principle of distributing power where power is divided among the national, or central, government, and regional governments, such as states and cities.

alliance of independent states where the created government only handles matters that the independent states assign to it.

a government in which the power is held by a small, often self-appointed elite.

supreme power rests with the people. The government is conducted only with the consent of the people.

form of democracy the will of the people is translated into public policy directly through mass meetings where citizens gather and make decisions regarding policy.

a form of democracy where representatives are chosen through elections to represent the overall will of the people. This is the type of democracy we have in the United States.

the highest legislative body in Great Britain

sovereign power is held by those who are eligible to vote, while political power is exercised by the representatives chosen by the citizens.

1215 - document forced on King John of England by a group of feudal barons who were seeking to limit the power of the King.

1628 - Charles I forced to sign. The rights established by this document included: no cruel punishment, no excessive bail or fines, the right to bear arms, and the right to petition.

governmental branches or entities operating independently from one another with a system of checks and balances. Concept introduced by Montesquieu.

a form of government in which the powers are divided between a central, or national, government and several lower levels of government.

an agreement between the people and government where the sovereign would make and enforce the laws to secure a peaceful society, making life, liberty, and property possible.

book by John Locke where he discussed his views on natural rights and government's role in securing those rights.

a concept where the people are sovereign and have all of the political power.

a government in which one person holds unlimited political power

the greatest of Montesquieu's works where he argues for the concept of separation of governmental powers controlled by checks and balances

one of the branches of US Government whose purpose is to write laws.

one of the branches of US Government whose purpose is to enforce laws

the influence or power that each branch of government has over the others to ensure one branch does not become too powerful.

17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right of Kings and who asserted that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property.

English materialist and political philosopher who advocated absolute sovereignty as the only kind of government that could resolve problems caused by the selfishness of human beings (1588-1679)

rench aristocrat who wanted to limit royal absolutism; Wrote The Spirit of Laws, urging that power be separated between executive, legislative, and judicial branches, each balancing out the others, thus preventing despotism and preserving freedom.

A French man who believed that Human beings are naturally good & free & can rely on their instincts. Government should exist to protect common good, and be a democracy.

the branch of the US Government that interprets the constitutionality of laws

The document written in 1787 and ratified in 1788 that sets forth the institutional structure of the U.S. government and the tasks these institutions perform.

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution.