010 F26 Ch 1 & 2 Nature of Govt

Intro to US Govt Structure

Legislative

(Congress) makes laws/policy

Executive

(President) implements and. enforces laws/policy

Judiciary

Interprets laws/policy

KEY- civic virtue

the subordination of individualism and individual self-interest to the interest of society.

KEY- classical liberalism

emphasizes individualism and self-interest, A body of Western European political philosophy that is concerned with the freedom of the individual and the role of government in protecting that freedom.

KEY- classical republicanism

concerns itself with civic virtue, the subordination of individualism and individual self-interest to the interest of society. A theory that rule by the people ought to be indirect through representatives.

KEY- conservative

Individual who believes that government should play a limited role in the lives of individuals and that government is not the primary solution all problems.

KEY- constitution

A set of formal written rules and principles governing a state.

KEY- constitutional democracy

A government that derives its authority from a constitution.

KEY- democracy

A system of government in which political power is exercised

by the people.

KEY- direct democracy

A democracy in which the people are able to participate

directly in decision-making.

KEY- feudalism

A system of landholding involving a network of allegiances and

obligations.

KEY- indirect democracy

A democracy in which people do not participate directly in decision-

making and instead elect individuals to represent their interests.

KEY- inegalitarianism

A tradition of excluding large segments of the American population from participation in the political system despite the language of equality, liberty, and freedom.

KEY- liberal

someone who believes that government has a role to play in the lives of individuals and that government should be looked to for solutions to problems.

KEY- natural law

Law that comes from nature and is superior to statutory law.

KEY- natural rights

Rights to which every person is entitled, such as life and liberty; rights that are not dependent on government.

KEY- public good

A government policy or action that benefits society as a whole rather than a specific individual.

KEY- republican form of government

A government whose powers are exercised by elected representatives who are directly or indirect accountable to the people governed.

KEY- social contract

Men create government by entering into a ______ in which people give up some of their independence for the safety and peace that government creates.

KEY- statutory law

A type of law pertaining to rules made by legislatures, especially Congress.

Article I -assigns the responsibility for making laws; division of congress

legislative branch

Article II - lays down the rules for electing presidents through electoral college

executive branch

Article III - establishes branch with the federal court system’s highest court

judicial branch