Unit 1: Origins & Principles of U.S. Government

Vocabulary flashcards defining core terms, political concepts, systems of government, and key historical figures from Unit 1.

Classical Republicanism

A political ideology emphasizing the common good, protection of the public good, and the responsibilities and duties of citizens within a political community.

Classical Liberalism

A political ideology emphasizing the individual, individual freedom, and the protection of individual rights.

Natural Rights

Fundamental rights that all people possess simply because they are human, identified in the Declaration of Independence as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Inalienable Rights

Rights that cannot legitimately be taken away by the government.

Consent of the Governed

The principle that government receives its legitimate authority directly from the people.

John Locke

An Enlightenment philosopher associated with natural rights, consent of the governed, and the people's right to change an unjust government.

Thomas Hobbes

A political philosopher who wrote about the development and purpose of government, the political social contract, and the need for political stability.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

An Enlightenment philosopher who focused on popular sovereignty and the relationship between the government and the people.

Thomas Jefferson

The primary author of the Declaration of Independence who was strongly influenced by John Locke's natural rights philosophy.

James Madison

A key Framer recognized as the Father of the Constitution.

Federal System

A system of government in which political power is distributed and divided between a central national authority and state governments.

Unitary Government

A centralized system of government in which all political power belongs to a single, central agency.

Confederation

A union of independent sovereign states where sovereignty rests primarily with the individual states rather than a central government.

Sovereignty

The supreme and absolute power or authority of a state to govern itself.

Representative Democracy

A democratic system of government in which citizens elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on their behalf.

Popular Sovereignty

A political doctrine stating that government is created by and subject to the will of the people.

Limited Government

A principle where government power is restricted by established rules and laws to prevent it from exercising unlimited authority.

Common Good

Refers to what benefits the larger community as a whole.

Individual Rights

The freedoms and liberties that belong to individual persons.

Worth of the Individual

The democratic concept that every person has dignity and should be treated as worthy of consideration.

Equality of All Persons

The democratic principle that all people should be recognized as equal in their basic worth standing.

Necessity of Compromise

The democratic principle that individuals with differing ideas must work together to find common ground.