Benchmark 3.2 - Compare parliamentary, federal, confederal, and unitary systems of government.

confederal

a system of government where power is located with the independent states and there is little power in the central government

federal

a system of government where power is shared between a central government and states

government

a system or organization for exercising authority over a body of people

governor

the head of a state government

parliamentary

a system of government where power lies with the legislative body and the leader of the country is part of the legislature

president

the head of state, or leader, in a federal system

prime minister

the head of state in a parliamentary system

unitary

a system of government where almost all power is located with the central government