Government Unit 1-Foundations of U.S. Democracy – Flashcards
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(LESSON 1-POLITICAL SYSTEMS) Belief in a limited government that protects individual liberties.
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Most Widely held ideal of the U.S. Political Culture?
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Communities direct and manage their own schools
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Least likely to be true of a totalitarian state
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Characteristics of Totalitarianism
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-Rule by single party -Total control of military -Total control over means of communication(newspapers) -Police control with use of terror as a control tactic Control of economy
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Which factor most greatly limits the power of the U.S. government? -regular, free elections -a sovereign government -electing a chief executive -a constitutional system
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-a constitutional system
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definition and characteristics of Unitary system
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Power is concentrated in a single central authority, possesses sovereignty
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def/char of Federal Government
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Divides power of state between central gov/several local govs ex:Mexico, Canada, Switzerland
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Def/char of Confederal system
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Independent states join together and cede a small part of their power to a central agency-confederate gov
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When political system has a 'superme leader'
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Dictatorship
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What type of gov combines both unitary and confederal systems?
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Federal government
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Which political system is run by a group of noble families or wealthy members pf society?
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Oligarchy
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Imagine that an exchange student from China visits your class. While your teacher discusses how the United States has a limited gov, the Chinese student raises his hand and asks why the gov has limited power. Which point best highlights why the US gov has limited power?
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Constitution...
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characteristics of a nation
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People who share some sort of background-culture, religion, ethnicity
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What feature of a confederal gov did the confederate states of America most want?
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A limited central government linking independent states
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In which form of government do delegates speak on behalf of citizens?
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Representative
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which gov is a form of authoritarian government in which gov is handed down through family lines and rulers stay in power for life?
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Monarchy
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What is defined by population, territory, gov, and sovereignty?
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A state
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What is a union of independent sovereign states?
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confederation
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what is the primary purpose of most constitutions?
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to define and limit power of gov
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Under which type of gov would provincial or state govs have the most sovereignty?
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Totalitarianism
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What characters of confederate states of America made it a confederal gov when compared to gov or US?
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confederate states of America had a weaker central gov, us, individual states had more sovereignty/power than US, central gov of confederate states handled only foreign/natural economic issues.
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Deification
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act of declaring one self a god
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Absolutism
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total/unlimited power
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Monarchy
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gov in which a set of written rules(constitution)
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Magna Carta
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Document dening king certain powers
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Dictatorship
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gov where one person seizes control of state, rules with complete power usually occur in a state that claims to be democratic
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Coup d'e tat
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sudden overthrow of a gov by small group, by help of military
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Totalitarism
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represents a severe form of dictatorship
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Fidel Castro
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dictator, came to power by force through revolution or through coup d'e tat
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Oligarchy
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type of Authoritarian gov from greek word for "rule of the few"
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Authoritarian Governments
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Gov leaders ruled with unlimited power, majority of people had few rights
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Aristocracy
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best or most wealthy citizens
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Theocracy
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gov where leaders of a religion control gov and policies of state adhere to teachings of religion ex:Nation of Iran
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Examples of Authoritarianism
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North Korea-repress may citizens and place convicted citizens in prison camps Kingdom Jordan-offer little in way of political participation
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Democratic governments
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many of worst authoritarian regimes around world claim to be democratics
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Direct Democracy
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Most basic form, citizens participate in decision-making process by voting on laws and state policies
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Republic
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-Large states often practice representative democracy -citizens elect officials to represent their community
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Presidential gov
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people elect a chief executive(president)
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Constitutional government
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difines powers of gov(rules that dictate decision making) names rights of decision making
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Economic systems
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Capitalism, free enterprise, free market or communism, command economy
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DEVELOPMENT OF US DEMOCRACY
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LESSON 2
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main ideas of Enlightened philosophers
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they formulated theories that determined idea that king received authority from God
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essential element of the english political tradition? (4)
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power, rule, authority, influence
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which enlightenment philosopher introduced the idea that people enter a social contract with the purpose of maintaining order in society?
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Thomas Hobbes
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what was the purpose of Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England?
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to advocate for common law
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what kind of government was enacted by the Athenian Assembly?
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direct democracy
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under feudalism, which group was responsible for ruling different regions of a country?
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economic system
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what effect did the Mayflower compact have on American gov?
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first form of constitution in the colonies
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which feature of gov does Montesquieu argue for in his book Spirit of Laws?
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creation of constitutional systems
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why did the Crown pass the so-called intolerance acts?
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to punish colonies
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which roman contribution to political theory was adapted by the founding fathers?
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representative gov
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what right did the English nobles gain when king John signed the Magna Carta?
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right to be heard by a jury
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Mayflower compact?
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agreement that new colonists would make their own laws
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whos political philosophy is most clearly reflected in the declaration of independence ?
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John Locke
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True or false: Thomas Edison was heavily influinced by John Locke?
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true
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what does this definition describe?- the implied agreement between the people and the gov, in which the people give up some of their power and freedom in exchange for protection of their rights...
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Enlightenment Philosophy...
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What is considered an important roman contribution to american government ?
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...
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democracy
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rule
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Direct Democracy
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citizens vote directly on all decisions of gov
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Feudalism
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political =-economic system under which noblemen assumed functions of gov in own territories
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magna carta
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first document to establish principle that leaders were not above law
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Enlightenment Philosophers
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Edison,Locke, Montesquie
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Montesquie theory
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seperation of powers (spirit of laws book)
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Social contract theory
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view that persons political obligations are dependent upon a contract among them to form society in which they live.
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Mercantilism
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economic policyin which nations encouraged exports as a means of collecting gold/silver
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how did mercantilism increase the likelihood of conflicts between European powers?
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European nations wanted to control more land as a way to become more economically powerful
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french indian war
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turning point in relationshi[ between colonies and crown
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Colonial Grevances Against the Crown
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"No Taxation without Representation"
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THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
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LESSON 3
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Which event occurred directly after the boston tea party?
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Intolerable Acts
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what was a major problem with central gov under the articles of confederation?
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Didn't have power to make states work together to solve national problems
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which situation justifies open rebellion against the government?
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a ruler's denial of citizens rights
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what form of gov did the articles of confederation create?
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republic
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what idea had a major influence on the author of the articles
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The idea that a strong central gov threatens the rights of the people.
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what was a major grievance of the colonists against Great Britain?
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"Taxation Without Representation"
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How did shay's rebellion highlight major problems with articles?
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State gov had dificulties fixing economies, raising militias for defence.
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which document does the second paragraph of the declaration of independene echo?
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second treatise of gov(John Locke)
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who was the main author of the declaration of independence
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Thomas Jefferson
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Great Britain justified raising taxes on colonists becasue of which event?
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French and Indian War
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philosopher who most profound influence on Thomas Jefferson's political thought?
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John Locke
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what phrase best describes form of gov created by constitutional convention of 1787?
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"A confederal government that limited government powers"
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which flaw in the gov created by Articles of confederation did shay's rebellion make apparent?
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The government was able to remove guns from small militias in the colonies
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according to declaration of independence, what is the power or the gov based on?
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the consent of the governed
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according to declaration of independence when do the people have the right to overthrow their government?
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when the gov fails to protect fundamental rights of the people
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what was an important concern for the founding fathers when drafting articles of confederation?
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limiting the power of certain states in the Union
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WRITING THE CONSTITUTION
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LESSON 4
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CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS
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LESSON 5
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Which of four progressive amendmnets gave women right to vote
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19
