Chapter 4 Section 3 Flashcards
What is a republic?
“a government in which citizens rule themselves through elected representatives.”
What was the Magna Carta?
A document published in 1215 for Great Britain that limited the king’s power by stating that the king was not above the law. It also included rights for the people, such as trial by jury and the right to private property.
What was the English Bill of Rights?
The English Bill of Rights further extended the rights of the British citizens and started to protect the rights of citizens. Their rights now included the right to bear arms, trial by jury, the right to private property, regular parliament elections, and habeas corpus (can’t be held in prison without being charged of a specific crime).
What was the House of Burgesses?
The House of Burgesses was the first legislature in America (starts in Jamestown, VA) that was elected by citizens (representatives voted for by the people).
What did Enlightenment thinkers believe?
“Enlightenment thinkers believed that people could improve society through the use of reason.”
What book did John Locke write?
Two Treatises of Government
What important ideas does Locke mention in his book?
He stated that all people had natural rights (life, Liberty, property), and that the government was “an agreement between the ruler and the ruled.” If the natural rights are violated, the citizens have a right to rebel.
What was the Mayflower Compact?
“The Mayflower Compact…was the first document of self-government in North America.”
Why was the Mayflower Compact important?
It is important because it is the first government in America completely run by the people
What did Baron de Montesquieu publish?
The Spirits of the Laws (1748)
What did Montesquieu say are separation of powers?
Separations of powers are a way to prevent one branch of government from getting too powerful (each branch has a bit of power and relies on the other)
What did the signing of the Magna Carta form?
The parliament, whose job was just to either approve or deny tax raises.
