American Political Culture

Question 1

Government

Answer 1

institutions and procedures through which a territory and its people are ruled

Question 2

Politics

Answer 2

conflict over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments

Question 2

oligarchy

Answer 2

a form of government in which a small group—landowners, military officers, or wealthy merchants—controls most of the governing decisions

Question 2

Autocracy

Answer 2

a form of government in which a single individual- a king, queen, or dictator—rules

Question 2

Democracy

Answer 2

a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the election of key public officials

Question 2

Authoritarian Government

Answer 2

a system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits but may nevertheless be restrained by the power of other social institutions

Question 3

Totalitarian Government

Answer 3

a system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it

Question 3

Constitutional government

Answer 3

a system of rule in which formal and effective limits are placed on the powers of the government

Question 3

Political Power

Answer 3

influence over a government’s leadership, organization, or policies

Question 4

Representative democracy

Answer 4

a system of government in which the populace selects representatives, who play a significant role in governmental decision-making

Question 5

Direct democracy

Answer 5

a system of rule that permits citizens to vote directly on laws and policies

Question 6

Pluralism

Answer 6

the theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation

Question 7

Political knowledge

Answer 7

information about the formal institutions of government, political actors, and political issues

Question 8

Citizenship (2)

Answer 8

informed and active membership in a political community

based on the belief of Aristotle

Question 9

political efficacy

Answer 9

the belief that one can influence government and politics

Question 10

Political culture

Answer 10

broadly shared values, beliefs, and attitudes about how the government should function; American political culture emphasizes the values of liberty, equality, and democracy

Question 11

Liberty

Answer 11

freedom from governmental control

Question 12

limited government

Answer 12

a principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution

Question 13

laissez-faire capitalism

Answer 13

an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated for profit with minimal or no government interference

Question 14

equality of opportunity

Answer 14

a widely shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential

Question 15

political equality

Answer 15

the right to participate in politics equally, based on the principle of “one person, one vote”

Question 16

popular sovereignty

Answer 16

a principle of democracy in which political authority rests ultimately in the hands of the people

Question 17

Majority rule

Answer 17

the democratic principle that a government follows the preferences of the majority of voters but protects the interests of the minority

Question 18

minority rights

Answer 18

the democratic principle that a government follows the preferences of the majority of voters but protects the interests of the minority

Question 19

What does American Political Culture include? (6)

Answer 19

Freedom
Democracy
Rule of Law
Hyphenated culture
Equality
Influencing behavior

Question 20

Immigrant Nation

Answer 20

meaning the government sets policies to determine whom it allows in and who is eligible for citizenship

Question 21

How were Native American treated as citizens at first?

Answer 21

Originally, native americans weren’t included in the first census

Question 22

What did USA originally favor for immigration?

Answer 22

“desirable” white races

Question 23

How was race seen before?

Answer 23

Until WW2, biological distinctions between people of different races and ethnicities were seen

Question 24

What are the unalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence?

Answer 24

Life, Liberty (from and to), and pursuit of happiness

Question 25

John Lock (2)

Answer 25

proposed the idea that humans have the natural rights to life, liberty, and property

Influenced legislative supremacy- the Constitution is the supreme law of the land

Question 26

Janes Madison (4)

Answer 26

wrote a paper called “Property”

John Locke defined property as something you put labor/ value into something

James Madison claims that value is too vague

Madison believed the faculty/ capability should be protected

Question 27

Montesquieu

Answer 27

Proposed checks and balances
Power must be used to balance power