Civics final

civics

the study of the rights, duties, and responsibilities of the citizens of any given country

government

a ruling authority for a community/society

direct democracy

all adult citizens take part and have an equal say

tribal rule

a central government isn't usually strong when tribal rule is apparent

theocracy

church and state are not kept separate; government and laws are strongly influenced by religious beliefs

constitutional monarchy

a type of representative democracy where the king/queen's power is limited by laws

republic

a type of representative democracy where people elect representatives to make laws

absolute monarchy

a system where a king or queen holds all of the power, which is inherited

dictatorship

a system where one person holds all the power, usually seized through violence and fear

oligarchy

a government controlled by a small, elite group instead of one person

authoritarian government

a government characterized by strong central power and limited political freedoms

international organizations

when governments from different nations work together, often for military or economic purposes

representative democracy

a system where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf

majority rules

a principle where the decision of the majority is accepted as the decision of the whole

alliance

a formal agreement between two or more nations to cooperate for specific purposes

civil liberties

individual rights protected by law from governmental interference

parliament

a legislative body in a constitutional monarchy that shares power with the monarch

military junta

a government led by a committee of military leaders

absolutism

a political system where a single ruler holds absolute power

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance of countries

European Union

a political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe

World Bank

an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of poorer countries

International Monetary Fund

an international organization that aims to promote global economic stability and growth

national government

highest authority that makes and enforces laws.

state government

each state decides the marriage and school laws, holds elections, manages public health, builds and repairs infrastructure, and makes rules for local government.

local government

your town, county, or city that provides and manages police, fire, emergency services, courts of law, outdoor lighting, and snow removal.

public policy

decisions and actions a government takes to solve problems in a community.

majority ruling

when over half of the population agrees, everyone has to follow that law while minorities keep their basic rights.

totalitarian state

controls their citizen's whole life, bans efforts to oppose the leader, and does not allow individual freedom.

republic/representative democracy

a system where people choose representatives to make laws on their behalf.

federal system of government

a system with different levels of government: federal/national, state, and local.

dictatorships

a system where only one person has power and controls citizens' lives.

origins of direct democracy

traced back to ancient Athens, where participants had to meet specific criteria.

socialism

controls all aspects of the economy, with the government owning all businesses and wealth being evenly divided.

authoritarianism

power is held by a person or group that is not accountable to the people.

authoritarian

a style of government in which one leader or group holds absolute power.

public policy goals

developed by the government to reach specific objectives.

control of the media

a tactic used by totalitarian rulers to force people to obey their ideology.

highest authority

the federal level of government.

feature of totalitarian states

government strongly influences most aspects of people's lives.

Dictators

Leaders who exercise complete control over the state, similar to absolute monarchs.

Free and Fair Elections

Elections held in direct democracies, republics, and constitutional monarchies.

Head of State in Constitutional Monarchy

A hereditary position.

Rights and Freedoms Guarantee

Provided by direct democracies, republics, and constitutional monarchies.

Direct Democracies

Systems where all citizens have direct say in government decisions.

Learning Standards Decisions

Generally made at the federal level of government.

State Level Decisions on Learning Standards

decisions are generally made at the state level.

Origin of Direct Democracy

it originated in Athens, Greece.

Tribal Rule and Central Government

most countries with tribal rule have weak central governments.

Public Policy and Security

Part of deciding public policy sometimes has to do with securing the country from outside attacks.

Native Americans

Scholars believe that they came from Asia on an ice/land bridge around 20,000 years ago.

Immigration History

The history of immigration includes various groups arriving in America from the 1500s to the 1900s.

Unwilling Immigrants

West and Central Africans were enslaved, and the slave trade began.

1807 Slave Trade Law

Congress passed a law that said no one can bring in any more slaves, but there were still 500,000 Africans in America.

Gold Rush Migration

In the mid-1800s, people moved to California because of the gold rush.

Asian and Latin American Immigration

In the 1900s, Asians and Latin American people started to immigrate to America looking for job opportunities.

Population of Immigrants

14% of the American population have ancestors from a different country.

