Chapter two gov test review notes and flashcards

What ancient civilizations influenced American government principles before independence?

Ancient Greece, which introduced direct democracy, and Rome, with its Senate representing democracy and written laws.

What was the Magna Carta and its significance?

The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, was the first expression of limited monarch power, requiring King John to consult nobles before declaring war or raising taxes.

What did the Petition of Right (1628) achieve?

It forced the king to seek parliamentary approval for tax increases or declaring martial law and guaranteed citizens public trials with a jury.

What was the English Bill of Rights (1688) and its importance?

The English Bill of Rights established the supremacy of Parliament over the monarchy, marking a reduction in the monarch's powers.

What are the four English democratic principles?

1. Consent of the governed, 2. Natural rights, 3. Limited governments, 4. Representative democracy.

What was Thomas Hobbes' view on government?

Hobbes believed that humans are inherently bad and require a powerful government to control their animal natures.

What did John Locke assert regarding natural rights?

Locke declared that no man may harm another in their natural rights to life, liberty, or property.

What is the social contract according to Rousseau?

Rousseau's social contract theory posits that men must come together to form a society that protects their natural rights.

What principle did Montesquieu advocate for in government?

Montesquieu advocated for the separation of powers to ensure liberty, stating that combining legislative and executive powers can lead to tyranny.

Who were the participants of the New England Confederation (1643)?

The Massachusetts Bay Colony, Plymouth, New Haven, and several other scattered colonies formed the NEC during the English Civil War.

What was the purpose of the Albany Plan of Union?

Proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754, it aimed to create a unified defensive measure against French and Native American forces.

What event did the Stamp Act of 1765 lead to?

Colonists replied to the Stamp Act by forming a Congress and sending a formal protest for repeal to the king and Parliament.

What was the Boston Tea Party?

On December 16, 1773, colonists protested against the Tea Tax leading to the destruction of British tea in Boston Harbor.

What did the First Continental Congress aim to achieve?

It was the colonies' last attempt to conciliate with the king and Parliament, crafting a mutual protection agreement.

What was the Declaration of Independence primarily about?

It was largely a list of grievances against Parliament and King George III, rooted in Enlightenment ideals, particularly John Locke's natural rights.

What were the Articles of Confederation?

Approved in 1777, they served as the first constitution for the United States, outlining the governance structure but ultimately proved weak.

What was the significance of the Mount Vernon meeting in 1785?

It addressed trade issues between Maryland and Virginia and led to the invitation for other states to join a broader conference on trade reforms.

What prompted the Constitutional Convention of 1787?

Massachusetts' uprising caused panic among state governments, setting the stage for a meeting to revise the Articles of Confederation in Philadelphia.

Ancient Greek contribution to government

Direct democracy, where citizens vote directly on laws.

Ancient Roman contribution to government

Representative democracy (a republic) and written laws.

Magna Carta (1215)

English document that first established the principle of limited government.

Petition of Right (1628)

English document that banned taxes without Parliament's consent and protected jury trials.

English Bill of Rights (1689)

Document that established the supremacy of Parliament over the monarch.

Consent of the governed

The idea that government authority depends on the approval of the people.

Natural rights

Fundamental rights inherent to all humans, including life, liberty, and property.

Limited government

A political system where the power of leaders is restricted by law.

Representative democracy

A system where citizens elect officials to make laws on their behalf.

Thomas Hobbes' view on human nature

Humans are naturally selfish and require an absolute ruler to maintain order.

Hobbes' ideal form of government

Absolute monarchy with a strong central authority.

John Locke's core philosophy

Governments must protect natural rights to life, liberty, and property.

Locke's right of revolution

Citizens can overthrow a government if it fails to protect their rights.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's main idea

Legitimate political authority comes from a social contract based on the general will.

Social contract theory

An agreement where individuals consent to surrender some freedom in exchange for protection of rights.

Baron de Montesquieu's key principle

Separation of government powers into distinct legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Purpose of checks and balances

To prevent any single branch of government from gaining absolute power.

New England Confederation (1643)

First notable military alliance formed by American colonies for mutual defense.

Albany Plan of Union (1754)

Benjamin Franklin's early proposal to create a unified colonial government.

Stamp Act of 1765

British tax on colonial printed paper that sparked widespread protests.

Stamp Act Congress

The first unified meeting of colonial representatives to resist British taxation.

No taxation without representation

Colonial slogan protesting British taxes enacted without colonial voices in Parliament.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

Colonial protest against the Tea Act where tea was dumped into Boston Harbor.

Intolerable Acts (1774)

Harsh British laws passed to punish Massachusetts after the Boston Tea Party.

First Continental Congress (1774)

Meeting of delegates from twelve colonies to organize a boycott of British goods.

Second Continental Congress (1775)

Governing body that directed the Revolutionary War and adopted the Declaration of Independence.

Declaration of Independence (1776)

Document formally declaring the American colonies' separation from Great Britain.

Primary author of the Declaration of Independence

Thomas Jefferson.

Main philosophical influence on the Declaration of Independence

John Locke's theory of natural rights.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States.

Major weakness of the Articles of Confederation

The national government lacked the power to tax or enforce laws.

Executive branch under the Articles of Confederation

None existed; there was no independent president to enforce laws.

Mount Vernon Conference (1785)

Meeting between Maryland and Virginia that successfully resolved trade disputes.

Annapolis Convention (1786)

Meeting that called for a broader convention to revise the Articles of Confederation.

Shays' Rebellion (1786-1787)

Armed farmer revolt in Massachusetts that exposed the weakness of the central government.

Constitutional Convention (1787)

Philadelphia meeting originally meant to revise the Articles of Confederation that created the U.S. Constitution.

Virginia Plan

Proposal at the 1787 convention favoring proportional representation based on state population.

New Jersey Plan

Proposal at the 1787 convention favoring equal representation for each state.

Great Compromise

Agreement establishing a two-house legislature with equal representation in the Senate and proportional in the House.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Agreement counting three out of every five enslaved persons for representation and taxation.

Patriots

Colonists who supported and fought for independence from Great Britain.

Loyalists

Colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown and opposed independence.

Neutrals

Colonists who chose not to take a side during the American Revolution.

Pilgrims

Separatist religious colonists who founded Plymouth Colony to completely separate from the Church of England.

Puritans

Religious colonists who established Massachusetts Bay Colony to reform and purify the Church of England.

Indentured servants

Colonists who agreed to work for a set number of years in exchange for passage to America.