Characteristics of a State
A political unit with the power to make and enforce laws over a group of people living within a clearly defined territory.
What is a state?
Protect the nation's people and territory from external threats.
What is the common defense
Power is inherited; usually a king or queen, who belongs to a royal family.
What is Monarchy?
Which is the same as government by popular consent or indirect democracy?
What is a Representative Democracy?
Name 3 of the 5 government powers?
Power or authority that rules a country. Provides stability. Makes laws. Provides services. Keeps order
A state must have people. Number of people doesn't matter.
What is a population?
institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies.
What is government
One person has absolute authority and makes all decisions; violence and force is used to maintain power.
What is a Dictatorship?
Power is concentrated in the central government.
What is a unitary system?
One of the ideals of American democracy that is the belief that ordinary people could aspire to rule themselves and do so as political equals.
What is Self-Government?
States must have clearly defined and recognized borders.
What is territory?
Which phrase in the Preamble of the Constitution means secure the blessings of liberty.
To guarantee civil rights and liberties
Small group of powerful people make most government decisions for their own benefit;
What is an Oligarchy?
Independent states join together in a "loose" alliance and delegate limited powers to a central government.
What is a confederal system?
the power to make laws and frame public policies
Legislative Power
All states are politically organized.
What is government?
Which phrase in the Preamble of the Constitution means that laws should be reasonable, fair, and impartial?
Establish Justice
powers divided between a central government and local governments
What is a Federal Government?
executive branch is made up of a prime minister and cabinet
What is a parliamentary system?
power to execute, enforce, and administer power
Executive Power
The supreme power to act within its territory and to control its external affairs.
What is sovereignty?
Which phrase in the Preamble of the Constitution means the government should provide peace and order in society?
Ensure Domestic Tranquility
Power is held by the people; people elect representatives to represent them in government and to make laws.
What is Representative Democracy or a Republic?
The executive and legislative branches of government are combined; the executive is elected out of the legislative branch.
What is a Presidential system?
the power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning and settle disputes that arise within a society.
Judicial Power