Outcome 1 Government Test

Outcome 1

Why is the Magna Carta an important document in the history of government? What did it do?

First document to put in writing the principal that the king and his government was not above the law. It prevented the king from exploiting power, issued June 1215

How did the English Bill of Rights influence the framers when creating the American Bill of Rights?

Influence from the English Bill of Rights containing many rights that were later included in the first amendment

Monarchy

A country ruled by monarch (king or queen)

-constitutional monarchy: limited by a constitution

-absolute monarchy: monarchs have unlimited power

Dictatorship

A government or a social situation where one person makes all the rules and decisions without input from anyone else

ex: Hitler, Soviet Union under Stalin

Oligarchy

A group controls much of the country and influences or is the government

Authoritarian

demanding that people obey completely and refusing to allow them freedom to act as they wish

ex: Kim Jong-un

Social Contract

An implicit agreement between the people and their government about what each side provides to the other

Force Theory

The process of establishing a new government or country through the use of force

ex: the idea that states are formed through war and violence

Theocracy

Government by divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided

Parliamentary

Where laws and primary decisions of a country are made by a governing body known as the “parliament”

Anarchy

No central ruler or governing body

What are the traits of a Democracy? Give a real-world example of when these worked.

Democracy: rule by many

-direct: Citizens vote directly

-republic: Indirect rule of citizens

ex: Switzerland has a direct democracy, citizens have more power

What are the traits of a Representative Democracy? Give a real-world example of when these worked.

Voting for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives

ex: United States Congress

What is Presidential Democracy? How does it benefit the people?

Democracies in which the government does not depend on a legislative majority to exist. It avocates presidential systems and cites the democratic nature of presidential elections.

What is Parliamentary Democracy? How does it benefit the people?

Democracies in which the government depends on a legislative majority to exist and in which the head of state is not popularly elected for a fixed term are parliamentary. Flexibility in the timing of parliamentary elections can avoid periods of legislative gridlock that can occur in a fixed-period presidential system.

Strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and why the framers moved to change them?

Government couldn’t tax, short on money, and couldn’t pay off war debts. Framers were to be heavily in debt especially with Shay’s Rebellion influencing the change. The change strengthen the Articles by making it possible for the U.S to gain control of the west and expand

Federalist argument during the ratification of the Constitution

Defended the Constitutions strengthened the national government. Greater congressional powers, more powerful executive and independent judiciary. New government supported the principles of separation of powers, checks n balances, and federalism

Anti-Federalist argument during the ratification of the Constitution

Constitution gave too much power to the federal government while taking too much power away from state and local government. Federal gov would be too far removed to represent the average citizen

New Jersey Plan

Equal representation in the legislature regardless of population. Benefited smaller states like, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware

Virginia Plan

Proportional representation. Benefited larger states like Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Virginia

How does the Great Compromise blend the two proposed plans together? (NJ plan and Virginia Plan)

Including two legislative bodies, or a bicameral government one with proportional representative. The other with equal representation

3/5th Compromise

Determined that every three out of five slaves would be counted when it came down to states total population for legislative representation. Benefited southern states by including enslaved people in their population

The Great Compromise

This was made as an agreement among the delegates to create two houses in Congress: The Senate where each state gets 2 members and has longer terms to create more consistency, the house would have representation based on population with size changes based on the population, and the bicameral legislature where it has two chambered body and is made of the house of representatives and the senate.

Electoral College

It was established by the founding fathers as a compromise between the election of the president by a vote in Congress and the election of the president by the popular vote of qualified citizens. Though it was formed out of fear from the people it was one of the things that stuck to this day as we vote for a president, etc.

Separation of Powers

Formed to prevent one branch of govern. from becoming too powerful and to create a system of checks and balances. It divides the government into separate branches, each of which has separate and independent powers

An Outline or Vague

Seemed vague because it was impossible to predict the evolution of society

Limited Government

Details the powers the people had granted to the federal government and to place limits on how the government could exercise its powers

ex: protection of people and their property

1st Amendment

Protects freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the gov. for a redress of grievances

4th Amendment

Protects the people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government

5th Amendment

Protects criminal defendants from having to testify if they may incriminate themselves through testimony

6th Amendment

Gives citizens a series of rights in a criminal trial. Anything when it comes to trial (witnesses, etc)

7th Amendment

Protects the right for citizens to have a jury trial in federal courts with civil cases where the claim exceeds a certain dollar amount

8th Amendment

Excessive bail should not be required or excessive fines imposed, or cruel and unusual punishments inflicted

14th Amendment

Granted citizenship to all born in the United States

15th Amendment

Anyone is able to vote no matter their race

19th Amendment

Granted women the right to vote

21st Amendment

Liquor distribution- how to structure and permit transportation

26th Amendment

18 or older have the right to vote

How are the Grievances of the Colonists addressed in the Constitution?

The first amendment of the Bill of Rights guarantees citizens the right to petition the gov. for a redress of grievances. The king made judges dependent on his will depriving some colonists of a trial by jury. The 6th amendment guarantees trial by jury