Roots of American Democracy

Popular Sovereignty

the principle that the people are the ultimate source of the legitimacy and authority of government

Rule of Law

the principle that government is based on clear and fairly enforced laws and that no one is above the law

Natural Rights

the basic things that can be claimed by individuals by virtue of being human

Constitutionalism

The belief that governments should operate according to the agreed set of principles spelled out in a written document

Republic

a political system in which power is exercised by elected leaders who work in the interests of the people

Limited Government

a political system in which the powers exercised by the government are restricted

Separation of Powers

the idea that the powers of a government should be split between two or more strongly independent branches to prevent any one person or group from gaining too much power

Direct Democracy

a political system in which citizens voice their opinions and vote directly on government issues

Justice

a principle that people should be treated fairly and morally

Natural Law

a universal set of moral principles that can be applied to any culture or system of justice because they are rooted in human reason and sense of right and wrong

Social Contract Theory

the idea that governments can only exist because people willingly give up some of their freedoms in exchange for all the benefits of having a government especially security

Civic Virtue

idea that people have a duty to participate in government and to be morally responsible while doing so