G LOSSARY
A
abate:
to reduce in amount; put an end to;
alien: a citizen of another country
alternative dispute resolution: any
means of settling disputes out-
make void or annul side of the courtroom, typically
abet: to actively, knowingly, and including arbitration, mediation,
intentionally assist another in early neutral evaluation, and
the committing (or attempt) of a conciliation
crime
amend: to alter or change
abolitionist: one favoring principles
or measures fostering the end of antitrust: laws protecting commerce
slavery and trade from monopolistic
absolute: complete, pure, free from restraints on competition
restriction or limitation appellate: a court having jurisdiction
adherent: a follower of a leader or to review the findings of lower
party, or a believer in a cause courts
adjournment: the closing, or end, of
appoint: to select someone to fill an
a session
office or position
adjudicate: to settle something judi-
cially apportion: to divide and assign
adjudicated: a matter or controversy according to a plan
that has already been decided appropriate: to set aside for or assign
through judicial procedure to a particular purpose or group
adjudication: the act of settling
arbitrate: to resolve disagreements
something judicially
whereby parties choose a per-
adjudicatory: having to do with the
son or group of people familiar
process of settling something
with the issues in question to
judicially
hear and settle their dispute
adverse: contrary to one’s interests;
harmful or unfavorable arbitration the settling of a dispute
aggrieved: suffering physical injury by a neutral third party
or a loss of one’s property inter- Articles of Confederation: first consti-
est, monetary interest, or per- tution of the United States (in
sonal rights effect 1781–1789); it established
agrarian: having to do with farming a union between the thirteen
or farming communities and states, but with a weak central
their interests government
321
GLOSSARY
B
bipartisan: involving members of
two parties, especially the two
Civil Rights movement: the movement
to win political, economic, and
social equality for African Amer-
major political parties icans
blacklist: a list of persons who are class action: a lawsuit brought by a
to be denied employment representative member of a
block grant: an unrestricted grant of large group of people who have
federal money to state and local suffered the same injury or
governments to support social damages
welfare programs Cold War: a conflict over ideological
bondage: a state of being involuntar- differences carried on by meth-
ily bound or subjugated to ods short of military action and
someone or something usually without breaking off
boycott: to refuse to purchase goods diplomatic relations; usually
or services from a specific com- refers to the ideological conflict
pany between the U.S. and former
U.S.S.R.
collateral: property put up by a bor-
C
capitulate: to surrender under spe-
cific conditions; to give up resis-
rower to secure a loan that
could be seized if the borrower
tance fails to pay back the debt
collective bargaining: a method of
carcinogenic: cancer-causing
negotiations, usually between
cause of action: reason or ground for
employees and an employer, in
initiating a proceeding in court
which a representative negoti-
censor: to restrict the expression of
ates on behalf of an organized
something considered objec-
group of people
tionable
commerce: the large-scale exchange
charter: document that creates a of goods, involving transporta-
public or private corporation tion from one place to another
and outlines the principles, commerce clause: the provision of
functions, and organization of the U.S. Constitution (Article I,
the corporate body section 8, clause 3) that gives
checks and balances: the limiting Congress exclusive powers over
powers that each branch of interstate commerce—the buy-
government has over the other ing, selling, or exchanging of
two. (The government is divid- goods between states
ed into three branches: legisla- commodity: an article of trade or
tive, executive, and judicial, commerce that can be trans-
each with distinct powers.) ported; especially an agricultur-
civil action: a lawsuit brought to pro- al or mining product
tect an individual right or common law: a system of laws
redress a wrong, as distinct developed in England—and
from criminal proceedings later applied in the U.S.—based
civil disobedience: nonviolent protest on judicial precedent rather
civil libertarian: one who is actively than statutory laws passed by a
concerned with the protection legislative body
of the fundamental freedoms communism: an economic and social
guaranteed to the individual in system characterized by the
the Bill of Rights absence of classes and by com-
civil penalties: fines or money dam- mon ownership of the means of
ages imposed as punishment production and subsistence
322 M A J O R A C T S O F C O N G R E S S