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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.
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.
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.
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.
the use of spoken words to harm someone's reputation.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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