Unit 1: Foundations of government
Ratified
Approved
English Bill of Rights
a 1689 document that guaranteed the rights of English citizens; this document set clear limits on what a ruler could and could not do
Parliamentary Democracy
a form of government in which executive and legislative functions both reside in an elected assembly, or parliament; parliament selects the leader.
consensus
a general agreement about something
Direct Democracy
a government in which citizens rule directly rather than through representatives
Political Party
a group of individuals with broad common interests who organize to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct government, & determine public policy
Nation
a large area of land that is controlled by its own government; also like a country
Confederation
a loose union of independent states
Preamble
a statement in a Constitution that sets forth the goals and purposes to be served by the government
Oligarchy
a system of government in which a small group holds power
Autocracy
a system of government in which the power and authority to rule are in the hands of a single individual
Totalitarian Dictatorship
a type of autocracy in which the ideas of a single leader are glorified
Unitary System
all key powers belong to the national or central government
Monarchy
another form of autocracy where there is a King, Queen, or Emperor who exercises the supreme powers of the government; monarchs usually inherit their positions
Democracy
any system of government in which rule is by the people
Absolute Monarchs they
have complete and unlimited power to rule their people
Stamp Act of 1765
imposed the first direct tax on the colonists and required them to pay a tax on legal documents, pamphlets, newspapers, and even dice and playing cards
Constitutional Law
involves the interpretation and application of the Constitution
Industrialized Nations
nations that have generally large industries and advanced technology that provide a comfortable way of life
Unicameral
one house of Congress
Representative Democracy
people elect representatives and give them the responsibility and power to make laws and conduct government
Federal System
powers are divided between the national government and state governments
Albany Plan of Union
proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754; it was an innovative plan for uniting the colonies but was rejected by the colonies
Mayflower Compact
signed in 1620 by the pilgrims and stands as the first example of many colonial plans for self government
Politics
the effort to control or influence the conduct and policies of the government
Great Fundamentals
the first basic system of laws in the English colonies adopted in 1636
Government
the institution through which the state maintains social order, provides social services, and enforces decisions that are binding on all people living within the state
Divine Right
the notion that a god or gods have chosen certain people to rule
Sovereignty
the state has supreme and absolute authority within its territorial boundaries
Proletariat
the workers, or those who produce the goods, under the theory of Karl Marx
Social Contract
theory that by contract, people surrender to the state the power needed to maintain order and the state, in turn, agrees to protect its citizens
Constitutional Monarchs
these monarchs share governmental powers with elected legislatures or serve mainly as the ceremonial head of government
Developing Nations
these nations are only beginning to develop industrially
Bourgeoisie
those who own the means of production, also known as capitalists under Karl Marx' theory
Bicameral
two houses of Congress
Republic
voters are the source of the government's authority in which elected representatives make the decisions
Constitution
A plan that provides the rules for government
Presidential Democracy
A form of government in which the citizens directly elect a president
Petition of Right
King Charles I was forced to sign this document in 1628 - it severely limited the King's power. The monarch could not collect taxes without Parliament's consent, it could not imprison people without just cause, and could not house troops in homes without permission of the owner. 1628
Magna Carta(also known as "The Great Charter")
King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta in 1215 - the basis for the document was that the power of the monarch was not absolute and was limited