The History of Civics and Government – Flashcards
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Why was Ancient Greece not governed by a single ruler, as were other ancient empires?
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The geographic barriers prevented Greece from becoming one big empire
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In the Roman Republic, assemblies and tribunals were established to help design laws catering to the _____ class.
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plebeian
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What is considered the most substantial influences of the Romans on modern government?
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representative government and written law
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The Carolingian Empire was begun by what leader?
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Charles Martel
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Charlemagne claimed to rule by _____, which was supported by the church.
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divine right
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The Catholic Church helped Charlemagne to build universities headed by Catholic educators, and graduates from these universities went on to __________.
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become advisors to the heads of future European countries
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Why are the Pyrenees Mountains important in the history of ancient dynasties?
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The Pyrenees form the natural border between Spain and France, and they helped to slow down the attempted Umayyad invasion in 732.
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Why did peasants work for wealthy landlords instead of heading out on their own?
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Servitude included the protection of the landlord and his knights/samurai, plus a home and a living in return for service and loyalty. Also, the society was cash-poor, and the lack of resources meant that peasants did not even have the choice to live and work independently.
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Chivalry and bushido are _____ codes that tied people to the nobles and the land.
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honor
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What services did the early church provide for peasants that makes it the first international civic organization?
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Services like education, healthcare, holy days, and festivals.
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Cause and Importance of the Magna Carta
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King John I signed the Magna Carta to avoid civil war when he angered his subjects by raising taxes and fines. The document is considered an important step in the eventual creation of constitutional government in England, the United States, and other parts of the world.
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A government run by a small group of powerful people is known as a(n) _____.
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oligarchy
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The lower house of a parliament consists of __________.
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representatives elected by citizens
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What was the significance of the Law of the Twelve Tables?
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These laws were simple to understand and were made available to the citizens.
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Why is Petrarch credited with helping bring the Renaissance to Italy?
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-Petrarch was one of the earliest Renaissance humanists. -He rediscovered the letters of Roman philosopher Cicero, helping to initiate the Renaissance in Italy. -Petrarch is considered the "Father of Humanism" by some scholars. -His poetry and letters shaped much of the thinking of his day. -In his letters, Petrarch laid out a progressive political philosophy, exalting a form of government in which wise men rule, rather than hereditary monarchy/aristocracy.
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Italian philosopher and writer Machiavelli described a new kind of leader, who takes power by force rather than succeeding through heredity, in his seminal work titled __________.
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The Prince
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What four factors greatly influenced the decline of feudalism in Europe?
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-the Crusades -the Plague -the Peasants' Revolt -the Protestant Reformation
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What was the main goal of the Crusades?
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To recapture the city of Jerusalem from Muslim control
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True or false: Leading up to the Protestant Reformation, many priests, theologians, and even everyday Christians began to question the need for a pope to head the church.
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True
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The __________ was the 16th-century movement to stop the abuses in the Roman Catholic Church and establish churches with more democratic, local governance.
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Reformation
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Who initiated the English Reformation?
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King Henry VIII
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What are some influences of Protestant Christianity on the government of the United States?
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-The Protestant focus on individual practice and beliefs as well as local governance of churches sparked a push for democracy. -Luther's ideas about the ability of individuals to have a relationship with God led to the idea that people could in fact govern themselves—without a monarch, nobility, or aristocracy. -Calvin's dismantling of the church hierarchy had a lasting effect on the Founding Fathers' understanding of government.
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What caused the Scots' mistrust and hatred of the English?
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England had repeatedly disowned agreements made with the Scots.
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What milestones in the history of Western government did Oliver Cromwell accomplish?
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Opened government to the citizens and abolished the monarchy and the House of Lords
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Oliver Cromwell's enforcement of religious toleration extended to __________.
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repatriation of English Jews
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How did Martin Luther's publication of his 95 Theses affect European understanding of government?
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-Protestant churches established local governing bodies, or councils. -Martin Luther's proclamation of forming a relationship with God led to the petition of monarchs and to self-governance.
