Unit 1 Review: Foundations of Government

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts from Unit 1 related to the foundations of government.

Rule of law

Everyone, including leaders and the government, must follow the law.

Natural law

Basic rights and rules people are born with, just because they are human.

Common Law

Laws made from past court decisions and traditions, not just written by lawmakers.

Social Contract

An agreement where people give some freedom to a government in exchange for protection and order.

Representative Democracy

People vote for leaders who make laws for them.

Direct Democracy

People vote on laws and issues themselves instead of using leaders.

Declaration of Independence

Document that told Britain the colonies were now a free and separate country.

Articles of Confederation

America’s first national government, which was too weak and had little power.

Constitution

The main written plan for how the U.S. government works today.

John Locke

Thinker who said people have natural rights like life, liberty, and property, and governments must protect them.

William Blackstone

Writer who explained English laws and ideas like common law that influenced American law.

Charles de Montesquieu

Thinker who said government power should be split into branches so no one branch is too strong.

Separation of powers

Government power is divided into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

Sovereignty

The highest power or authority to rule in an area.

Constitutional Republic

People elect leaders, and those leaders must follow a written constitution.

New Jersey Plan

Plan where all states would have the same number of representatives in Congress.

Virginia Plan

Plan where states with more people would get more representatives in Congress.

Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)

Plan that created two houses of Congress: one based on population (House) and one with equal seats for states (Senate).

3/5 Compromise

Compromise that said each enslaved person would count as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxes.

Federalism

Power is shared between a national (federal) government and state governments.

Federalists

People who supported the Constitution and wanted a stronger national government.

Anti-Federalists

People who worried the Constitution gave too much power to the national government and wanted a Bill of Rights.

Reason for the Bill of Rights

To protect people’s basic freedoms, like speech and religion, from government abuse.

Ratification

The official approval of the Constitution by the states.

Market economy

People and businesses make economic choices, and prices are set by supply and demand.

Command economy

The government makes most economic decisions and controls what is produced.

Mixed economy

An economy that has both market features and government control; this best describes the United States.

Democracy

Government where people have power, usually through voting.

Monarchy

Government led by a king or queen, often passing power through a family.

Republic

Government where people elect representatives and usually follow a constitution.

Theocracy

Government ruled by religious leaders or based on religious laws.