Key Concepts of a State and Nation

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What is the population in the context of a state?

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The group of people who live within a state’s boundaries; the citizens and residents who make up its society.

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What defines the territory of a state?

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The defined geographic area of a state, including its land, water, and airspace, with recognized borders.

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What is sovereignty in relation to a state?

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The supreme power or authority a state has to govern itself without interference from outside sources.

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What is an organized government?

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The structured system of institutions and officials that make and enforce laws, provide services, and manage the affairs of the state.

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Nation

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Nation

A cultural and social concept.

Refers to a group of people who share common traits such as language, ethnicity, history, culture, or religion.

Unity is based on shared identity and sense of belonging.

Examples: The Kurds, the Cherokee Nation, the Jewish people (before 1948)

A nation may exist without having its own state (stateless nation).

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State

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State

A political and legal concept.

Refers to a political entity with defined borders, a government, and sovereignty.

Authority is based on control of territory and recognition by other states.

Examples: France, Japan, Canada

A state may contain multiple nations (multinational state).

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Divine Rights of Kings

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Divine Right of Kings – The belief that a monarch’s authority to rule comes directly from God, not from the consent of the people, and therefore the ruler is accountable only to God.

In other words, “God made me king, so you can’t question me.”

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Law of Nature

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Law of Nature – A set of moral principles or rules believed to be inherent to human beings and discoverable through reason, not created by governments.

Think of it as “rules built into the universe”—like the ideas of life, liberty, and equality that exist whether or not any government recognizes them.

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Natural Law

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Natural Law – A system of universal moral principles, believed to come from nature or a higher power, that guides human conduct and serves as a standard for making and judging laws.

It’s the idea that there are “higher laws”—like justice or fairness—that exist above any government’s written laws.

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John Locke

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John Locke – An English philosopher (1632–1704) who argued that all people are born with natural rights—life, liberty, and property—and that governments exist to protect those rights. If a government fails to do so, the people have the right to change or overthrow it.

He is often called the “Father of Liberalism” and heavily influenced the U.S. Declaration of Independence.