Political Thinkers
This English philosopher claimed that it was the government's job to protect a man's "natural rights" of life, health, liberty, and property, and that the failure to do so would justify rebellion against that government.
Who is John Locke?
This type of government allows all of the citizens of the country to vote on every law and policy. These votes were typically held once a month or once a year.
What is a Democracy/Direct Democracy?
This form of government divides and shares power between a National government, State governments, and Local governments.
What is Federalism?
While originally written to inform the British why the American Colonies were breaking away, ideas expressed in this document became foundational to the U.S. Constitution.
What is the Declaration of Independence?
A controversial deal between the Northern and Southern states over how to count the population for the purpose of determining representation agreed to count three out of every five slaves in the census.
What is the Three-Fifths Compromise?
This Genevan philosopher first proposed the idea of a "Social Contract" in which the people would exchange a few rights and a limited property for protection and services from the government.
Who is Jean-Jacques Rousseau?
This system of government has the citizen in different districts elect one person, usually a wealthy and educated individual, to speak for them and to vote for laws that will benefit the community.
What is a Republic?
This system of legislature uses two "houses" which serve to check each others powers while making laws that should benefit the overwhelming majority of the people of a state or country.
What is a Bicameral Legislature?
This British legal document from 1689 served as a model for ideas about representation and protections of individual rights found in both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
What is the English Bill of Rights?
What is the Electoral College?
Who is Thomas Hobbes?
A government ruled by a single person who has unlimited power and authority with no system which can check him if he becomes abusive.
What is an Autocracy/Dictatorship?
In this system the voters elect the members of the government, who then select the head of the government themselves from among their numbers.
What is a Parliamentary System?
This English legal document from 1215, not only influenced the Constitution's ideas about limiting power, it also contributed to the development of "Due Process" and "Equal Justice Under the Law".
What is the Magna Carta?
This compromise combined elements of the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan to form a bicameral legislature with representation in one house based on population and representation in the other being equal for each state.
What is the Connecticut Compromise/the Great Compromise?
This Greek philosopher was the first to write a description of the purpose of government, which was to allow people to "do their own work" without "meddling", in his dialogue The Republic.
Who is Plato?
What is a Constitutional Monarchy?
Double Jeopardy!
A system of government in which all power is held and distributed by a strong central government to State and Local governments.
What is a Unitary system?
A document meant to settle an argument about how their colony was to be governed, this document is foundational to the Constitution's ideas about self-governance and use of democratic systems for making decisions.
What is the Mayflower Compact?
A part of the Virginia Plan that was included in the Great Compromise that allowed the Federal Government to override state laws if they conflict with Federal laws.
What is the Supremacy Clause?
This type of government allowed a group of Native American tribes or nations, often called the Iroquois, worked together to make decisions for all members of the groups while allowing each groups a large amount of independence.
What is a Confederation?
A system of government in with a single legislative body makes all the laws for the State or Country.
What is a Unicameral Legislature?
A religious movement that shaped the moral standards of the new country, this event also is seen to have influenced the Constitutional principle that all people are equal.
What is the Great Awakening?
Double Jeopardy!
A list of protected rights and liberties that Federalist had to agree to add to the Constitution after its ratification in order to get the Anti-federalist to vote for the new government.
What is the Bill of Rights?