Unit 1: Introduction to Government Flashcards
state
a body of people living in a defined territory with a government
nation
ethnic term: large group of people
country
geographic term: particular place, region, or area of land
people
the people who make up the state may or may not be the same
territory
must have land with known and recognized boundaries
sovereignty
- supreme power within its own territory
- decides its own foreign and domestic policies
government
the agency the state uses to accomplish its goals
purposes of government
preamble to the constitution
powers of government
legislative, executive, judicial
legislative branch
law making (US Congress, State Legislatures)
executive branch
law enforcing (US President, Governor)
judicial branch
law interpreting (Courts)
force theory
government (the state) was created by force, one person or group claimed control over the land
evolutionary theory
a primitive family where one person was the leader, the root of early government, tribes settled and began government because of farming
Divine right theory
God created the state and gave those of royal birth “divine right” to rule
social contract theory
before government, the strong took what they wanted and nobody stopped them, agreement to give up some power to government for safety
participation
who can participate in government and hold power?
geographic
the geographic distribution of the governing process
legislative vs. executive
the relationship between the legislative and the executive branches of government
democracy
political authority rests with the people
direct democracy
“pure democracy”
will of the people made public law by the people themselves
small communities
indirect democracy
“representative democracy”
small group chosen by the people that act as representatives to express the popular will
dictatorship
absolute and unchangeable authority over people
rulers hold no responsibility to the will of the people
autocracy
government in which a single person holds unlimited political power
oligarchy
government in which the power to rule is held by a small, elite group
unitary
“centralized government”
central government creates local units
federal
central and local governments have to agree to make changes
confederation
- alliance of independent states
- central organization only handles matters that the states assign to it
presidential
executive and legislative are separate
president is head of legislature
parliamentary
- executive consists of prime minister and official cabinet
- subject to direct control
democracy
representatives are responsible for answering to the popular will of the people
Mayflower Compact
Made to maintain order and establish a civil society
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense
- independence from Great Britian
- Created a democratic republic
George Mason
Wrote the “Declaration of Rights” for Virginians
The Virginia Declaration of Rights
Became the basis for the US Bill of Rights
Freedom of Religion
Can be directed only by reason, not force
Freedom of the Press
Newspapers should be able to print the truth and should not be controlled by the government
Trial By Jury
People who broke the law should have rights, including trail by jury
No Cruel & Unusual Punishments
Deserve bail and should not suffer cruel and unusual punishments
A Well Regulated Militia
No standing armies, military should be under the people’s control
The Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom
- written by Thomas Jefferson
- disestablished Church of England in Virginia
- guaranteed freedom of all religion
- became basis for Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause
Significance of Documents (Virginia Decleration of Rights)
Served as models for the Bill of Rights of the US Constitution
