Government chapter 1-2 Test Review Galasso

Constitution

The body of laws that sets out a government's structure, principles, and process.

Executive power

The power to carry out the law.

Unitary government

A single, central agency holds all governmental powers.

Parliamentary government

Focuses power on the legislative branch.

Presidential government

Divides power between the branches.

Legislative power

The power to establish law.

Compromise

The blending and adjusting of competing interests.

Mixed economy

the American economic system. Plays a role in the economy by regulating and promoting it.

Judicial power

The power to interpret laws and settle disputes.

Democracy

For the people.

Federal government

A central government and several local governments share governmental powers in a division of powers.

Confederation

An alliance of independent states.

Public policy

All the things a government decides to do.

Dictatorship

One person or a small group may exercise all the powers of government.

State

A body of people living in defined territory, often called a nation or country. The most dominate political union in the nation.

5 Concepts of democracy

1. Worth of the Individual
2. Equality of All Persons
3. Majority Rule, Minority Rights
4. Necessity of Compromise
5. Individual Freedom

Anti-Federalists

Led by Patrick Henry and John Hancock who strongly apposed the Constitution due to the greatly increased powers of the central government and the lack of a bill of rights

Boycott

Refuse to buy

Commerce and slave trade comprmise

Forbade Congress from taxing exports from any state as well as from acting acting against the slave trade for 20 years.

Connecticut Compromise

Combined the basic features of the Virginia and New Jersey plans

English Bill of Rights

(1689) Forbade keeping an ARMY during peacetime, guaranteed a fair and speedy trial, and ensured that all parliamentary elections were free.

Federalists

Favored ratifying the Constitution.

Magna Carta

(1215) the king did not have total power, and it protects the rights of trial by jury and due process of law.

Representative government

The government should serve the people.

Virginia Plan

Called for 3 branches of government: an executive, a bicameral legislature,, and courts. The number of representatives a state sent to the legislature was linked to its wealth and population. Small states opposed this plan.

Petition of rights

(1628) The king could not use the military rule during peacetime or let soldiers live in people's homes.

Charter colony

based on charters granted directly to the colonists.

Articles of Confederation

The original constitution of the United States, ratified in 1781, which was replaced by the US Constitution in 1789.

Proprietary Colonies

a colony given to a proprietor to govern. The king had granted him the land to organize.

3 key ideas about government in the English tradition

Ordered government, Limited government, Representative government. The ideas grew from 3 landmark documents (Magna Carta, Petition of Right, English Bill of Rights).

3 types of colonies

Proprietary, Royal, Charter.

Bicameral

Two-house legislatures

Unicameral

One-house legislature

Albany Plan of Union

Proposed a congress of delegates from all colonies, but both the colonies and the king rejected it.

Popular Sovereignty

The government can only exist with the consent of the people governed.

Weakness of confederation

Could not make an army, made all the states have only one vote, there wasn't a president, or a national court system.

Federalist beliefs

The Constitution was strong enough to solve country's problems.

Anti-Federalist beliefs

The Constitution was too strong, wanted a bill of rights added to protect individual freedoms.

Purpose of the Preamble

To generally define the reasons behind the Constitution, establish what justifies a government, and explain how its citizens have come to create one.

Soverignty

Absolute power over yourself,

Will of the majority

Minority rights

force theory

strongest person takes over

social contract

People gave up some of their powers to come together to form a nation.

Evolutionary theory

Natural by Family

Equality

Equal opportunity

#1 achievement of Second Continental Congress

make an army

The declaration of independence was made up of

grievances

Federalist papers

A series of 85 articles or essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution.