Governments
What does each letter in P.A.L.S stand for?
Power - Strength/ability to rule
Authority - the right to rule
Legitimacy - the people's belief in their governments' right to rule
Sovereignty - The ultimate power/authority in a State or territory.
What did enlightenment philosophers in general focus on?
How and why governments worked the way they did. Questioning the way countries were run by those in charge.
What does unalienable rights refer to?
Natural rights (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) that every human is born with. These rights cannot be taken away by anyone or anything.
What ideas did the US borrow from Rome?
A Senate
or
Seperation of Powers
What are the 5 limits on government?
Constitution- written set of unbreakable rules
Separation of powers- power is not concentrated in the hands of only one person
Rule of Law- EVERYONE has to follow the laws
Consent of the Governed- The people give the government its authority
Rights of the Minority- Equal rights for all, no matter how small a group
What type of government is a theocracy?
A government that gets its authority from religion and bases its laws on religious texts.
What type of government was Greece (Athens) originally (before democracy)?
Oligarchy - Controlled by a few rich elites.
The Declaration of Independence is the first document to do what?
Establish basic unalienable rights for its citizens.
What were some potential problems with democracy that were considered over the years?
If everyone could vote that meant uneducated people could as well.
People could be swayed by a charismatic but evil dictator to place himself in complete power.
That wealthy people would have more power/influence over voters/votes.
What were some key differences between the Virginia Plan and the New Jeresy Plan?
The Virginia Plan wanted a bicameral (2-house) system with representation based on population (big states)
The New Jersey Plan wanted a unicameral (1 house) system where every state got one vote
What type of government is a Democracy?
The power is given to the people and they exercise it by voting either on the laws directly, or by electing representatives who align with their interests.
What did Thomas Hobbes believe about the role of the government?
The government should have absolute power over people and laws in order to impose peace on everyone. (No natural/unalienable rights)
What is the purpose of the preamble?
It outlines the goals of the Constitution, as well as stating why the Constitution was written.
How did the creation of Parliment influence the U.S.?
It helped to establish the concept of a REPRESENTATIVE government.
What was the overall problem with the Articles of Confederation?
A lack of central government power.
Each state kept its own sovereignty with no central federal power.
What type of Government is an Oligarchy?
Power is in the hands of a few elites, who make decisions for the whole country.
What are some key ideas from John Locke?
Natural rights that can not be taken away
People had to continue to agree to follow a leader/government
People can enter into a social contract where they agree to give up some of their freedoms for protection and
What did the Preamble establish?
That the writers (our Founding Fathers) are forming a union separate from England with justice, peace, and welfare for all.
What was the key point of the Magna Carta?
It placed clear limits on the power of the King of England.
How many states out of 13 needed to agree in order to pass a new law during the Articles of Confederation?
9/13
What is the key similarity between Dictatorships and Autocracies?
They both concentrate power in the hands of one ultimate ruler.
What ideas is Montesquieu known for?
The "Separation of Powers" so that one part of government does not become too powerful
People need to be educated in civic virtues.
Popular Sovereignty
What are the 4 characteristics of a country?
Territory - Land
Government - An established system of creating and applying laws.
Population - People
Sovereignty - The country is its own boss.
Daily Double!
Communism would be considered what type of government?
A- Oligarchy
B- Democracy
C- Dictatorship
D- Theocracy
How many states out of 13 needed to agree in order to add an amendment to the Articles of Confederation?
13/13