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Government > Chapter 1 > Flashcards

Chapter 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is Government?

A

Institution through which society makes and enforces its public policies.

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2
Q

Public Policies

A

All those things a government decides to do.

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3
Q

Unalienable rights

A
  • Can’t change
  • Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness
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4
Q

Where does the power of the government come from?

A

-God
-Force
-People

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5
Q

6 forms of Government

A
  • Anarchy: having no government
  • Dictatorship/Monarchy: power rests within one person
  • Oligarchy: ruled by a small group of people
  • Democracy: rule by the majority of people
  • Republic- Ruled by the law
  • Theocracy: Ruled by a religious leader
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6
Q

3 powers of the government

A
  1. Legislative: makes the law - Congress
  2. Executive: enforces the law - President
  3. Judicial: apply/interpret the law - supreme court
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7
Q

What grants the government its power?

A

The constitution

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8
Q

What is the constitution?

A

Fundamental laws establishing principles of government

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9
Q

What is a “State”?

A

Dominant political unit in the world - a country or nation.

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10
Q

What are the 4 characteristics of a State?

A
  • Population (people)
  • Territory/border (land)
  • Sovereignty (supreme power)
  • Central Government (politically organized)
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11
Q

What are the 4 origins of state and what do they mean?

A
  1. Forced Theory: Right to rule comes through coercion or force.
  2. Evolutionary Theory: Right to rule evolved over time. (Stages of Development: Family, Clan, Tribe)
  3. Divine Right Theory: Right to rule comes from God (kings/queens)
  4. Social Contract Theory: Right to rule comes from the people - contract between people and the government.
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12
Q

What is The Purpose of Government? (6) (Preamble of the Constitution)

A
  1. Form a more perfect union: strength in union.
  2. Establish justice: the law must be reasonable, fair and impartial.
  3. Ensure domestic tranquility: provide law and order and home.
  4. Provide for common defense: defends against foreign enemies.
  5. Promote general welfare: provides services like EPA, FDA, Post Office, Public Schools, etc.
  6. Secure the blessings of liberty: guarantees freedom for the individual.
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13
Q

3 Government Classifications

A
  1. Number who may participate (2 forms)
    • Democracy: all can participate (2 forms)
      • Direct democracy: people can participate themselves
      • Indirect democracy: people choose representatives to represent them.
    • Dictatorship: one person or a small group can participate
      • autocracy: single person holds power
      • oligarchy: ruled by a small group
  2. Where the power lies
  3. Relationships between the legislative and executive branches (2 forms)
    - Presidential: leg/exec branches are independent and co-equal.
    - Parliamentary: Prime minister is chosen and controlled by the legislative branch.
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14
Q

Unitary

A

Power lies in the hands of a single central agency
Example: great britain

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15
Q

Federal

A

Power is shared equally by the central and the local agencies.
Example: USA

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16
Q

Confederate

A

Power is given to the local agencies only.
Example: Confederate States of America

17
Q

What are the 5 basic pillars of democracy?

A
  1. Equality of all persons
    • everyone gets the same opportunities and everyone is viewed the same under the law
  2. Worth of the Individual
    • we are separate and distinct beings
  3. Majority Rule, Minority Rights
    • Minority can become the majority, and the minority has rights.
  4. Necessity of Compromise
    • there are 2 sides to everything
  5. individual freedom
    • we have rights but not complete freedom.
18
Q

What is a citizen?

A

One who holds certain rights and responsibilities within a State.

19
Q

What are the qualifications to become a citizen of the United States?

A
  • Born in the USA
  • Naturalization
20
Q

What are the duties of a citizen? (5)

A
  • Obey Laws
  • Jury Duty
  • Pay Taxes
  • Draft
  • School Attendance
21
Q

What are the responsibilities of a citizen? (4)

A
  • Be informed/voting
  • Respect the property/rights of others
  • Participate in community
  • Respect opinions of others
22
Q

Free Enterprise

A

America’s economic system
Capitalism-Market Economy

23
Q

Free Enterprise

A

America’s economic system
Capitalism-Market Economy

24
Q

What 5 fundamental ideas is America’s economic system based on?

A
  • Private ownership/Entrepreneur
  • Individual Initiative (drive)
  • Profit
  • Competition
  • Supply and Demand
25
Q

What is the government’s main role in the US economy?

A

To protect and preserve free enterprise.

Government (8 decks)

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