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Why did Machiavelli advocate the use of force by a ruler?
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To lessen the chance of revolt within the ruler's domain and ensure a prolonged reign
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What was the significance of the Peasants' Revolt?
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The revolt showed the ruling classes that the peasants had the ability to wrest power from the nobility.
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How did Oliver Cromwell open the halls of government to citizens?
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-abolishing the House of Lords -abolishing the monarchy
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How did the election of church officials in the Reformed Church influence government?
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Elected church officials were answerable to their constituents, which became a part of secular government.
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Which two complaints led to the Protestant Reformation?
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-the desire to keep taxes for local use -the demand for local governance of churches
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For most of its history, Scottish society was held together by the __________.
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clan system
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How did Confucian philosophy improve government?
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It led to the development of an examination system for selecting government officials.
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Factors that led to the decline of feudalism in Europe:
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-the Crusades -the Protestant Reformation -the Peasants' Revolt -the Black Plague
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Which was a catalyst for the Scientific Revolution?
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the Protestant Reformation
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Who was an English philosopher, writer, statesman, and scientist who championed the use of the scientific method and reason to explain natural phenomena?
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Bacon
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Who was a Polish priest, astronomer, and mathematician who theorized that the sun was the center of the universe, which challenged church teachings?
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Copernicus
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Galileo was threatened with the punishment of _____ if he published his astronomical findings.
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excommunication
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How did the discoveries of the Scientific Revolution threaten the monarchy in Europe?
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The Earth not being the center of the universe and operating on its own, like a large machine, placed in jeopardy such beliefs as rule by divine right. Also, the scientific method and mechanistic perspective of the universe helped give rise to rational contracts (such as constitutions) based on agreements between the governed and their governor.
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In a democratic republic, __________.
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citizens elect representatives who act on their behalf in the governing body
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The Swiss Federal Council reflects the system of governance promoted by the theology of __________.
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John Calvin
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Why did Montesquieu leave his court position?
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to explore the spirit of the law
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What is the most relevant reason for the English Bill of Rights including a provision to protect the right of citizens to bear arms?
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James II had created laws restricting the right of Protestants to bear arms, while allowing Catholics to be armed.
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In his famous work, Candide, Voltaire disparages what institutions for persecuting citizens?
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the government and the church
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True or false: In Candide, Voltaire concludes that people should trust the teachings of the church, rather than rely on their own judgment to change their existence.
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False
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True or false: Voltaire was one of the first Enlightenment thinkers to speak out for civil rights.
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True
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Which rights listed in John Locke's Two Treatises of Civil Government did Thomas Jefferson include when writing the Declaration of Independence?
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-life -liberty
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What impact did Rousseau have on the creation of the United States government?
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He furthered the idea of social contract theory that required active participation by citizens.
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Provisions of the English Bill of Rights appear in the Constitution:
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-The executive branch can not make war without consent of the legislative branch. -Cruel and unusual punishment can not be inflicted on those imprisoned. -Citizens have the right to bear arms.
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How did Switzerland become the direct inheritor and propagator of Roman republicanism?
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by establishing a government based on representation
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What impact did Montesquieu have in the creation of the Constitution?
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James Madison used the idea of a three-branch system described in Montesquieu's The Spirit of the Laws.
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How did Europeans' views of the universe as a large machine change how people viewed government?
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People believed that government also operated like a machine, and that individuals only needed reason to determine how to govern themselves.
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Which right was guaranteed by the English Bill of Rights?
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Citizens had the right to request action from the Crown without punishment.
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How Switzerland's Federal Council created a participatory democracy:
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-Each of the cantons elects an individual to represent it in the Federal Council. -Each of the members has an equal vote on the council. -The council elects a president and a vice president.
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Thanks to its founder, William Penn, the second-last established colony of Pennsylvania was known for __________, which would later be echoed in a constitutional amendment.
