Government Flashcards
Constitution (1.1)
The system of beliefs and laws by which a country, state, or organization is governed
Unitary government (1.2)
Power is held by the government
Parliamentary government (1.2)
The political majority of the legislative branch selects the leader of the executive branch (prime minister)
Legislative power (1.1)
- House of representatives, senate
- Which includes Congress and state legislatures, write/make the laws
Judicial power (1.1)
Which includes the Supreme Court and other courts, the power to interpret laws
2) Why our founding did fathers’ set-up a democracy?
It is a perfect balance of freedom and regulation because the government is elected by the people
3) What country has the closest dictatorship to America?
Cuba
4) What 3 forms of government dose the U.S have? (1.2)
- democracy
- republic
- representative gov. and constitutional
5) What 4 things must a country/ state have in order to be a country/ state
must have a population
- territory
- the ultimate authority to make its own rules (sovereignty)
- government
6) What are the 6 purposes of the U.S Government? Where can they be found? (1.1)
1- To form a more perfect union 2- Establish justice 3- Domestic tranquility 4- Provide for the common defense 5- Promote the common welfare 6- Secure the blessing of liberty
7) How would you describe the positive of the Articles of Confederation
The U.S gained respect from countries around the world
8) What are the 3 parts of the Declaration of Independence
1- Preamble
2- Grievances/complaints
3- Declaring independence
9) What does the Social Contract theory say? (1.1)
- Locke, Harrington, Hobbes and Rousseau developed theory
- A voluntary act of free people aggressed to a contract to create a state
10) What is the Divine Right Theory
The state was create by god and he gave those of royal birth the “divine right” to rule
11) What would happen if there was not any government?
We have government to have control, laws, and safety without it we would have chaos.
12) Where did the farmers get their ideas?
Montésque who said that all governments should be based off of three branches and i think they came up with the idea of checks and balances from their own ideas,
13) What was the purpose of the federalist papers? (2.5)
To outline key ideas in support of the constitution
14) How did Britain’s attitude towards the colonists change from the settlement at James Town to our independence? (2.1 & 2.2)
The French and Indian war left Brittan in debt after fighting the trade. Britain expected the colonists to help pay for the war debt with the French defeated the colonies didn’t need protection from Britain anymore
15) If a government isn’t living up to its citizens’ expectations, the people can do what, according to the social contract theory? (1.1)
The social contract gives rights and responsibilities to both the citizenry and the government
16) What is a totalitarian from of government?
Political party
17) What ideas did the Magna Carta bring up? (2.1 & 2.2)
Limit power of the king
18) Who has control in a dictatorship?
In a military dictator the army is in control, a country rules by a single leader (autocracy)
19) In what year did the U.S Constitution take effect? (2.5)
June of 1788
20) What were the key/ main points of the Anti-Federalist? (2.5)
- a person against the ratification of the constitution
- anti-constitution
- felt the national government was too powerful
- didn’t like the absences of the Bill of Rights
21) Can a government be unitary and federal? Parliamentary and Presidential? Unitary and Parliamentary?
-Unitary and federal? NO
-Parliamentary and Presidential? NO
Unitary and Parliamentary? YES
Democracy
elected by the people
Autocracy
government by a single person having unlimited power
Oligarchy
a government in which a few people (dominant clan or clique) have power
Monarchy
(autocracy) has a king, queen, emperor or empress
Dictatorship-
in a military dictatorship the army is in control (single leader)
Anarchy
no government
Capitalist
free market country
Communist
the government owns the property such as business and farms
Republic
head of the county is usually elected president
Revolutionary
overthrown by force
Totalitarian
one political party
2) What are the 3 weaknesses of the articles of confederation?
- Congress could not tax the citizen
- Law created needed 9 out of 13 colonies to approve
- No court system
What 4 items are necessary to be considered a state/country?
- must have a population
- territory
- the ultimate authority to make its own rules (sovereignty)
- government
Why is that state of TEXAS not a state/country?
Texas is not a state because it does not have ultimate authority of its own form of government. It is a state in the sense that it is a subunit of the United States but only the United States would be considered a state/country
1) Unalienable rights
- cannot be taken away from or denied
- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
2) Divine right of king
Doctrine that kings derive their authority from God
3) Monarchy
Monarchy a form of autocracy
Has a king or a queen, emperor or empress
4) Direct democracy
A force of government in which all laws are created by a general vote of society
5) Theocracy
A system of government in which priests’ rules in the name of god
6) Confederate system
Gives local/regional governments almost couple control (sets no significant uniform national policies)
7) Unitary system
Set uniform policies that direct the entire nation (disregards local differences)
8) Parliamentary system
System in which the power to make and execute laws is held by a parliament
9) Articles of confederation
The first constitution of the 13 American states, adopted in 1781 and replaces in 1789 by the constitution pf the US
10) Declaration of independence
July 4, 1776, declared the colonies to be free and independent
11) Federalist papers
A series of eighty-five essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in the late 1780s to persuade the voters of New York to adopt the Constitution
12) American revolution
The war between Great Britain and its American colonies, 1775–83, by which the colonies won their independence.
13) John Locke
Philosopher who believed that human beings are born with certain ideas in their minds
14) Founding fathers
An important figure in the origin and early history of something
15) Thomas Jefferson
Author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third President of the United States.
