Chapter 1 Test Flashcards
In his work Leviathan, which philosopher advocated for absolute sovereign power to prevent societal chaos?
Thomas Hobbes
Which of John Locke’s works emphasized natural rights and the idea of government as a social contract?
Second Treatise of Civil Government
Who introduced the concept of separation of powers in their work The Spirit of the Laws?
Baron de Montesquieu
In The Social Contract, Rousseau argued that government should be a reflection of what?
the general will of the people
Which Founding Father was a key figure in the American Enlightenment and advocated for compromise and unity in American politics?
Benjamin Franklin
Who co-authored the Federalist Papers and championed the idea of a strong central government?
Alexander Hamilton
Which Founding Father was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and promoted democratic ideals and individual rights?
Thomas Jefferson
Who is known as the “Father of the Constitution” and played a pivotal role in drafting the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?
James Madison
Which two documents are considered the foundational texts that define the U.S. political structure and philosophy?
Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution
What theory of democracy emphasizes the role of a small number of elected leaders making decisions on behalf of the people?
Elite democracy
What are organizations that try to influence public policy in favor of their particular interest called?
Interest groups
Which model of democracy stresses the broad participation of constituents in the direction and operation of political systems?
Participatory democracy
In which political system is there no single group that dominates the political process?
Pluralist democracy
What type of democracy is founded on the principle of elected officials representing a group of people?
Representative democracy
Who were the opponents of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, advocating for a decentralized governmental structure?
Anti-Federalists
Who were the supporters of the U.S. Constitution, advocating for a strong federal government?
Federalists
What is the process that allows citizens to propose legislation and submit it for a vote by the electorate called?
Initiative
What is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to vote on a particular proposal called?
Referendum
In Federalist No. 10, Madison argues that a large republic can better guard against what, compared to smaller republics?
the dangers of factionalism
Which Anti-Federalist paper argued against the expansive jurisdiction of the federal government?
Brutus No. 1
What is the concept that a government’s power is not absolute, underpinned by laws and constitutional protections?
Limited government
The doctrine that people have basic rights, such as those to life, liberty, and property in a state of nature, is known as what?
Natural rights philosophy
What is the principle that the government’s power is derived from the consent of the governed?
Popular sovereignty
What is a collection of sovereign states that gather for the national interest, national needs, and national defense called?
Representative republic
Which philosophy advocates for limited government with elected representatives serving at the will of the people?
Republicanism
What is the principle that government power should be constrained by laws and constitutional limits?
Limited government
Which philosophy holds that individuals have inherent rights, such as life, liberty, and property, that exist independently of government?
Natural rights
What is the idea that individuals consent to give up some freedoms to a government in exchange for protection of their remaining rights?
Social contract
The Declaration of Independence reflects the influence of which philosopher’s ideas about natural rights and the social contract?
John Locke
Which section of the Declaration of Independence lists grievances against the British King?
Indictment
The Declaration of Independence asserts the right of the people to do what, if a government fails to protect their rights?
Alter or abolish it
In what form of democracy do citizens elect representatives to make political decisions on their behalf?
Representative democracy
What form of democracy emphasizes the direct participation of citizens in decision-making processes?
Participatory democracy
Which democratic model suggests that political power is distributed among multiple competing groups?
Pluralist democracy
In what form of democracy is political power concentrated in the hands of a small, privileged group?
Elite democracy
In Federalist No. 10, James Madison argues that a large republic is better able to control the effects of what?
Factions
According to Federalist No. 10, what is the primary cause of factions?
Unequal distribution of property
In Brutus No. 1, what does the author argue will be the result of the expansive jurisdiction of the federal government under the proposed Constitution?
Consolidation of states into one government
Brutus No. 1 suggests that the power of the federal judiciary under the Constitution would do what to the authority of state courts?
Diminish it
The Federalists supported the ratification of the Constitution and advocated for what kind of central government?
Strong
Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution, favoring what kind of governmental structure instead?
Decentralized
What document, which predated the Constitution, created a loose confederation of states with a weak central government?
Articles of Confederation
Under the Articles of Confederation, what power did the central government lack?
Taxation
What 1786-1787 uprising in Massachusetts, led by debt-ridden farmers, exposed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
Shays’s Rebellion
Shays’s Rebellion highlighted the need for what change in the American political system?
Stronger central government
What did the Federalists believe was necessary to address the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation?
Constitution
Which branch of government, as outlined in the Constitution, did Anti-Federalists fear would become too powerful?
Judiciary
Federalist No. 10 argues that the diversity of interests in a large republic would make it more difficult for what to form?
Majority faction
In the social contract theory, what do individuals give up in order to gain the protection of their rights by the government?
Some natural freedoms
The Declaration of Independence’s emphasis on natural rights and the consent of the governed reflects the influence of which Enlightenment philosopher?
John Locke
