Module 1: The Rise of Democratic Ideas

government

a system for controlling the society

monarchy

a single person called a king or monarch ruled

aristocracy

a government ruled by a small group of noble, landowning families

oligarchy

a government ruled by a few powerful people

democracy

"rule of the people"

direct democracy

a form of government in which citizens govern and make laws directly rather than through representatives

republic

a form of government in which power rests with citizens who have the right to elect the leaders who make governmental decisions

senate

in ancient Rome, the supreme governing body, originally made up only of aristocrats

Judaism

the religion of the Israelites and Jews who believed in one God

Ten Commandments

a code of moral laws believed to have been given by God to Moses

Christianity

the name of the religion founded by Jesus was derived from the name of Christ

Christos

Greek word meaning "messiah" or "savior"

Islam

a monotheistic religion that developed in Arabia in the seventh century CE

Roman Catholic Church

the church that grew out of Roman Christianity, which by the Middle Ages became the most powerful institution in Europe

Renaissance

a period of European history, lasting from about 1300 to 1600, during which renewed interest in classical culture led to far-reaching changes in art, learning and views of the world

Reformation

a religious reform movement that began in the 16th century that leads to the founding of Christian churches that rejected the pope's authority

common law

a unified body of law formed from rulings of England's royal judges that serves as the basis for law in many English-speaking countries today, including the United States

magna carta

a document, written by English nobles, as a way to present their demands to the king. It was a contract between the king and nobles of England

due process of law

to have the law work in known, orderly ways

parliament

a body of representatives that makes laws for a nation

divine right

the idea that monarchs are God's representatives on earth and therefore answer only to God

Glorious Revolution

the bloodless overthrow of the English king James II and his replacement by William and Mary

constitutional monarchy

a system of governing in which the ruler's power is limited by law

bill of rights

the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which protect citizens' basic rights and freedoms

Enlightenment

an 18th-century European movement in which thinkers attempted to apply the principles of reason and the scientific method to all aspects of society

social contract

the agreement by which people define and limit their individual rights, thus creating an organized society or government

natural rights

the rights human beings have by nature, such as life, liberty, and property

separation of powers

the division of government into separate branches

representative government

a form of government where citizens elect representatives to make laws and policies for them

federal systems

a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and a number of individual states

United Nations

an international peacekeeping organization founded in 1945 to provide security to the nations of the world