Test notes

Question 1

Magna Carta

Answer 1

a charter signed by King John in June 1215; made to limit the rule of the king

Question 2

English Bill of Rights

Answer 2

1689; the bill creates seperation of powers, limits the power of the king and queen, enhances the democratic election and bolsters freedom of speech

Question 3

Petition of Rights

Answer 3

major English constitutional document that set out specific liberties of the subject that the king is prohibited from infringing

Question 4

Mayflower Compact

Answer 4

1620; first governing document of Plymouth colony; written by the “saints”

Question 5

Reasons for settling in the colonies

Answer 5

Religious freedom, economic gain, avoiding prison, enslavement, and religious tolerance

Question 6

Seperation of powers

Answer 6

an act of vesting the legislature, executive, and judical powers in seperate bodies

Question 7

John Locke

Answer 7

English ; 1632-1704; believed people were born with natural rights (life, liberty, property) and willingly entered a contract with the government to maintain the rights; if government failed, people had a right to replace the old government; his writing impacted the US revolutionary leader mainly Thomas Jefferson and Declaration of Independence

Question 8

Montesquieu

Answer 8

wrote “the spirit of laws” was french; 1689-1775; believed government should include seperation of powers

Question 9

Thomas Hobbes

Answer 9

1588-1679; one of the first social philosophers ; wrote no government existed in nature; thought life was short with only anarchy and chaos

Question 10

Bill of Rights

Answer 10

the collective name for the 10 amendments to the United States Constitution 1791

Question 11

Stamp Act

Answer 11

1756; an act that imposed a direct tax on the colonies of British America and required that many printed materials in the colonies be produced on stamped paper

Question 12

Declaration of Independence

Answer 12

1776; statement adopted by the congress; at war regarded them as 13 independent sovereign states; Thomas Jefferson physically wrote it

Question 13

Albany Plan of Union

Answer 13

a proposal to create government for the 13 colonies; suggested by Benjamin Franklin 1754

Question 14

House of Burgesses

Answer 14

1619; first legislative assmbly in the American colonies

Question 15

Unitary vs. Federal

Answer 15

unitary government-held by one central authority

Federal government- power is divided between the federal and state government

Question 16

Oligarchy

Answer 16

when a small group of people have control of a country, organization, or institution

Question 17

Autocracy

Answer 17

system of government by one person with absolute power

Question 18

Democracy

Answer 18

government by the people

Question 19

Limited Government

Answer 19

a political paradigm under which the citizenery has significant power to influence the rule of law and where government is kept to a minimal size