Types of Government Quiz

Unitary Government

• Gives all power to the central government
• Central government can delegate duties to smaller units (cities) but retains final decision-making authority
• Central governments are stronger than federal governments
• Sets uniform policies and laws
• Ignores local differences

Confederal Government

• A loose alliance of countries or political units
• Each unit retains final control of its laws and citizens
• Central government only makes decisions on issues affecting the entire confederation
• Can be unstable due to members wanting to do things their own way
• Local/regional governments have significant control, lacking uniform national policy

Federal Government

• Divides power between the central government and smaller political units (states)
• Lower governments handle local issues
• Central government handles national issues (military, treaties)
• Local governments have more power but sacrifices national uniformity

Oligarchic Government

• Ruled by a small group of wealthy or powerful people
• Citizen participation is limited to the ruling group

Autocratic Government

• One leader holds complete power
• Citizens have no participation in government

Democratic Government

• People hold supreme power
• Citizens elect officials who represent them
• All citizens have equal rights to participate in government regardless of wealth or position

Presidential Democracy

• Citizens elect legislators and executive separately
• No one can be both a legislator and executive

Parliamentary Democracy

• Citizens elect officials as legislators
• Legislature elects the executive (e.g., prime minister) from its members

Magna Carta

• English political and civil liberties document
• Granted by King John in 1215
• Guarantees basic rights

Petition of Rights

• 1628 petition sent to King Charles I by English Parliament
• Complained about law breaches
• Sought recognition of four principles: no taxation without consent, no imprisonment without cause, no quartering of soldiers, and no martial law in peacetime
• King accepted but later ignored principles

English Bill of Rights

• 1689 British law
• Declared rights and liberties of the people
• Settled succession after the Glorious Revolution

Constitutional Monarchy

• King or Queen acts as Head of State, but legislative power resides with an elected parliament

Social Contract Theory

• Agreement between ruled and rulers
• Defines rights and duties of each
• People give government power
• Government protects and respects people's rights

Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan

• Life without government is "nasty, brutish, and short"
• People give up individual freedom for peace and order
• Favored absolute government (monarchy)

Debate over Ratification of the United States Constitution

• Only nine states needed to ratify
• Without the support of New York and Virginia, the new government wouldn't last
• Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote The Federalist Papers to convince voters

Popular Sovereignty

• Rule by the people

Federalism

• Divided power between national and state governments

Separation of Powers

• National/federal government power is divided among legislative, executive, and judicial branches

Checks and Balances

• Each branch of government checks the power of others to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful

Judicial Review

• Power of courts to overturn laws inconsistent with the Constitution

Limited Government (Rule of Law)

• Constitution limits government actions
• Lists specific powers, prohibiting others

Structure of the Legislative Branch

• Congress is bicameral (Senate and House of Representatives)

Powers of the Legislative Branch

• Primary power is to make laws
• Bill approval requires majority in both houses
• 18 expressed/enumerated powers (detailed in the US Constitution)
• Powers over Economics, Defense, and other areas

Leadership in the House of Representatives

• Speaker of the House
• Majority Leader
• Minority Leader
• Majority Whip
• Minority Whip

Leadership in the Senate

• President of the Senate (Vice President of the US)
• President Pro Tempore
• Majority Leader
• Minority Leader
• Majority Whip
• Minority Whip

How a Bill Becomes Law

Functions of Leadership Positions in Congress

Impeachment

• Formal accusation of misconduct
• House of Representatives initiates impeachment proceedings
• Senate conducts the trial

The Impeachment Process

• Congress has the power to remove executive and judicial officials
• Majority of House votes to impeach officials

Structure of the Judicial Branch

• Supreme Court, Federal District Courts, and Federal Courts of Appeal

Powers of the Judicial Branch

• Jurisdiction in cases based on US laws, treaties, or the Constitution

Powers of the Supreme Court

• Judicial Review :Power to declare laws and actions unconstitutional; rules on appeals

State Courts

• Handles cases involving state laws

Establishment of Judicial Review

• Supreme Court ruled that Congress’s actions cannot violate the Constitution

The Supreme Court of the United States

• Highest Court, Composed of 8 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice
• Appointing justices is done by the President, with Senate confirmation

Supreme Court Decision-Making Process

System of Checks and Balances

Federal System

• Power split between states and national governments
• U.S. Constitution specifies powers and reserves others to the states

Political Parties

• Groups of people with common interests that organize to win elections, control government, and influence policies
• Organize at local, state, and national levels
• Recruit candidates, educate public, and run campaigns

Nomination & Election Process

• Primary elections
• Nominations/conventions

Presidential Elections

• Similar procedure as other elections
• Electoral College system plays a role in deciding the president
• Electors vote based on states' popular decisions
• Candidate needed 270 electoral votes to win

Amendments that Extended Suffrage (Right to Vote).

• 15th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, and 26th amendments

Amendments

• 14th Amendment(Citizenship)
• 5th Amendment (Due Process)

1st Amendment Freedoms

Freedom of Speech

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

The Bill of Rights

Political Action Groups (PACs)

• Formed by special-interest groups to raise money for candidate campaigns

Grassroots Movements

• Political movements/actions starting with ordinary people, usually at the local level