US/VA Government Unit 1 Quiz Study Guide

Democracy

The people have the power to make decisions and laws.

Direct Democracy

Everyone votes on everything directly.

Representative Democracy

People vote for leaders who make decisions for them.

Monarchy

A king or queen rules, and their family usually stays in power for life

Dictatorship

One person takes control, often by force, and has all the power.

Theocracy

The government is based on religious laws, and leaders are often religious figures.

Oligarchy

A small group of people (like wealthy families or military leaders) control the government.

Anarchy

There's no government at all, and people just follow their own traditions.

Unitary Government

A single central government holds all the power.

Federal Government

Power is shared between a national government and smaller local governments.

Confederate Government

Local governments have most of the power, and the central government has very little.

Branches of Government

Different parts of government that have specific jobs (like making laws, enforcing laws, and interpreting laws).

Four Characteristics of a State

Population, Territory, Sovereignty, Government

Theories

Ideas about how governments should work and why they exist.

Presidential vs. Parliamentary

In a presidential system, the president is separate from the legislature. In a parliamentary system, the executive branch comes from the legislature.

Enlightenment Thinkers

Philosophers who influenced modern government ideas, focusing on reason, individual rights, and democracy.

Impact of American Government

The U.S. government has influenced many other countries with its democratic principles and structure.

Force Theory

An individual or group claimed control over a territory and forced the population to submit

Divine Right of Kings Theory

God created the state making it sovereign and the government is made up of those chosen by god to rule territory

Evolutionary Theory

A population forced out of primitive families and the hearths of these families became the government

Social Contract Theory

A population in a given territory gave up as much power to a government as needed to promote the well being of all

Judicial

In charge of deciding the meaning of laws, how to apply them to real situations, and whether a law breaks the rules of the Constitution

Legislative

The branch of government responsible for making laws

Executive

The part of the U.S. government responsible for enforcing and carrying out laws

Cesare Beccaria

Argued against torture and the death penalty

Baron de Montesquieu

Government should be divided into three branches to prevent tyranny

Thomas Hobbes

People need strong government to keep order (Social Contract)

Voltaire

Fought for freedom of speech, religious tolerance and separation of church and state

Mary Wollstonecraft

Argued for women rights

John Locke

People have natural rights to life, liberty and property

Beccaria's impact

Influenced 8th amendment which prohibits cruel punishments

Montesquieu's impact

His theory influenced the design of the U.S Constitution

Hobbes impact

A key principle in the Declaration of Independence

Voltaire's influence

Contributed to the first amendment (freedom of speech and religion)

Wollstonecraft's influence

Influenced debates for women rights against the government

Locke's influence

Created the foundation of the Declaration of independence