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Government > Unit 1: Introduction to Government > Flashcards

Unit 1: Introduction to Government Flashcards

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1
Q

state

A

a body of people living in a defined territory with a government

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2
Q

nation

A

ethnic term: large group of people

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3
Q

country

A

geographic term: particular place, region, or area of land

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4
Q

people

A

the people who make up the state may or may not be the same

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5
Q

territory

A

must have land with known and recognized boundaries

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6
Q

sovereignty

A
  • supreme power within its own territory
  • decides its own foreign and domestic policies
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7
Q

government

A

the agency the state uses to accomplish its goals

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8
Q

purposes of government

A

preamble to the constitution

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9
Q

powers of government

A

legislative, executive, judicial

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10
Q

legislative branch

A

law making (US Congress, State Legislatures)

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11
Q

executive branch

A

law enforcing (US President, Governor)

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12
Q

judicial branch

A

law interpreting (Courts)

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13
Q

force theory

A

government (the state) was created by force, one person or group claimed control over the land

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14
Q

evolutionary theory

A

a primitive family where one person was the leader, the root of early government, tribes settled and began government because of farming

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15
Q

Divine right theory

A

God created the state and gave those of royal birth “divine right” to rule

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16
Q

social contract theory

A

before government, the strong took what they wanted and nobody stopped them, agreement to give up some power to government for safety

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17
Q

participation

A

who can participate in government and hold power?

18
Q

geographic

A

the geographic distribution of the governing process

19
Q

legislative vs. executive

A

the relationship between the legislative and the executive branches of government

20
Q

democracy

A

political authority rests with the people

21
Q

direct democracy

A

“pure democracy”
will of the people made public law by the people themselves
small communities

22
Q

indirect democracy

A

“representative democracy”
small group chosen by the people that act as representatives to express the popular will

23
Q

dictatorship

A

absolute and unchangeable authority over people
rulers hold no responsibility to the will of the people

24
Q

autocracy

A

government in which a single person holds unlimited political power

25
Q

oligarchy

A

government in which the power to rule is held by a small, elite group

26
Q

unitary

A

“centralized government”
central government creates local units

27
Q

federal

A

central and local governments have to agree to make changes

28
Q

confederation

A
  • alliance of independent states
  • central organization only handles matters that the states assign to it
29
Q

presidential

A

executive and legislative are separate
president is head of legislature

30
Q

parliamentary

A
  • executive consists of prime minister and official cabinet
  • subject to direct control
31
Q

democracy

A

representatives are responsible for answering to the popular will of the people

32
Q

Mayflower Compact

A

Made to maintain order and establish a civil society

33
Q

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

A
  • independence from Great Britian
  • Created a democratic republic
34
Q

George Mason

A

Wrote the “Declaration of Rights” for Virginians

35
Q

The Virginia Declaration of Rights

A

Became the basis for the US Bill of Rights

36
Q

Freedom of Religion

A

Can be directed only by reason, not force

37
Q

Freedom of the Press

A

Newspapers should be able to print the truth and should not be controlled by the government

38
Q

Trial By Jury

A

People who broke the law should have rights, including trail by jury

39
Q

No Cruel & Unusual Punishments

A

Deserve bail and should not suffer cruel and unusual punishments

40
Q

A Well Regulated Militia

A

No standing armies, military should be under the people’s control

41
Q

The Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom

A
  • written by Thomas Jefferson
  • disestablished Church of England in Virginia
  • guaranteed freedom of all religion
  • became basis for Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause
42
Q

Significance of Documents (Virginia Decleration of Rights)

A

Served as models for the Bill of Rights of the US Constitution

Government (2 decks)

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