Skelton
Am. Gov’t
PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT STUDY GUIDE – pp. 4-24 (American Government)
Vocabulary:
1. government –
2. natural law – that which would govern all human beings living in a state of nature (if no
government exists); transcends laws made by humans
3. natural rights – basic rights all human beings should enjoy; these are endowed, not by
government, but occur naturally
4. divine right of monarchs – (p. 7)
5. social contract theory – (p. 8)
6. sovereignty –
7. authoritarianism – (p. 12)
8. despotism – rule by a despot, a ruler with absolute power who uses the power tyrannically
9. unitary government –
10. federal government –
11. confederation –
12. presidential government –
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13. parliamentary government –
14. dictatorship –
15. democracy –
16. direct democracy –
17. representative government –
18. anarchy – (p.20)
19. republic – (p. 12)
Questions:
20. What characteristics define a state?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Population-Territory-popular sovereignty – the belief that people are the source of power in government
government—
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For what reasons do people form governments? They form governments to…
a. create a more perfect union – united we stand, divided we fall
b. establish justice – law must be reasonable, fair and impartial
c. ensure domestic tranquility – order is essential to the well being of society
d. provide for the common defense – ensure security of the nation against foreign
enemies
e. promote the general welfare – education, clean air and water
f. secure the blessing of liberty – guarantee our rights and protect our freedom
Match the purposes of government with the explanations that follow:
“form a more perfect union”
“establish justice”
“insure domestic tranquility”
“provide for the common defense”
“promote the general welfare”
“secure the blessings of liberty”
21. The tasks that government performs to serve the people include providing education and
protecting the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat.
22. Ensuring the security of the nation against foreign enemies has always been an important
responsibility of government.
23. Order is essential to the well being of any society; thus, keeping the peace at home has
always been a prime function of government.
24. The law, in both its content and its administration, must be reasonable, fair and
impartial.
25. The government is responsible for guaranteeing our rights and protecting our freedoms.
26. The union was a league of states rather than a unified government.
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Matching
27. direct democracy
28. oligarchy
29. autocracy
30. indirect democracy
31.
32.
33.
34.
social contract theory
preamble
evolutionary theory
government
35. sovereign
36. unitary
37. force theory
38. states
39. confederation
40. divine-right theory
a.
b.
c.
d.
rule by a few
rule by one dictator
uses representatives
an immediate show of “hands”
a.
b.
c.
d.
power to make your own decisions
the institution that makes public policy
stated purpose of government
people have the power to remove their
rulers
e. government develops slowly from
small groups to larger
f. must have a government
g. composed of independent states
h. gaining power through strength
i. has a central agency for making laws
j. power gained from a god or gods
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