Us Government Test Unit 1: Sept 2013

Front 1

Democrat-

Back 1

a person with liberal views on political issues and is forward thinking (promotes change)

Front 2

Republican

Back 2

a person who is part of the Republican party who believes in a more conservative approach to politics; this person sees the constitution as a truthful and binding document

Front 3

Political Party

Back 3

is a group people who share the same ideas about the way the country should be governed.

Front 4

Spectrum

Back 4

classifies one or more political positions on an axis supporting different political ideals (ie. Right wing and left wing)

Front 5

State

Back 5

a group of people who are bound together by similar political ideas and beliefs

Front 6

Nation

Back 6

a group of people who are bound together by race, language, customs, and religion (culture)

Front 7

Nation-State-

Back 7

this is the coming together of a state and a nation to create a country with similar political and cultural beliefs

Front 8

Sovereignty

Back 8

When a government creates and enforces its own laws, without the authority of another state/government or a state has supreme authority its government (within its boundaries)

Front 9

Social Contract Theory-

Back 9

Social Contract is an agreement between the government and its people that the people will give up some of their everyday freedoms to the government. In return, the government will protect those freedoms

Front 10

Evolution Theory

Back 10

The head of the family served as the authority and the “extended” family made up the citizens. This theory failed when the citizens needed more organization and leadership

Front 11

Force Theory

Back 11

The state would not exist without the need to defend against the enemy. People then cooperate with authority to survive

Front 12

Aristotle

Back 12

the first Greek philosopher who studied government and democracy (government for the people)

Front 13

Thomas Hobbes-

Back 13

Negative outlook on humans in their natural state
- Believed humans are cruel, brutish, and nasty
- People should surrender all of their freedoms to the government
- In return, they will get order and protection
- Free humans = chaos

Front 14

John Locke

Back 14

Positive outlook on humans in their natural state
- People have THREE natural rights
- Life, Liberty, and Property
- ie. the gov’t cannot hinder these rights
- People can rebel against unjust rulers
- People can learn from their mistakes and improve themselves

Front 15

Israel

Back 15

became a sovereign nation in 1948 when the Jewish population created their own independent nation from Palestine.

Front 16

Economic Decision Making-

Back 16

The government helps to regulate the economy to ensure overall growth for both producers and consumers.

Front 17

Promoting Social Order

Back 17

the governments means of educating its citizens on laws, punishments, and how to function properly in society.

Front 18

Promoting Public Service

Back 18

– the services that the government provides to its people to maintain a clean and livable environment for its people.

Front 19

Maintaining National Security

Back 19

this is the governments way of protecting its citizens, both at home and abroad (homeland security, police, TSA)

Front 20

unitary system-

Back 20

All of the government power and decision making is done in the central government (one government system or political party)

Front 21

federal system-

Back 21

Political power and decision making is separated between the central government and state and local governments.

Front 22

constitutional government-

Back 22

this is a government that is ruled by a constitution and all those involved in the state/government are bound to that constitution.

Front 23

Confederacy-

Back 23

a loose union of independent states (Articles of Confederation)

Front 24

interdependence/globalization-

Back 24

the interconnectedness of countries around the world; socially, politically, and economically

Front 25

constitution

Back 25

a document which provides the specific rules or framework for a government

Front 26

preamble

Back 26

the introduction statement of a constitution which states goals and purposes that the government will serve to its country

Front 27

politics

Back 27

- is the effort to control or influence the conduct and policies of a government

Front 28

amendment

Back 28

this is an official change or addition made to a constitution.

Front 29

constitutional law

Back 29

This is the field of study that questions how the Constitution should be interpreted. Studies specifically the relationship between the three branches of government

Front 30

Autocracy

Back 30

a government in which only one person contains all the power/decision making ability for the state.

Front 31

Monarchy

Back 31

one person, or family has all of the power in the form of a king, queen, or emperor.

Front 32

Absolute Monarchy

Back 32

one person is given the divine right (God given right) to rule over its people, usually through a family blood line. This person has complete control of the state.

Front 33

Constitutional Monarchy

Back 33

This is when the king and queen serve a country as figure heads and the political decisions are made by a prime minister(executive) and a legislative group (House of Commons in Great Britain).

Front 34

Totalitarian Dictator

Back 34

This is a single ruler who rules by force. A totalitarian dictator rules all aspect of public and private life, or the total society)

Front 35

Democracy-

Back 35

rule is by the people.

Front 36

Direct Democracy-

Back 36

This is when decisions are made directly by people and their majority vote.

Front 37

Indirect Democracy

Back 37

This is when the people vote for representatives in which they agree with on social, political, and economic beliefs.

Front 38

Republic

Back 38

the head of state is chose by the people, but there are limitations on those people in the form of a Constitution.

Front 39

Oligarchy-

Back 39

this is a government led by a small group of people

Front 40

Theocracy-

Back 40

This is a government that is led by religious leaders or a religious group.

Front 41

Majority rule-

Back 41

a political principle providing that a majority, usually constituted by fifty percent plus one of an organized group will have the power to make decisions binding upon the whole

Front 42

Free Elections-

Back 42

Everyone’s vote carries equal weight, all candidates can express their views freely, citizens are free to help candidates (financially), and legal requirements to vote are kept to a minimum

Front 43

Political Party

Back 43

- there are people with similar political views who organize to win elections, operate government, and influence public policy.

Front 44

Free-Enterprise/Market Economy

Back 44

A completely free market is an idealized form of a market economy where buyers and sellers are allowed to transact freely (i.e. buy/sell/trade) based on a mutual agreement on price without state intervention in the form of taxes or regulation.

Front 45

Mixed Market Economy-

Back 45

This type of economic system includes a combination of private economic freedom and centralized economic planning and government regulation.

Front 46

Command Economy-

Back 46

A system where the government determines what goods should be produced, how much should be produced and the price at which the goods will be offered for sale. The command economy is a key feature of any communist society.

Front 47

Traditional Economy

Back 47

this is an economy that is based of traditions, customs, and beliefs. This is usually in the form of a trade and barter system.

Front 48

Economics-

Back 48

is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

Front 49

Laissez-Faire

Back 49

an economic idea presented by Adam Smith that the government will take a hands off approach to economic regulation and interference.

Front 50

Capitalism-

Back 50

an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods. Economic decisions are determined by private decision, prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market.

Front 51

Adam Smith

Back 51

the father of modern economics who created the idea of Capitalism and the free market. He wrote The Wealth of Nations, describing the advantages of a free market economy.

Front 52

Socialism

Back 52

a system or ideology of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state

Front 53

Communism

Back 53

a totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls state-owned means of production

Front 54

Bourgeoisie

Back 54

members of the middle class

Front 55

Proletariat-

Back 55

members of the working class