American Gov't Unit 1 Test

Front 1

Government

Back 1

an institution that makes and enforces public policies

Front 2

What are public policies?

Back 2

All things a gov't does or makes.

Front 3

Legislative Power

Back 3

Makes laws and frames public policies

Front 4

Executive Power

Back 4

Executes and enforces laws

Front 5

Judicial Power

Back 5

Interprets laws, and settles disputes in society.

Front 6

What is a constitution?

Back 6

The body of basic laws and principles of the gov't.

Front 7

Politics

Back 7

The process that lets society decide how resources will be distributed

Front 8

State

Back 8

A body of people living in a defined area under a gov't

Front 9

What else do we call states?

Back 9

Nations or countries

Front 10

What 3 things must exist before a state can exist?

Back 10

-Population
-Territory
-A Sovereign Gov't

Front 11

What is the "Force Theory"?

Back 11

The state was born of force. One person or group, usually an elite, controlled an area and forced everyone to obey them

Front 12

What is the "Evolutionary Theory"?

Back 12

A population formed by primitive families. The patriarchs of those families were the gov't.

Front 13

What is the "Divine Right Theory"?

Back 13

God created the state and they must obey their ruler.

Front 14

What is the "Social Contract Theory?"

Back 14

the people give up sovereignty to a government or other authority in order to receive or maintain social order

Front 15

Direct/Pure Democracy

Back 15

What the people want is directly translated into public policy in town hall meeting or something similar. Will not work in a population more than 10 people

Front 16

Why is a direct democracy impractical and unrealistic?

Back 16

A huge population will not be able to agree on any one thing.

Front 17

Indirect/Representative democracy

Back 17

A small group of people are elected by the people as representatives to express what the group wants as a whole. This is carried out by the U.S.

Front 18

republic

Back 18

Sovereign power is held by eligible voters, and political power is held by the elected reps

Front 19

dictatorship

Back 19

The people that hold power aren't responsible for what society wants. Very similar to autocracy

Front 20

Autocracy

Back 20

A gov't in which one person holds all power.

Front 21

oligarchy

Back 21

the power goes to a self-appointed elite

Front 22

totalitarian

Back 22

A gov't that has control over all human affairs

Front 23

unitary form of gov't

Back 23

all powers go to a central agency that creates local units of gov't

Front 24

federal system of gov't

Back 24

the power is split between local and central gov't

Front 25

confederation

Back 25

an alliance of independent states

Front 26

Division of powers

Back 26

powers divided in the gov't between legislative, executive and judicial

Front 27

parliamentary gov't

Back 27

a gov't consisting of a prime minister that is elected by a congress, who are elected reps.

Front 28

Under what circumstances might an autocratic form of gov't be more desirable than a democracy?

Back 28

On an issue that needs to be taken care of and needs agreement

Front 29

What does the word "foundation" mean in our country?

Back 29

the basic notions that must be accepted by our society

Front 30

Worth of the Individual

Back 30

Each person is a different person, but we are all worth the same and are equal.

Front 31

Equality of all persons

Back 31

Everybody is entitled to equal opportunity and equality before the law. No one shall be detained for any reason such as race or gender

Front 32

Majority Rule, Minority Rights

Back 32

the minority has the right to criticize the majority

Front 33

Necessity of Compromise

Back 33

Individuals have different opinions, but it is necessary to compromise to create public policies

Front 34

Individual Freedom

Back 34

each person is as free as he/she pleases as long as it doesn't interfere with the rights of others.

Front 35

Delegated/Expressed Powers

Back 35

Powers given to the Gov't by the Constitution

Front 36

Implied Powers

Back 36

The power to do anything to promote the well-being of the people

Front 37

Inherent Powers

Back 37

A power that the gov't has because it is sovereign. Delegated powers might change these

Front 38

Reserved Powers

Back 38

Powers given to just the states

Front 39

Exclusive Powers

Back 39

powers that belong exclusively to the federal gov't

Front 40

Concurrent Powers

Back 40

Powers that the national gov't and states possess and exercise.

Front 41

Supremacy Clause

Back 41

The Constitution trumps all laws made in the United States

Front 42

What are the basic concepts or ideals stated in the Preamble?

Back 42

A perfect union, establish justice, domestic peace, good welfare and liberty to all