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American Government > Chapter 1- Government > Flashcards

Chapter 1- Government Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the difference between power and authority?

A

Power- the ability to impose one’s will on another

Authority- the source of a government’s legitimacy

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2
Q

What are the two purposes for government?

A

Provide for wants and needs

Provide limits for people

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3
Q

Define law

A

Rules of action to which people are obligated

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4
Q

List four characteristics of a state

A

Population
Territory
Sovereignty
Government

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5
Q

What is sovereignty?

A

Supreme power within its own territory, neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority

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6
Q

Explain the origin of a state according to Divine Right theory

A

State created by God. Rulers given right to rule by God.

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7
Q

Explain the origin of a state according to Force theory

A

States exist because of human desire to be in power and dominate others

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8
Q

Explain the origin of a state according to Evolutionary theory

A

State evolves from families, tribes, clans

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9
Q

Explain the origin of a state according to Social Contract theory

A

People join together
Give authority of people to state
State serves interest of people

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10
Q

Which theory on the origin of states best explains the origin of the USA?

A

Social Contract

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11
Q

Describe where power is exercised from in a Unitary state

A

Power is centralized

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12
Q

Describe where power is exercised from in a Federal state

A

Power is divided

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13
Q

Describe where power is exercised from in a Confederate state

A

Power is decentralized

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14
Q

In which form of government is the chief executive chosen by the legislative branch, from their own membership?

A

Parliamentary

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15
Q

In which form of government are the chief executive and legislative branch chosen independently?

A

Presidential

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16
Q

In a parliamentary form of government, the chief executive is known as the ____ ______.

A

Prime Minister

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17
Q

In a presidential form of government, the chief executive is known as the ________.

A

President

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18
Q

In a parliamentary form of government, name three occasions when elections may be held

A

Regular schedule
“Vote of Confidence” where Parliament votes against Prime Minister
“Dissolve Government” where Prime Minister calls new election

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19
Q

In a presidential form of government, when are elections held?

A

Only regular schedule

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20
Q

Describe three characteristics of a government where few rule

A 
Force is source of power
Ruler responsible to few or none
Government may have unlimited power
Few/no rights
Opposition suppressed/one party
No meaningful elections
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21
Q

Describe three characteristics of a government where many rule

A 
People are the source of power
Ruler responsible to ruled
Government has limited process
Rights guaranteed
Opposition encouraged 
Regular, competitive elections
22
Q

How did Lincoln define democracy?

A

Of the people
By the people
For the people

23
Q

What is a synonym for representative government?

A

Republic

24
Q

Explain the principle of democracy: worth of the individual

A

Each person, regardless if wealth or position in society, must be recognized as a member of that society

25
Q

Explain the principle of democracy: majority rule, minority rights

A

Any group that gains a majority of the votes rules, but they must allow the rest of the group to exist and offer alternatives and criticism

26
Q

Explain the principle of democracy: necessity of compromise

A

All sides on an issue of public policy must work to achieve an agreement that does the most good for the most people

27
Q

Explain the principle of democracy: equality of all persons

A

All persons should be treated the same in cases of law and opportunity for advancement

28
Q

What is the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies?

A

Government

29
Q

Define government

A

The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies

30
Q

What are “rules of action to which people are obligated”?

A

Laws

31
Q

What is supreme power within its own territory, neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority

A

Sovereignty

32
Q

What is defined by population, territory, sovereignty, and government?

A

State

33
Q

States were created by God, royalty was given right to rule by God describes which theory on the origin of states?

A

Divine Right

34
Q

In which form of government may elections only be held at regularly scheduled intervals, since the executive and legislative branches are independent and coequal?

A

Presidential

35
Q

States are born because of the human tendency to seek power and dominate others describes which theory on the origin of states?

A

Force

36
Q

States evolved from families into tribes, then clans, then states describes which theory on the origin of states?

A

Evolutionary

37
Q

What are “rules of action to which people are obligated”?

A

Law

38
Q

Which theory on the origin of states says that the state is created by the people, that people voluntarily submit to rule of government they create, that people must give up certain freedoms,and that government rules to serve needs and wants of people?

A

Social Contract

39
Q

Force is source of power, Ruler responsible to few or none, Government may have unlimited powers, Few/no rights, Opposition suppressed/one party system, No meaningful elections are characteristics of rule by the ___.

A

Few

40
Q

People are source of power, Ruler responsible to ruled, Government has limited powers, Rights are guaranteed, Opposition is encouraged/multiparty system, Regular, competitive elections are characteristics of rule by the ____.

A

Many

41
Q

Who defined representative democracy (or a republic) as “Government of the people, by the people, for the people”.

A

Lincoln

42
Q

The basic principle of democracy that states that each person, regardless of wealth or position in society, must be recognized and respected by all of society as a member of society, is _____ __ ___ __________.

A

Worth of the individual

43
Q

The basic principle of democracy that states that any group that can gain half plus one of the vote rules, but that they must allow the rest of the group to exist, and offer alternatives and criticism, is _________ ____, ___________ ______.

A

Majority Rule, Minority Rights

44
Q

The basic principle of democracy that states that all people must be able to hold and practice their own beliefs within the limits of not violating the rights of others to also hold and practice their own beliefs, is _________ _______.

A

Individual freedom

45
Q

The basic principle of democracy that states that all sides on an issue of public policy must work to achieve an agreement that does the most good for the most people, is _________ __ __________.

A

Necessity of Compromise

46
Q

The basic principle of democracy that states that all people should be treated the same in cases of law and opportunity for advancement, is ______ __ ___ _______.

A

Equality of all persons

47
Q

In which form of government may elections be held if the legislature loses confidence in the executive, if the executive loses confidence in the legislature, or at regularly scheduled intervals?

A

Parliamentary

48
Q

Explain the principle of democracy: individual freedom

A

All persons must be able to hold and practice their own beliefs, within the limits of not violating the rights of others to also hold and practice their own beliefs

49
Q

What is a government’s ability to impose its will on another through the capacity for force or influence?

A

Power

50
Q

What is the term for the source of government’s legitimacy?

A

Authority

American Government (7 decks)

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