Background and History of US Gov
Forms of Government
The State
Theories and Forms
Concepts of Democracy
100
Government is an institution through which...
A society makes and enforces public policies (or laws)
100
In this way of conducting government, supreme political authority rests with the people and government is only conducted by and with the consent of the people. This also operates under the social contract theory of government.
Democracy
100
What do we call a body of people living in a defined territory, are organized politically, and have the power to make and enforce laws without the consent of any higher authority?
a state
100
What do we call a weak alliance of independent states?
A confederate government (or a confederacy)
100
This concept of democracy involves equality of opportunity and equality before the law
Equality of all persons
200
The society that practiced the purest form of democracy was the...
Greeks
200
When people vote in a referendum or participate in a town hall meeting, they are participating in what kind of democracy?
Direct Democracy
200
What characteristic of a state requires that at least two people are present?
Population
200
In this governmental system, the legislative and executive branches are one in the same and the chief executive is part of, chosen by, and subject to the legislative branch
Parliamentary system
200
This concept of democracy states that the government must not violate the rights, or freedoms, of individuals
Individual Freedom
300
The Virginia Plan wanted more representation from which states?
The states with high population
300
When citizens elect senators to make decisions on behalf of the people, they are a part of what form of democracy?
Representative Democracy
300
What characteristic of a state requires there to be a controlled area of land with defined boundaries?
Territory
300
In this form of government, all power is held by a central (national) government, with little or no power given to the local (State) governments
Unitary system
300
This concept of democracy states that whatever gets the majority votes, wins. Ideally, this must never work at the expense of the minority
Majority Rules/Minority Rights
400
There were three very important English documents that eventually helped shape the government of the United States. What was the first of these three documents, passed in 1215?
The Magna Carta
400
What is the kind of dictatorship in which all the power rests with ONE PERSON?
Autocracy
400
This characteristic of a state requires that a state must have supreme and absolute authority within its own territory
Sovereignty
400
What is the theory of government that states that a government only exists with the consent of the governed, or the people?
The social contract theory
400
What is the concept of democracy that is all about finding a position that is the most acceptable to the largest number of people is the object of this concept of democracy.
The Necessity of Compromise
500
Name one weakness to the Articles of Confederation.
Each state only had one vote in Congress, regardless of size. Congress had not have the power to tax. Congress did not have the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce. There was no executive branch to enforce any acts passed by Congress. There was no national court system. Amendments to the Articles of Confederation required a unanimous vote. Laws required a 9/13 majority to pass in Congress.
500
When the powers of government are geographically divided between a central (national) government and local (State) governments, what kind of distribution do we call this? HINT: division of powers
Federal government
500
This characteristic of a state requires that the people within the territory are organized politically and have an agency with which to exert is will
Government
500
This theory of government is based around a natural progression from one family all the way to a politically organized state
Evolutionary theory
500
What is the concept of democracy that states that each individual is valued, the good of the individual is secondary to the interests of society
Worth of the Individual
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