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American Government > Unit 1 > Flashcards

Unit 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

Absolute Power

A

unlimited power held by someone of an autocracy or dictatorship

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2
Q

Capitalism

A

an economic and political system by which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit

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3
Q

Confederation

A

a joining of several groups for a common cause

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4
Q

Constitution

A

the body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a government

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5
Q

Democracy

A

form of government where authority rests with the people

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6
Q

Dictatorship

A

form of government where those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people

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7
Q

Executive power

A

the power to execute, enforce, and administrate laws

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8
Q

Federalism

A

the separation of national and regional powers

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9
Q

Feudalism

A

a system where nobility owned land and serfs worked on the land in exchange for protection

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10
Q

Judicial Power

A

the power to interpret laws

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11
Q

Laissez-faire

A

economic system where no government is involved

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12
Q

Legitimacy

A

the belief of a people that a government has the right to make public policy

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13
Q

Mercantilism

A

an economic and political theory emphasizing money as the chief source of wealth to increase the absolute power of a nation

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14
Q

Legislative power

A

the power to make laws

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15
Q

Oligarchy

A

a form of government in which the power of rule is held in small, usually self-appointed elite

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16
Q

Parliamentary system

A

a system of democratic governance of a state where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the sport of the legislature, typically a parliament, to which it is accountable

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17
Q

Politics

A

the activities associated with the governance of a country or other area

18
Q

Public Policy

A

all the things a government decides to do

19
Q

The Social Contract

A

an agreement among the members of society to have a government in exchange for benefits

20
Q

Socialism

A

economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production should be owned by the community as a whole

21
Q

Sovereignty

A

when a state has supreme and absolute power within its own territory and can decide it’s own foreign and domestic policies

22
Q

Supply and Demand

A

the amount of a commodity and desire determines the price

23
Q

Theocracy

A

a system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god

24
Q

Totalitarianism

A

a system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state

25
Q

Unitary Government

A

a centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single, central agency

26
Q

Four characteristics of a state

A

population, territory, sovereignty, and government

27
Q

Force Theory

A

claimed control over a territory and forced people to submit

28
Q

Evolutionary Theory

A

heads of families became the government and became sovereign

29
Q

Divine Right Theory

A

God created a state and chose a person to rule a certain territory

30
Q

Social Contract Theory

A

a population gave up some power to a government for the good of all

31
Q

Politics

A

a process

32
Q

Government

A

an institution

33
Q

Where did democracy come from

A

Athens, Greece

34
Q

Where did the idea of a republic come from

A

Rome, Italy

35
Q

What is a direct democracy

A

when people represent themselves

36
Q

What is a republic

A

when people elect other people to represent them

37
Q

Mercantilism

A

Land -> Resources -> Money -> Power

38
Q

What was Aristotle’s political theory

A

government exists to promote good for the citizens

39
Q

What did Cincinnatus do

A

he was a farmer who was asked to be a dictator and then after completing his duty, he returned to his farm; civic virtue

40
Q

What was Thomas Hobbes’ political theory

A

people are naturally evil and need a strict government; absolute monarchy

41
Q

John Locke

A

people have natural rights; life, liberty, and property

42
Q

What was Montesquieu’s political theory

A

separate government into three branches to keep them in check of each other

American Government (1 decks)

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