Chapter 3 Flashcards
What three broad categories do scholars use to classify governments?
Systems of governments, relationship of government levels, and methods of electing an executive.
How do a pure democracy and a republic differ?
Pure democracy allows every citizen to directly participate, while in a republic the people elect representatives to run for them.
On what do dictatorships rely for power?
Fear opposed on military force
Which types of government described in this section best describe the United States?
Democratic republic, federalists, presidential government.
Who chooses the executive head in the parliamentary system?
The majority party and the legislature
List the three levels of American government.
National, State, Local
List the three branches of the national government.
Legislative, Executive, Judicial
What powers are reserved to the states?
According to the Constitution, the states retain powers not delegated to the national government or prohibited to the states.
Explain the responsibilities of each branch of a state’s government.
- ) Legislature - Passing state laws
- ) Executive - enforces the laws
- ) Judicial - Interpreting the law and judging criminal cases
What are the different levels of local government?
Counties and Municipality
List the benefits and drawbacks of the presidential system.
The President’s directly accountable to the people and executive department is dependent of the legislative branch. The drawback is that the presidential system is not inefficient.
Why did America’s founders choose the federal system of government?
Federalism guards against tyranny by distributing power while also meeting the needs of various sections of a country.
Why would a direct democracy not be appropriate for the United States?
The large size of the population.
What are the two forms of dictatorship?
Oligarchy and autocracy
What are the two types of boards most commonly used for county governments?
Board of Commissioners
Board of Supervisors
Which local government systems are considered municipalities?
Cities, villages, and towns
What is government by the people called?
Democracy
What is another name for an indirect democracy?
Representative democracy
What are the three major government systems?
Anarchy, dictatorship, popular government
What is the name for a government in which the people are sovereign, they elect representatives to exercise the government’s powers according to written laws?
Republic
What form,of government seeks to control every aspect of the people’s lives?
Totalitarianism
What is the division and dietitian of governmental power into national and state levels called?
Federalism
What is the key to restraining the government and the governed in the United States?
The Constitution
The European Union is an example of what type of government?
Modern confederacy
Who selects the cabinet in a parliamentary form of government?
Prime minister
What are the two houses of the U.S. Congress?
House of Representatives
Senate
Who were the first people to practice
Greeks
3 branches of the federal government
Executive, legislative, judicial
What government is elected by popular vote?
Congress
Chief executive officer of the U.S.
President
What is the heart of the American government?
The Constitution
Which amendment protects the right of the states?
Tenth Amendment
Which branch of the government interprets the laws?
Judicial
Powers not granted to the national government and not prohibited by the states
Reserved powers
Where are the steps of statehood found?
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
What governmental system allows public participation?
Popular government
What is an overriding of indirect or pure democracy?
Every citizen has a direct voice in governmental decisions
What is not an example of a unitary form of government?
Brazil
What are the divisions of counties called?
Townships
What state does not have a bicameral
Nebraska
Define incorporation
Process by which a state establishes a city as a legal government body by giving it a charter establishing the parameters in which it can operate
Essay:
Describe and give an example of s system of government
Anarchy is one of the types of government. According to the English Dictionary, it is a lack of government or the absence of the supreme power. A modern example of anarchy is Somalia.
