Unit 1: Foundations of Government

The authority of a state to govern itself or another state.

• Government

• Sovereignty

• Democracy

• Bicameral

What is a Confederal Government?

• Features a separation of powers between the executive and the legislative branches of the government

• The powers of government are divided between a central government and several local governments

• A centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single, central agency

• A form of government in which states hold power over a limited national government

System or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.

• Territory

• Oligarchy

• Government

• Evolutionary Theory

Government is established and legitimized by a higher power, such as a deity or a divinely ordained monarch.

• Force Theory

• Evolutionary Theory

• Social Contract Theory

• Divine Right Theory

Which of the following best describes the purpose of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution.

• To list the specific powers granted to each branch of the federal government

• To outline the process for amending the Constitution

• To state the goals and purposes of the government established by the Constitution

• To declare the independence of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain

Decisions made by a representative that you elect based on their similar viewpoints to yours.

• Indirect Democracy

• Direct Democracy

• Oligarchy

• Unitary Government

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic that makes a State?

• Government

• Sovereignty

• Population

• Economy

A system where legislative and executive functions are combined in a legislature.

• Presidential Government

• Parliamentary Government

• Confederal Government

• Dictatorship

What is the Social Contract Theory?

• Theory that people were forced to submit to an individual's rule

• Theory that government has developed gradually over long periods of time from earlier, simpler forms of human organization

• Theory that the government is based on the relationship between individuals and the state

• Theory that the government is established and legitimized by a higher power

What is the difference between an oligarchy and a dictatorship?

• A dictatorship allows for significant individual freedoms, while an oligarchy strictly controls all aspects of citizens' lives

• An oligarchy is characterized by elected representatives, while a dictatorship involves rule by a hereditary monarch

• An oligarchy is ruled by a single, powerful leader, while a dictatorship is ruled by a group of wealthy elites

• A dictatorship features rule by a single individual, while an oligarchy involves rule by a small group