Abolitionist: One who favors the abolishment of slavery.

Appropriations: Funds authorized for a particular project.

Bar: A term that encompasses all certified lawyers—those who have passed all official requirements (the bar exam) to be certified to practice law.

Bloc: A unified group able to wield power through its size and numbers.

Civil service: A government position.

Compromise of 1850: A group of bills that included allowing Texas to enter the Union as a slave state and California as a free state.

Confederate: Relating to and representing the Southern states that seceded from the United States in the 1860s and fought against the Union during the American Civil War (1861-65).

Dark horse: A term that describes a littleknown candidate who shows marginal promise but could finish surprisingly strong.

Electoral College: A body officially responsible for electing the president of the United States. In presidential...