American Studies 3: Chapter 1

Front 1

Adam Smith

Back 1

A Scottish philosopher and economist provided a philosophy for free trade.

Front 2

Autocracy

Back 2

The system of government where one person holds all the power and authority to rule.

Front 3

Command economy

Back 3

Government planners decide how much to produce, what to produce, and how to distribute the goods and services produced in Communist nations.

Front 4

Confederacy

Back 4

Also known as confederation, a loose union of independent states.

Front 5

Constitution

Back 5

A plan that provides the rules for government and serves many major different purposes.

Front 6

John Locke

Back 6

English philosopher who believes that men and women have certain natural rights - the rights to life, liberty, and property (Natural Rights).

Front 7

Laissez-faire

Back 7

The French word for “to let alone,” the philosophy that government shouldn’t get involved in the economy.

Front 8

Monarchy

Back 8

A form of government where one person contains great power, a king, queen, or emperor runs the state.

Front 9

Oligarchy

Back 9

Any system of government where rule is controlled by the people either through representatives or directly.

Front 10

Political parties

Back 10

A group of people with broad common interests who organize to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct government, and determine public policy.

Front 11

Politics

Back 11

An effort to control or influence the policies and conduct of government.

Front 12

Preamble

Back 12

A statement in most constitutions that sets goals and purposes that the government will serve.

Front 13

Republic

Back 13

The voters elect representatives to run the nation’s government, kings or queens aren’t the head of the state.

Front 14

Thomas Hobbes

Back 14

English philosopher believed that without order and protection, there could be no such thing as a decent life.

Front 15

Representative Democracy

Back 15

A system of government in which people elect delegates to make laws and conduct government.

Front 16

Unitary

Back 16

A government that gives all key powers to the national or central government.

Front 17

Karl Marx

Back 17

A German philosopher, writer, and reformer who wrote "The Communist Manifesto."

Front 18

Direct democracy

Back 18

A government in which all citizens cast a vote directly on government issues and laws.

Front 19

Capitalist economy

Back 19

Freedom of choice and individual incentive for workers, investors, consumers, and business enterprises are emphasized. Government assumes that society is best served by whatever productive activity individuals choose.

Front 20

Aristotle

Back 20

Ancient Greek philosopher who famously wrote that “man is a political animal.”

Front 21

Communist

Back 21

Someone who follows communism and believes in creating a classless social structure where people perform social tasks based on skills to ensure the betterment of the society as a whole.