Understanding Government: A Civic Study Guide

What does democracy mean?

• The government owns everything

• Ruled by a king or queen

• Ruled by a few

• The people are in charge

What is a direct democracy?

• Where a few people make decisions

• Where all of the people make decisions

• Where representatives make decisions

• Where a king makes all decisions

What is the main difference between socialism and communism?

• Socialism allows private ownership, communism does not

• Communism allows for free elections

• Communism is a less extreme form of socialism

• Socialism involves direct democracy

What type of government does America have?

• Direct democracy

• Oligarchy

• Representative democracy

• Absolute monarchy

What is federalism?

• Power is divided between national and state governments

• A system with no state or local governments

• Government where all power lies with the national government

• Government controlled by a single party

What are the three branches of the U.S. government?

• Federal, State, Local

• Senate, House, Supreme Court

• Legislative, Executive, Judicial

• Monarchy, Oligarchy, Democracy

What does the legislative branch do?

• Interprets laws

• Enforces laws

• Makes laws

• Appoints judges

What power does the executive branch have?

• Make laws

• Declare war

• Enforce laws

• Interpret laws

What is judicial review?

• The power to appoint Supreme Court justices

• The power to make laws

• The power to declare a law unconstitutional

• The power to enforce laws

How are federal amendments passed?

• Supreme Court decision

• Presidential decree

• Majority vote in Congress

• Two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress and three-fourths of state legislatures