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HistoryCentral.com > American History > US Civic Terms > S
The Civics Glossary Search warrant - a court order that allows the person holding the order, generally a law enforcement officer, to search areas specified in the order for items specified in the order.
Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) - independent regulatory agency, part of the federal executive branch. The Commission was created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. It administers federal laws on securities (stocks and bonds); to protect investors and ensure that securities markets function fairly and honestly and enforce securities laws through sanctions. Since some of the SEC's functions are quasi-judicial, SEC decisions can be reviewed by the United States Court of Appeals.
Selective Service System - independent federal agency in the executive branch. Selective Service works to register all males in the United States, between the ages of 18 1/2 to 26,to make sure that the Armed Forces can be adequately supplied with people in case of a crisis in national security.
Senate - one of the two houses of the Congress, created in Article I, Section 1 of the US Constitution. The Senate has 100 members, called Senators, who serve for 6-year terms. Every state has two Senators. Senators were originally elected by state legislatures, but the Seventeenth Amendment to the US Constitution, adopted in 1913, changed the system so that Senators would be elected by the people.
Senate majority leader - first-ranking party position, held by a distinguished senior member of the majority party in the Senate. The Senate majority leader schedules floor actions on bills, and helps guide the majority party's legislative program through the Senate.
Senate minority leader - the head of the minority party in the Senate. The minority leader represents the interests of the minority party senators by meeting with the majority leader to schedule bills and rules for floor action. Separation of church and state - idea that the government and religion should be separate, and not interfere in each other's affairs. In the United States, this idea is based on the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which states that the government cannot make any laws to establish a state religion or prohibit the free exercise of religion.
Separation of powers - division of governmental authority among the three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial branch. The US Constitution uses this principle in setting up the presidency, the Congress, and the courts.
Shared powers (concurrent powers) - powers granted to the national government by the Constitution, but not denied to the states. One example is the right to lay and collect taxes.
Shays' Rebellion - incident in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787. Small-farm owners, led by Daniel Shays, rebelled in reaction to the state's failure to address the widespread farm foreclosures and credit difficulties. Although troops were able to calm the rebellion, the rioting convinced many national leaders that the Articles of Confederation were insufficient for national stability, and that a stronger central government was needed. This helped compel leaders to create what would become the US Constitution.
Slander- the use of spoken words to harm someone's reputation.
Small Business Administration - independent federal agency in the executive branch. Created in 1953, it provides aid, advice, assistance and support to small businesses in the United States. In addition, the agency makes loans to small businesses, state and local developers and victims of floods and other disasters. Smithsonian Institution - independent trust of the United States, administered by a Board of Regents. Created in 1846 from the estate of James Smithson of England, it fosters the growth and spread of knowledge. The Smithsonian Institution presents exhibits and performances in areas of history, technology, science and the arts. Some of the museums and cultural organizations that function as part of the Smithsonian Institution are: the Anacostia Museum, the Archives of American Art, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the Freer Gallery of Art, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of African Art, the National Museum of American Art, the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Postal Museum, the National Zoological Park, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Gallery of Art, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the Center for Folklife Programs, the Center for Museum Studies, the Smithsonian Institution Archives, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.
Social Security Administration - independent agency which implements social programs, including federal old-age pensions and disability insurance. Social Security was established in 1944, and was later placed under the Department of Health and Human Services. An independent agency as of March 31, 1995, the Social Security Administration is become a large organization. Funding for its programs has been a major source of controversy, especially in the debate over balancing the budget. Although many politicians from different backgrounds agree that the funding and administration of Social Security programs need to be reform, they have not been able to agree on the best manner and result of such reforms.
Social contract - agreement among all the people in a society to give up part of their freedom to a government in exchange for protection of natural rights. John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were two European political philosophers who wrote about this concept.
Solicitor General - an official of the Department of Justice. He or she represents the United States when cases are brought to the Supreme Court. He or she also decides which court decisions from lower courts the federal government should bring to the Supreme Court for reviews. The Solicitor General determines the official federal government position on cases heard by the Supreme Court.
Sovereignty - supreme and final authority or power in a government. In the United States, sovereignty rests with the people.
Speaker of the House - presiding officer in the House of Representatives. He or she is formally elected by the House of Representatives but, in reality, is chosen by the majority party. In 1910, revolts by progressive Representatives resulted in greater limitations being placed on the {finish this def}
Special courts - federal courts which were created by Congress to hear specific types of cases. Sometimes called "legislative courts," they include: the Court of Military Appeals, the Claims Court, the Tax Court, territorial courts, and the courts of the District of Columbia.
Stamp Act - law passed by the British Parliament in 1765 to tax the American colonies. Because of the recommendation of George Grenville, First Lord of the Treasury in Britain (April 1763-July 1765), Parliament passed the Stamp Act, which placed a tax on newspapers, almanacs, legal documents, and other paper items. Stamps had to be purchased and attached to any paper purchased in the colonies. One of the earliest British taxes to affect a large portion of colonial society, it sparked fierce resistance. Because of these protests, including those organized by the Sons of Liberty, Parliament repealed the act on March 18, 1766.
Suffrage - right to vote. The Fifteenth Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees suffrage for all Americans, regardless of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." The Nineteenth Amendment guaranteed suffrage for all Americans, regardless of gender.
Supremacy clause - Article VI, Section 2 of the Constitution, which states that the "Constitution, and the laws of the United States made in pursuance thereof ... shall be the supreme law of the land." Thus, if any state laws come into conflict with the Constitution , then the Constitution must win out.
Supreme Court - the highest court in the judicial branch of the United States government, and the only court specifically mentioned in the Constitution. It consists of a Chief Justice and eight other Associate Justices. The Supreme Court is the "court of last resort" for appeals-the final authority on any questions dealing with the Constitution, acts of Congress, and treaties of the United States. The only way to get around a Supreme Court decision is to amend the Constitution or have the Supreme Court itself reverses the decision. If a case is decided by the US Supreme Court, it cannot be appealed anywhere else.
Symbolic speech - action that is meant to convey a message. |
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