Government Chapter 2 T

According to the Constitution, which powers do the states retain?

All powers not delegated to the national government

Besides the Constitution, what limits a state's power?

the state's own constitution

What are powers given to the national government by the Constitution which define its limits of authority?

Delegated powers

What is the heart of American government?

the Constitution

What are the three branches of nation government?

Legislative, Judicial, executive

Into what two houses is congress divided?

Senate and House of Representatives

Who is the chief executive officer of the executive branch of government?

president

Which branch of government interprets the laws?

Judicial

what does the constitution establish as the highest court in the land?

supreme court

Define direct democracy

People directly affect the government policies and actions

What is the absence of government called?

anarchy

Define republic

state in which the supreme power rests in the people and their elected officials

identify the system in which the people directly elect the president independently of the legislative branch

presidential system

Explain the unitary system of government

A system in which the people give authority to one centralized level of government that creates other levels of government to help administer the law

Define indirect democracy

form of government in which the people elect their peers to operate the government on their behalf

In which system of government are the legislative and executive branches inseparably linked?

parliamentary system

In which system of government does an elite group rule?

Oligarchy

Which European city developed the ideology of republicanism during the Middle ages?

Florence

Which English document laid the foundation for freedoms for all Englishmen by first guaranteeing them to noblemen under King John?

Magna Carta

Which document marks the beginning of true democratic government in England?

English Bill of Rights

What self-evident truths did the American Founding Fathers hold dear?

That all men are created equal, they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

What collective document limits the power of the American government over its people and guarantees them certain basic rights?

Bill of rights - First 10 amendments

Define liberty

it ensures personal and political freedom

What are the five principles of democratic government?

majority rule, equality, liberty, compromise, individual worth

What are the three conditions for democracy?

opportunity, educated society, moral responsibility

Define monarchy

a government in which supreme authority is invested in one who rules for life

Define dictatorship

an authoritative form of governmnet in which the government acts without the people's consent or input

Define totalitarianism

system fo government in which a elite ruling class wields absolute power, often seeking to control every aspect of the people's lives

Define popular government

system of government in which citizens participate and political power resides with teh people

What are two forms of popular government?

democracy and republic

Define democracy

form of government in which the people participate and have a voice in how they should be ruled

Job of the Legislative Branch

make laws

Job of the Executive Branch

enforce laws

What is the Electoral College and how does it work

The president is chosen not by a vote of the people, but by the electoral votes. Each state has the same number of electors as it has members of Congress.

How many electoral votes are needed to win the presidency?

270

Where did democracy originate?

Athens, Greece

Define Declaration of Independence

formal document that established the principles of government that justified the American colonies' break with England

What is the founder's definition of equality?

political equality, or legal equality; equality of justice and franchise (vote)

Define popular majority

majority of all citizens or at least the majority of all voters who participate in thier governmnet through free elections

Define representative majority

majority of elected officials

Define pluralistic society

society in which differing opoinons and parties coexist freely

What limits of government did the Constitution include?

limited the authority of the national government, therefore, protecting the people

How did the Magnar Carta and English Bill of Rights influence our government?

The Magna Carta contained principles that caused it to become a foundational document of constitutional government and the English Bill of Right's advocacy of limited government and personal liberty had an impact on America's government

Define federalism

a system in which a nation's power is divided among national, regional, and local governments or when different governments simultaneously assert authority over the people

Define confederate government

system in which regional governments retain supremacy while delegating a few tasks to the national government and the powers held by the national government are exercised only by the states' permission