Government Test Study Guide KEY: SS7CG1, SS7CG4, SS7CG6
Name: __________________ Period: ____
1. If power is held by the central authority, what type of government does the
country have? Unitary
2. All citizens participate equally in which type of government?
Democracy

a national government as well as 28 state governments

the executive branch is elected by the citizens

Power is divided evenly among the state and national government
3. Based in the information above, which statement identifies this country’s
government based on its DISTRIBUTION OF POWER and its CITIZEN
PARTICIPATION? Federal and democratic
4. In a confederate government system, who holds most of the power?
Local governments hold the most power and give a limited amount of power to the
national government
5. In a federal government system, who holds most of the power?
The power is shared among different levels of government
6. In a unitary system of government, who holds most of the power?
The central government
7. In an autocracy, who makes most of the important governmental decisions?
An individual ruler or leader
8. Why do the individual voters have less power in an autocracy or oligarchy than
they do in a democracy? Individuals have little or no say and may not even be
allowed to vote in an autocracy or oligarchy while voters participate freely in a
democracy
9. What are the two predominant forms of a democratic government?
Presidential and Parliamentary
10. In a parliamentary system of government, how is a prime minister chosen?
The legislature chooses one of their members to be prime minister
11. What is a weakness of a confederation government system?
It is usually an unstable, loose alliance of countries or states
12. Name the three ways governments distribute their power:
a. Federal
b. Unitary
c. Confederation
13. Name the three ways that governments allow citizen participation:
a. Autocracy
b. Oligarchy c. Democracy
14. What are the two forms of a democracy? Parliamentary, Presidential
15. In a unitary government system who hold most of the power? The
legislature/central government
16. In a confederate government system who holds most of the power?
The countries or states that make up the confederation
17. In a federal system of government who holds most of the power?
The central/national government shares power with the states/local governments
18. In an autocracy, who makes most of the important governmental decisions?
An individual ruler or dictator
19. Who are the decision makers in an oligarchy?
A small group with wealth or power
20. What branch of government chooses the executive leader in a parliamentary
democracy? Legislative
21. Name the leader of a presidential democracy: The President, parliamentary
democracy: The Prime Minister
22. How is the president chosen in a presidential democracy? He is elected by the
people (citizens)
23. Name a country that is a democracy. Mexico, USA, Canada
24. What is a weakness of a confederation government system? The national
government is weak- most power remains with the local governments
25. What is the main difference between a president and a prime minister? A
president is elected by the voters separate from the legislature. A prime minister is
first elected as a Member of Parliament, then, if his/her party is the majority party
(most seats) in the Parliament, he/she becomes Prime Minister while still serving
as a Member of Parliament (legislature).