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?
100
Protect the nation's people and territory from external threats.
What is ensure national security?
100
Power is inherited; usually a king or queen, who belongs to a royal family.
What is Monarchy?
100
National, state, and regional governments share power. All levels have the power to make their own laws, elect officials, and create agencies. Example: United States
What is a federal system?
100
One of the ideals of American democracy that is the principle that all people possess a fundamental, moral worth that entitles them to fair treatment under the law.
What is Equality?
200
A state must have people. Number of people doesn't matter.
What is a population?
200
Process by which government makes and carries out decisions.
What is politics?
200
One person has absolute authority and makes all decisions; violence and force is used to maintain power.
What is a Dictatorship?
200
Power is concentrated in the central government. Regional governments carry out decisions made by the central government. Example: United Kingdom
What is a unitary system?
200
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?
300
States must have clearly defined and recognized borders.
What is territory?
300
States are founded by God or the gods, and the ruler possesses a "divine right" to rule.
What is Divine Right theory?
300
Small group of powerful people make most government decisions for their own benefit; membership may be based on wealth, family, or military power.
What is an Oligarchy?
300
Independent states join together in a "loose" alliance and delegate limited powers to a central government. The central government only has powers given to it by the states. Example: Confederate States of America during the Civil War; the United States under the Articles of Confederation.
What is a confederal system?
300
When the U.S. government and its officials are subject to recognized and enforced limits on their powers.
What is rule of law?
400
All states are politically organized.
What is government?
400
States form when people reach a "contract" to surrender some power to a common authority in return for security.
What is Social Contract theory?
400
Rulers claim to represent and be directed by a set of religious ideas; laws are rooted in religious doctrine.
What is a Theocracy?
400
This system has a president that is elected by the people for a limited term of office that is completely separate from the legislative branch.
What is a presidential system?
400
The majority rules but the rights of the political minority are protected.
What is Majority Rule/Minority Rights
500
The supreme power to act within its territory and to control its external affairs.
What is sovereignty?
500
States form gradually over time, growing from family and extended kinship groups.
What is Evolutionary theory?
500
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?
500
The executive and legislative branches of government are combined; the executive is elected out of the legislative branch.
What is a parliamentary system?
500
Allows for people and businesses to make their own economic choices about how best to produce, distribute, and exchange goods and services.