Baron de Montesquieu

• A philosopher who believed in the divine right of kings

• A philosopher who advocated for the separation of powers in government

• A philosopher who supported absolute monarchy

• A philosopher who promoted direct democracy

all men are created...

• equal

• unequal

• superior

• inferior

Enlightenment

• an intellectual and philosophical movement in the 17th and 18th centuries that focused on reason, ideas on government, and the value of happiness

• a period of artistic expression in the 19th century

• a scientific revolution that occurred in the 16th century

• a religious revival movement in the 18th century

representative democracy

• A system where citizens vote directly on laws and policies.

• A form of government where the people elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

• A political system where a single ruler has absolute power.

• A type of government where decisions are made by a small group of elites.

social contract

• an implied agreement among the people of an organized society that defines the rights, duties, and limitations of the governed and the government

• a formal document outlining the laws of a nation

• a treaty between two or more countries

• a set of guidelines for ethical behavior in society

checks and balances

• a principle of government that allows each branch of government to limit the power of the other branches

• a system where one branch of government has absolute power

• a method for citizens to vote on government policies

• a way to ensure that only one branch of government can make laws

natural law

• a system of right or justice held to be common to all humans and derived from nature rather than from the rules of society

• a legal system based solely on written statutes and regulations

• a philosophical concept that denies the existence of any universal moral principles

• a set of laws created by governments to regulate human behavior

Declaration of Independence

• A document that outlines the rights of citizens

• A set of accusations against the king and explained why the American colonist wanted to create their own government

• A treaty that ended the Revolutionary War

• A speech given by George Washington at his inauguration

separation of powers

• a principle of government that sets up a structural division of responsibilities within distinct branches, each with their own powers and processes

• a system where the government is run by a single entity without any divisions

• a method of ensuring that all government decisions are made by popular vote

• a framework that allows for the complete overlap of government functions across branches

Founders/Founding Fathers

• The men who established the American system of government.

• The authors of the Declaration of Independence.

• The first presidents of the United States.

• The leaders of the American Revolution.