. Charging a public official with a crime in office for which they can be removed from power.
implied. To involve or indicate by inference, association, or necessary consequence rather than by direct statement.
incisions. A wound that is made by cutting into the body.
indentured servant. Voluntary servants who sold their labor for a period of four to seven years in exchange for passage to America.
independent judiciary. An inviolate judicial branch that serves to protect the U.S. Constitution and prevents the executive and legislative branches from disregarding.
indicted. To charge with a crime by the finding or presentment of a grand jury in due form of law.