Unit One Study Guide Flashcards
what is government
institution through which a society makes and forms its policies
what is the purpose of government
to maintain order, provide essential services, protection from invasion
what are the four essential characteristics of the State
population, territory, soverignty, organized government
what is soverignty
absolute authority within a country’s own territory
what is the evolutionary theory
theory where governmetn evolved from one family
what is the force theory
one person or group used force to establish its authority to govern the people
what is the divine right theory
rulers were chosen by gods to govern
what is the social contract theory
people gave government its power to govern them in exchange the government had to resect their rights
who is Thomas Hobbs
Wrote leviathan, believed humans are not good and that we are brutes by nature, we need a ruler, we dont have right to overthrow bad government
who was John Locke
wrote two treatises on government, government derives power from the people, gov. must protect peoples rights , corrupt gov should be removed
what is autocracy
rule of one
what is oligarchy
rule of the few or committee
what is theocracy
ruler of a religious leader
what is democracy
rule of the people, government limited by people
what is direct democracy
people rule directly
what is an indirect democracy
people elect representatives to govern for them
what are characteristics of democray
gov. attempts to secure equal opportunities, based on majority rules, respect for minority rights, political parties choose candidates
what is a presidential system
seperate executive banch, execultive and leg. branch are seperate and coequal, powers are in constitution
what is a parliamentary system
exec and leg. branches are together, executive is chosen and controlled by leg. branch, removal by vote of no confidence,
what is a unitary system
only one level of government (national)
what is aconfederal system
loose association of free and independent states
what is a federal system
power is shared among national and local
what is a command economy
much of system is controlled by government or centralized power
what is a market economy
opposite of command, no government intervention
what is a mixed market economy
combo of different systems, usually mix of command and market, government is involved in business regulations
what is the magna carta
rights to protection against false imprisonments, life liberty and property, and trial by jury listed
what is the petition of rights
no taxation w/o representation, king cant declare martial law in times of peace, no imprisonment intent without due process, no quartering troops in private homes, singed by King Charles I in 1628
what is the English bill of rights
signed by William III and Mary II of Orange in 1689, freedom to bear arms, speechm no taxation without representation
who was Jean Jacques Rousseau
Humans good, society corrupt, people have the most say, preferred direct democracy over indirect
who was Baron de MOntesquieu
Liked republic, believed in uphold of balance of power, checks and balances
what are natural rights (Locke)
life, liberty, property
what does unalienable mean
unable to be changed
what is the rule of law
people must follow laws
what is limited government
idea that government is not all powerful
what is popular soverignty
idea that government only exists because of the will of the people
what is federalism
idea that government powers are seperated between levels like state and national
what are checks and balance
idea that each branch of government has some oversight over the others
what are the seperation of powers
idea that government powers are divided among branches
what is judicial review
system in class that ensures the gov. does not pass laws that violate spirit of constitution
what were the reasons for declaring indepence
many believed the British wanted to get rid of american libery
what is the sugar act
tax on sugar and molasses
what is the stamp act
tax on magazines and newspapers , stamp placed on paper
who were the sons of liberty
organization that actively protested stamp act
what were the townshend acts
series of four acts passed by Britain
what is the boston massacre
skirmish between british troops and protesters outside of a tax office
what was the boston tea party
when sons of lberty dressed up as native americans and dumpet tea into the harbor
what were the intolerable acts
four acts by parliament in retaliaion of Colonial defiance
who was Thomas Jefferson
helped draft the declaration of independence
what was the declaration of indepence
document sent to the King declaring indepence from from England
what was the first and second continental congress
first reconsidered next steps after the tea part, second voted for seperation
