Civics - Topic 1 Test 

Government: the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
It’s impossible to have government (the institution) without politics (the process)

Public Policies: everything a government decides to do

Legitimate government: one that is accepted by its people and other governments as the sovereign authority of a nation

3 ways a government gains Legitimacy → Tradition, Charisma, Rule of Law

Mercantilism: an economic and political theory emphasizing money as the chief source of wealth to increase the absolute power of the monarchy

Democracy: a form of government where supreme authority rests with the people

Divine Right of Kings: Belief that God grants authority to a government

Social Contract Theory: agreed to make a state with a contract. The government was created to exercise powers voluntarily given to the State.

Dictatorship: a form of government where those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people

Sovereign: state has supreme and absolute power within its own territory and can decide its own foreign and domestic policies

There is one sovereign state in the United States

Four characteristics of a State → Population, Territory, Sovereignty, government

Plebeians: common folk in the Roman Republic

Patricians: rich upper-class, landowning aristocrats of the Roman Republic

Representative democracy: citizens choose a small group of people to make laws and policies for them

Constitution: the body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structure and processes of a government.

Feudalism: loosely organized system in which powerful lords divided their lands among other, lesser lords Force Theory: scholars believed the State was born by force → one person/small group claimed control over an area

*4 basic factors of the Free Enterprise System →
Private ownership, Profit, Individual initiative, Competition

*James Madison, Federalist no. 51 → government is necessary because people don’t always behave perfectly

*Martin Luther King Jr. → “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” → if even one person is affected by injustice, everyone is affected

*3 basic powers of government →

• Executive power (enforcing laws), Legislative power (makes laws), Judicial power (interprets laws)
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• Separation of powers → ensure no branch has more power over another
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• Establishing justice → court system, creating a set of laws
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Unitary government vs. Federal government (3 basic forms of government - Unitary, Federal, Confederate

• Unitary: power is held by a single, central agency

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• Federal: power is divided between a central government and local governments

• Presidential: separate legislative and executive branches

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• Parliamentary: Prime Minister is a member of both the legislative and executive branches

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***Democracy **and Free Enterprise System

• Government doesn’t decide what is produced → does protect the public and preserving private enterprise
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**Duties: actions a citizen is required to take

• Obeying the law (most basic duty), paying taxes, registering for the draft (men)
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**Responsibilities: actions a citizen should take

• Voting in elections (simplest way to participate in your Democracy)

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John Locke - natural rights - Life, Liberty, and Property

Voltaire - freedom of religion

Montesquieu - checks and balances/separation of powers

Blackstone - decisions based upon similar, previous decisions

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Differences between a nation, state and country:

• State - a legal entity

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• Nation - ethnic term referring to races, or other large groups of people

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• Country - geographic term referring to particular place, region or area of land

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*Goals of the government are listed in the Preamble (introduction of the Constitution)

• Goals →

  • Form a more perfect union
  • Provide for the common defense
  • Establish justice
  • Promote the general welfare
  • Insure domestic tranquility
  • Secure the blessings of liberty

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*Rule of Law - Concept of Equality → to receive the same treatment under the law