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religious tolerance
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Who settled the Massachusetts Bay Colony, establishing a culture that valued liberty and the right to self-rule?
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Puritans and Pilgrims
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How did the early governments of Massachusetts and Virginia mainly differ?
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Plymouth Plantation had a representative government with a colonial council based on church polity, while the Virginia House of Burgesses was mainly based on social class and property ownership.
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The first document in the history of the colonies in which the colonists decided the nature of their government was the __________.
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Mayflower Compact
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In creating Pennsylvania's government, William Penn was partly inspired by what changes that had taken place in England?
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Oliver Cromwell opening up civic participation in government
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What historically significant step did the Second Continental Congress take?
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the decision to separate from Great Britain
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The Articles of Confederation loosely connected the 13 colonies, and the government it created had very little power. Why was the government left with no teeth?
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The colonists' experiences with taxation and martial rule led them to fear the authority of a large and powerful government.
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True or false: All of the delegates at the Second Continental Congress agreed about how to deal with Great Britain.
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False
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According to the Declaration of Independence, the role of a government is to secure the unalienable _____ of men.
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rights
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Why were both the Albany Plan and the Articles of Confederation poor solutions for government of the United States of America?
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Neither document planned for a federal government strong enough to be effective or to survive in a world dominated by European powers.
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How did the accessibility individuals had to their church council in Jamestown impact government?
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Jamestown colonists expected to have access to government officials.
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What was the predecessor to the Articles of Confederation?
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Albany Plan of Union
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The Articles of Confederation gave Congress the power to _________.
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elect the president
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What type of government was created by the Articles of Confederation?
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A collection of 13 states tied together in a loose union.
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What prompted the creation of the Second Charter of Virginia?
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the success of the Jamestown colony
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As European immigration increased rapidly during the 19th century, Pennsylvania's history of __________ was built upon as immigrants arrived to work in its industrial mills and factories.
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religious toleration
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Virginia
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colony that became economically independent through production of a cash crop, which led to the creation of a representative democracy
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Massachusetts
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colony founded through the settlement of those escaping persecution, which led economic prosperity through a spirit of hard work and merchant shipping
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Pennsylvania
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colony that practiced religious toleration, promoting a creative atmosphere and cultural and economic development
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How did the Pilgrims influence the notion of representative democracy?
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The signers of the Mayflower Compact appointed the officials to represent everyone.
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What led Jamestown to establish one of the first representative democracies?
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creating their own laws
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What did the Second Charter of Virginia provide to the colonists?
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the rights to establish a representative government
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What two major weaknesses of the nation under the Articles of Confederation were exposed by Shays's Rebellion?
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The government did not have money, and it could not raise a standing army.
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The 1787 Philadelphia Convention later became known as the _____ Convention.
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Constitutional
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Once the US Constitution was written and voted on by delegates, it was not simply put in place—it needed to be _____ by the states.
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ratified
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The __________ was added to the Constitution as the first 10 amendments.
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Bill of Rights
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Who wrote the Federalist Papers?
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Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
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Why did the Founding Fathers write into the Constitution provisions for how it could be amended (changed)?
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The Founding Fathers realized that they did not know everything. To adjust for their lack of knowledge of future events and circumstances, they built into the Constitution the ability to change or amend the government.
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James Madison had already outlined a blueprint called the __________ for the new federal government when the Philadelphia Convention convened.
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Virginia Plan
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The Three-Fifths Compromise caused a power imbalance among northern and southern representatives in Congress. How did this affect American History?
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-The Three-Fifths Compromise was significant in giving the slave states more power in Congress and the Electoral College; in 1800, slave states had 47 electoral votes. -Without the Three-Fifths Compromise, Thomas Jefferson would not have received enough electoral votes to win the presidential election of 1800. -Andrew Jackson's Indian removal policy would never have passed through the House of Representatives. -The Wilmot Proviso would have passed the House and outlawed slavery in territory acquired during the Mexican-American War. -The slavery issue eventually led to the Civil War.
