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What is Government? > Test > Flashcards

Test Flashcards

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AP® U.S. Government flashcards U.S. Government Basics flashcards American Government 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is made up of the formal institutions and processes through which decisions are made for a group of people?

A

Government

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2
Q

Three main components of government:

A

People, Power, Policy

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3
Q

Two types of people in government:

A

Elected officials and public servants

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4
Q

Any decision made by government in pursuit of a particular goal?

A

Policy

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5
Q

A policy can take the form of:

A

A law, a government program, or a set of government actions

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6
Q

Political unit with the power to make and enforce laws over a group of people living within a clearly defined territory

A

State

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7
Q

All states are characterized as having four traits:

A

Population
Territory
Government
Sovereignty

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8
Q

One of the world’s smallest states:

A

Tuvalu

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9
Q

Which province in China has 1 billion people?

A

Henan Province

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10
Q

World’s chief body for international cooperation:

A

United Nations

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11
Q

What includes independence from other states as well as the freedom to establish a form of government?

A

Sovereignty

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12
Q

How does a state limit the sovereign power of their governments?

A

Constitution

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13
Q

Our government serves five functions:

A 
Ensure National Security
Maintain Order
Resolve Conflict
Provide Services
Provide for Public Good
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14
Q

There are three main theories of rule:

A

Divine Right
Natural Law and Natural Rights
The Social Contract

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15
Q

The idea of _________ is based on a system of rules derived from the natural world

A

Natural Law

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16
Q

What holds that the first governments formed as a result of people agreeing among themselves to submit to the authority of a state?

A

The Social Contract Theory

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17
Q

Who believed that in order to protect natural rights from government interference government power had to be limited, or subject to certain restrictions?

A

Locke

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18
Q

Who believed that humans lived independent lives in the state of nature, but they were happy, good, and free?

A

Rousseau

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19
Q

Ruled by a monarch, usually a king or queen, who belongs to a royal family

Power is inherited

Absolute monarchs have unlimited power

A

Monarchy

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20
Q

Based on the idea that there are limits to the rightful of a government over its citizens

Power of the monarch is limited by law; the real power lies in another branch of government

May coexist with other forms of government such as a representative democracy

Monarchy is an example of autocracy, any form of government in which a single individual- an autocrat- controls most governing decisions

A

Constitutional Monarchy

21
Q

Single dictator or a small group holds absolute authority and makes all decision

Violence and force used to maintain rule

A

Dictatorship

22
Q

Dictator holds ultimate authority

Government tightly controls all aspects of life- political, social, and economic

No formal or informal limits on government

A

Totalitarian Regimes

23
Q

Small group of people make most government decisions for their own benefit

Membership in the ruling group may be based on wealth, family, or military power

A

Oligarchy

24
Q

Rulers claim to represent and be directed by a set of religious ideas

Laws are rooted in a particular religion or religious doctrine

Government power is unlimited

A

Theocracy

25
Q

The term democracy means:

A

Rule by the People

26
Q

Government by the people; citizens are the ultimate source of government authority

Citizens come together to discuss and pass laws and select leaders

Works best in small communities

A

Direct Democracy

27
Q

Indirect form of democracy;

citizens elect representatives to make government decisions on their behalf

Representatives elected for set terms

A

Representative Democracy

28
Q

In what system does sovereignty, or ultimate authority, rest in a single, national government?

A

Unitary System

29
Q

In Unitary systems, most national governments consist of a number of smaller administrative units like:

A

States, cities, provinces

30
Q

What system divides power over people and territory between a national government and smaller regional levels of governments?

A

Federal System

31
Q

Another word for Federal system; is the actual idea of the system

A

Federalism

32
Q

In what do system independent states join forces by forming a central government, called a confederation?

A

Confederate System

33
Q

The states keep full control over their own territories and people

The states however will delegate limited powers to a central government to pursue areas of common interest

A

Confederate System

34
Q

What was the first Constitution of the United States?

A

Articles of Confederation

35
Q

In the US, the president may be commander in chief of the armed forces, but most only ________ can declare war

A

Congress

36
Q

In a Parliamentary system the _________ ________ and __________ _________ of gov’t are combined

A

Executive Branch and Legislative Branch

37
Q

Who leads in a parliamentary system instead of a President?

A

Prime Minister

38
Q

Once selected, the prime minister appoints ________ ________ from the ranks of the majority party

A

Cabinet Members

39
Q

What type of vote can remove the prime minister from office?

A

Vote of no confidence

40
Q

What are the core ideas of American Democracy?

A

Liberty, equality, and self-government

41
Q

Idea of the ability of people to act and think as they choose, so long as their choices do no harm to the liberty or well-being of others

A

Liberty

42
Q

What is the principle that all people possess a fundamental, moral worth that entitles them to fair treatment under the law and equal opportunity in all aspects of life- political, social, and economics

A

Equality

43
Q

The belief that ordinary people could aspire to rule themselves and do so as political equals

A

self-government

44
Q

Basic Principle of Democracy:

A

decisions are made by majority rule

45
Q

political rights held by groups who make up less than half of the population

A

Minority rights

46
Q

In what type of democracy are the individual rights and liberties of all people, including those in the minority, protected

A

Liberal democracy

47
Q

Key principle of democracy:

A

Compromise

48
Q

allows for people and business to make their own economic choices about how to best produce, distribute, and exchange goods and services with limited interference from government

A

Free Enterprise

What is Government? (1 decks)

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