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State and Local Government

How states, counties, cities and towns are run and what they do for us.

67 cardsGrades 3–5, Grades 6–8#state government#local government#mayor#governor

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67 cards
  • State governmentTerm
    The government of one of the 50 states
  • GovernorTerm
    The head of a state's executive branch
  • State legislatureTerm
    The group of elected people who make state laws
  • State capitalTerm
    City where the state government meets
  • State capitolTerm
    The building where the legislature meets
  • State constitutionTerm
    Each state's own written plan of government
  • State supreme courtTerm
    The highest court in most states
  • Local governmentTerm
    Government of a city, town, village or county
  • City governmentTerm
    Runs services for a city, led by a mayor and council
  • MayorTerm
    Elected head of a city or town
  • City councilTerm
    Group that makes local laws called ordinances
  • OrdinanceTerm
    A law made by a city or county government
  • CountyTerm
    A region within a state with its own government
  • County seatTerm
    The town where a county's government is located
  • SheriffTerm
    Elected law officer for a county
  • Town meetingTerm
    A gathering where townspeople vote on local issues
  • School boardTerm
    Elected group that oversees local public schools
  • SuperintendentTerm
    Head of a school district
  • Special districtTerm
    A local government for one purpose, like water or parks
  • Public servicesTerm
    Services governments provide: schools, roads, police, fire, libraries, parks
  • Police departmentTerm
    Works to keep the community safe and enforce laws
  • Fire departmentTerm
    Fights fires and responds to emergencies
  • Public libraryTerm
    Free place to borrow books and learn
  • Public worksTerm
    Departments that maintain roads, water and sewers
  • Public transportationTerm
    Buses, trains and subways that serve the community
  • Taxes (local)Term
    Property and sales taxes help pay for local services
  • Property taxTerm
    A tax on land and buildings
  • Sales taxTerm
    A tax added to the price of items you buy
  • Income taxTerm
    A tax on money people earn
  • LicenseTerm
    Official permission, like a driver's license
  • ZoningTerm
    Rules about how land can be used
  • Building permitTerm
    Permission to build or change a building
  • Election (local)Term
    Voters choose mayors, council members, school boards and judges
  • Zoning boardTerm
    Group that decides how land may be used
  • FederalismTerm
    Power shared between national and state governments
  • Powers of statesTerm
    Run schools, hold elections, regulate businesses and set driving rules
  • Powers of the federal governmentTerm
    Print money, declare war, make treaties, run the military
  • Shared powersTerm
    Taxing, building roads and making laws are done by both
  • StatehoodTerm
    A territory becomes a state when Congress approves
  • TerritoryTerm
    Land belonging to the US that is not a state
  • Home ruleTerm
    Local authority to run its own affairs
  • City charterTerm
    A city's founding document and rules for its government
  • TownshipTerm
    A form of local government in some states
  • Tribal governmentTerm
    Federally recognized Native nations govern themselves
  • MunicipalityTerm
    A city, town or village with local government
  • UrbanTerm
    City area
  • RuralTerm
    Countryside area
  • SuburbTerm
    Community near a city
  • District attorneyTerm
    Local lawyer who prosecutes crimes for the government
  • Local judgeTerm
    Judge in a municipal or county court
  • Public hearingTerm
    Meeting where citizens speak about a proposed rule
  • Petition (local)Term
    Citizens collect signatures to ask the government to act
  • Public commentTerm
    Time at meetings for people to speak
  • Volunteer fire companyTerm
    Local firefighters who serve without pay in many towns
  • Emergency servicesTerm
    911 services for fire, medical and police needs
  • 911Term
    Number to call in an emergency in the US
  • Recycling programTerm
    Local service that collects and processes recyclable materials
  • Parks departmentTerm
    Maintains parks and playgrounds
  • Health departmentTerm
    Works to protect public health, like checking restaurants
  • Community centerTerm
    Place that offers classes and activities
  • Budget (local)Term
    Plan for how a city or county will spend money
  • Why local government mattersTerm
    It handles many things you use every day
  • Governor's powersTerm
    Signs or vetoes bills and leads the state's executive branch
  • Lieutenant governorTerm
    Second in command in many states
  • Attorney general (state)Term
    The state's chief lawyer
  • Secretary of state (state)Term
    Official who often oversees elections and records
  • National GuardTerm
    Military units that can serve under the governor or the president

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