Civics Unit 1 Study Guide

The Influences and Foundations of Democracy Study Guide

Directions:          Please answer the following questions.  Use your assignments/resources.

Do not rely on Google Searches.

ALL QUESTIONS MUST BE ANSWERED IN A BOLD, DIFFERENT COLOR

1. Vocabulary.          Know all of your vocabulary words for this unit

(you do not need to redefine them for the study guide)

2. Enlightenment Thinkers

3. What is political philosophy?

4. Study focused on the government and thinking.

5. Who was John Locke? Political philosopher that wrote Two Treatises of Government.

6. Why was he important?  Is the first to mention natural rights.

7. Explain Lockes’ beliefs that influenced the Founders.  The right to life and property. Religious freedom and freedom of speech. Government should protect rights.

8. Who was Thomas Hobbes? Wrote Leviathan

9. Why was he important? Unbreakable social contract

10. Explain Hobbes’ beliefs that influenced the Founders. Give up some freedoms for protection.

11. Who was Charles Montesquieu? Wrote The Spirit of the Law

12. Why was he important? Cheeks and balances

13. Explain Montesquieus’ beliefs that influenced the Founders. The 3 branches of government, executive, legislative, judicial.

14. Who was Jean Rousseau? Wrote The Social Contract

15. Why was he important?  Power to the people

16. Explain Rousseaus’ beliefs that influenced the Founders. Obligation to change government if bad.

3. Types of Government

4. Why do we need a government? Without government there would be a constant state of fear and people would fight each other.

5. Describe an autocracy. A type of government where one person has all the power.

6. Describe a monarchy. An autocratic government where one person is in charge and it is hereditary .

7. Describe a dictatorship. A dictator rules and has absolute power.

8. Which philosopher's ideas most align with autocracy as a form of government? Why? Thomas Hobbes, because he believes in giving up all rights to one ruler.

9. Describe a democracy.

10. What is the difference between a representative democracy and a direct democracy? In direct everyone votes and brings up issues in indirect there are representatives that the people elect, the reps will then vote and discuss issues.

11. Which philosopher's ideas most align with this form of government? Why?

12. Describe an oligarchy Country run by a wealthy, influential group of people.

13. Describe a junta.

14. Describe a theocracy.

15. Describe anarchy**.**

16. What type of government do we have in the United States? Representative Democracy

4. Structure of US Government

5. Where is the structure of government written? U.S constitution

6. How did Montesquieu influence the structure of  the US government?

7. What are the three branches of the US government? Legislative, Executive, Judicial.

8. What does the legislative branch do? Make laws.

9. What are some powers of the legislative branch that “check” the powers of other branches? (Provide at least one example for each branch).

10. How many people are in the House of Representatives? How long is their term? 435

11. How many people are in the Senate? 100 How long is their term? 6 years

12. What determines the number of representatives each state receives in the House of Representatives and the Senate? States get representatives based on how many people live there, senators are 2 per state.

13. What does the executive branch do? The executive branch makes sure the laws are executed.

14. What are some powers of the executive branch that “check” the powers of other branches? (Provide at least one example for each branch)

15. What is the presidential cabinet? What do they do? Group of executives in the government that advice the president + vice pres

16. What does the judicial branch do? Upholds the law.

17. What are some powers of the judicial branch that “check” the powers of other branches? (Provide at least one example for each branch)

18. How many justices are in the Supreme Court? 9

5. Greek and Roman Influence

6. What is the type of the government that the Athenians used? republic

7. Why did this system work well in Greece? Democracy

8. Describe the government structure of Athens.

9. How did the “People Court” if Athens influence the United States?

10. What is the type of the government the Romans used?

11. Explain the “separation of powers” in Rome.

12. What are examples of representative government in Rome?

6. Open Response

Be prepared to write a well developed paragraph (8-10 sentences) citing key

ideas from our class readings, notes, and activities.

Prompt: Pick one of the political philosophers we studied this unit(Locke, Rousseau, or Montesquieu) and discuss how their philosophy influenced the founding document(s) of the United States.