Immigration Priorities

Groups prioritized include relatives of U.S. citizens, job skills that are needed, and countries that have fewer people migrate in the past.

Blue Collar Workers

Blue collar refers to someone who works in a factory and typically wears denim shirts.

White Collar Workers

White collar refers to someone who works as a teacher or in stores and typically wears a button-up shirt and tie.

Naturalization Requirements

To become a citizen, one must be 18+, a lawful resident for 5+ years, able to read, write, and speak English, of good moral character, and show an understanding of U.S. civics.

Citizenship Process

The process includes sending an application, meeting with an official, taking a citizenship exam, and attending a citizenship ceremony.

Loss of Citizenship

Citizenship can be lost by giving it up, being convicted of treason, denaturalization, deportation, or lying on a citizenship application.

Legal Alien

A resident legal alien lives permanently in the U.S. and has all rights in the constitution.

Nonresident Legal Alien

A nonresident legal alien stays in the U.S. for a short specified time and cannot serve in a jury or have a government job.

Illegal Alien

An illegal alien is a nonresident legal alien who never left and crossed the borders.

Popular Sovereignty

Popular sovereignty is the consent of the governed, meaning the government receives power from the people.

Refugees

Refugees flee their country because it's dangerous and must prove they are in danger to receive protection.

Values

Values are broad ideas about what is good/bad or desirable/not desirable.

Duties

Duties are actions that must be done, such as obeying the law and defending the nation.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities are actions that are encouraged but not required, such as voting and participating in the community.

Volunteerism

Alexis de Tocqueville said that citizens solve problems themselves and contribute to their community.

Athenian Democracy

Athenian democracy's ideologies include direct democracy, majority rule, freedom of speech, and citizenship.

Roman Republic

The Roman Republic used a representative democracy with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.

Magna Carta

The Magna Carta, created in 1215, established that the king gets power from the people and guaranteed due process.

English Bill of Rights

The English Bill of Rights, signed in 1689, established laws that cannot be made without consent and guaranteed rights to citizens.

U.S. Bill of Rights

The U.S. Bill of Rights pulled ideas from the English Bill of Rights and Magna Carta, including freedoms and rights.

Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes was an English scholar who believed in a strong central government to avoid the evils of war.

John Locke

John Locke was a philosopher who believed in natural rights and that government should protect those rights.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Rousseau favored direct democracy and believed in the social contract between people and society.

Baron de Montesquieu

Montesquieu advocated for the separation of powers in government to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Voltaire

Voltaire was a writer who advocated for freedom of religion and speech.

Jamestown

Jamestown was founded in 1607 by the Virginia Company and allowed the colony to make its own laws.

Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact was formed in 1620 by pilgrims for self-governance in the absence of English government.

House of Burgesses

The House of Burgesses was the first legislative body in the New World, established in Virginia in 1619.

Iroquois Confederacy

The Iroquois Confederacy was a council of five nations that met once each year, with women choosing the leaders.

Great Awakening

The Great Awakening was a religious movement from 1730-1760 that encouraged personal connections with God.

French and Indian War

The French and Indian War (1754-1763) was a conflict between the French and Native Americans against England and the colonies.

Sugar Act of 1764

Taxed sugar, coffee, and dyes.

Colonial Smuggling

Colonists smuggled rum to avoid taxes.

Representation in Government

Colonists did not have representation in the British government.

Stamp Act of 1765

Taxed all paper products, from playing cards to newspapers.

Boycott

A refusal to buy products to hurt the economy.

Declaratory Act of 1766

Showed that the British government had complete control over the colonists.

Townshend Acts

Enacted in 1767-1768 to stop smuggling.

Tea Act of 1773

Lowered prices for consumers and created competition for merchants and smugglers.

British East India Company

The only company allowed to sell tea under the Tea Act.

Boston Tea Party

In 1773, colonists destroyed $2 million worth of tea.

Colonial Response to Taxes

Colonists were angry about taxes as they were used to controlling them.

Repeal of the Stamp Act

Colonists got the Stamp Act repealed in 1766 through boycotting.