An act that prohibits ships from entering or leaving a nation's ports.
impeachment
The bringing of charges against a governmental official by the House of Representatives. Removal from office cannot come from impeachment alone. A trial must be held in the Senate, and on conviction there, the offender may be removed from his or her post.
Jeffersonian democracy
Not actually a democrat, in the classic sense of the word, Jefferson believed that the masses were capable of selecting their own representatives and, if properly educated and informed, would select the best and the wisest to govern. Once these were chosen, however, this "natural aristocracy" should be allowed to govern without interference from those who selected them. Only when they stood again for election would these representatives be called on to explain their actions.
judicial review
The power of a court to review a law, compare it with the Constitution, and rule on whether it does or does not conform to the principles of the Constitution--whether it is constitutional or unconstitutional.
patronage
The control of political appointments assumed by the victors in an election--the "spoils" of victory, which the victors hand out as rewards to their followers; hence the practice became known as the "spoils system."
