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American Government > Unit 1A: Heritage of the Constitution > Flashcards

Unit 1A: Heritage of the Constitution Flashcards

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1
Q

Democracy

A

Supreme authority rests with the people

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2
Q

Dictatorship

A

Single person or group holds all the power

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3
Q

Oligarchy

A

Self appointed elite

dictatorship

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4
Q

Representative Democracy

Republic

A

Citizens elect their others to represent them in government

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5
Q

Direct Democracy

A

Citizens participate in the government directly

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6
Q

Presidential Democracy

A

People elect an executive and the members of a legislative branch

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7
Q

Parliamentary Democracy

A

People elect the legislative branch and the legislative branch elects and executive

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8
Q

Sovereignty

A

Supreme and absolute powers

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9
Q

Divine Right Theory:

A
  • God gave those of royal birth the right to rule.
    people bound to obey their ruler as if they were God.
  • Democracy developed to challenge this idea during the Age of Reason
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10
Q

Natural Rights

John Locke

A
  • Life, Liberty and Property
  • All men are born with this rights, they are god given and should never be taken away
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11
Q

Purpose of Government

John Locke

A
  • To protect man’s natural rights
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12
Q

Social Contract Theory

John Locke

A
  • Consent of the governed comes from the people
  • People give up absolute freedom in exchange for protection of their natural rights (life, liberty and property). If the government fails to protect the people’s natural rights they have a right to revolt.
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13
Q

Montesquieu

A
  • Separation of Power and Checks and balances
  • Spirit of Laws
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14
Q

Rousseau

A
  • Government exists to serve the will of the people
  • Direct Democracy
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15
Q

Thomas Hobbes

A
  • Absolute monarchy is the best form of government
  • Give up freedoms to the sovereign who will then create stability in society – cannot revolt
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16
Q

Enlightenment’s impact on democracy/American Revolution

A
  • Inspired democratic ideas about the rights of man
    Philosophies of the Enlightenment
  • motivated colonists to unite and stand up for their rights
17
Q

Concepts reflected in this document?

Magna Carta

A
  • Rule of Law
  • Limited Government
18
Q

What is Included?

Declaration of Independance

A
  • Basic rights,
  • wrongs done by King,
  • natural rts,
  • government exists only with people’s permission,
  • people may change or abolish government,
  • colonists intentions
19
Q

Political ideas expressed/Concepts and ideas coming from John Locke

Declaration of Independance

A
  • Natural rights of man,
  • equality,
  • consent comes from the people,
  • right to revolt
20
Q

Majority of the document contains:

Declaration of Independance

A

Wrongs done by the king – ways the king violated the rights of the colonists

21
Q

Structure of Government

Article of Confederation

A
  • First attempt at self-government in the United States
  • Unicameral
  • Each state getting one vote
  • No executive or judicial branch
  • No president, only a presiding officer
22
Q

Why set up this way?

Articles of Confederation

A
  • Did not want a central authority like the British system
  • Fearful of a central government with too much power so purposely limited its powers so it could not abuse it
23
Q

Weaknesses

Articles of Confederation

A
  • Not enough powers given to Congress
  • No power to tax
  • No power to regulate trade
  • No power to make states obey the Articles
  • No court system
  • Amendment only with consent of all states
  • 9 out of 13 states to pass a law
24
Q

Popular Sovereignty:

Basic Concepts of the Constitution

A

Political power resides with the people. “We the people”

25
Q

Limited Government:

Basic Concepts of the Constitution

A

Government must operate within the bounds set by the people

26
Q

Federalism:

Basic Concepts of the Constitution

A

Division of power between a National government and several local (state) governments

American Government (4 decks)

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