UNIT 1 AND 2 REVIEW GUIDE
1. Who was the philosopher of natural rights who the colonial revolutionaries based a lot of their
ideas? John Locke
2. Economic system in which people are free to choose? Capitalism
3. Unitary System of government? Central or national holds all power
4. Federal System of government? power is divided among levels of government
5. System of government in which the people rule? democracy (republic)
6. Who is the father of communism? Karl Marx
7. Define: popular sovereignty the People hold absolute power
8. Define: Separation of powers
power of government is divided among the branches (3)
9. Define: Checks and balances each branch has power to check the power of the other
branches
10. What state constitution was the US constitution based on?
Massachusetts
11. Define: unicameral
one house legislature
12. Define: bicameral two house legislature
13. What state had the example of a bill of rights that the US Bill of Rights was based on? Virginia
14. Why was the Magna Carta so important? limited the power of the British crown for the first
15. Who were the Founders?
time
political leaders of the colonies
16. Who was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence? Why? John Hancock - he was the
17. Define: republic people elect representatives
president of the congress
18. What was the USA’s first constitution? Articles of Confederation
19. Economic system in which the central government directs all major economic decisions?
Communism
20. Government in which the legislative branch has absolute power?
legislative supremacy - Articles of Confederation
21. Natural Rights?
life, liberty, property (Locke)
22. Define: social contract people give up freedom to get protection from the govt.
23. Define: civic virtue
doing what is best for the common good before self interests
24. What does a constitutional government always include? limits
25. Define: higher law everyone must follow the law - constitution
26. What is a republic? people elect reps
27. Why were the colonists so upset about the Stamp Act and others like it? taxation without consent
28. What was the Declaration of Independence?
break-up with Britain
29. What was the purpose of government set forth in the Declaration? protect people's natural
30. What form of government do we have in this country?
rights
republican democracy (representative)
31. What type of economy do communist countries have?
command economy
32. Define: constitution plan and structure of government
33. Define: confederacy loose union of independent states
34. What branch did the Articles of Confederation create? Why? Legislative - based on rep govt.
35. What was the purpose of the Philadelphia Convention? fix the Articles of Confederation
36. Define: monarchy
monarchy - divine right
37. Who holds the power in a democracy?
the people
38. Which English king was forced to sign the Magna Carta? King John
39. What are Locke’s 3 natural rights?
life, liberty, and property
40. Which natural rights did Shay’s Rebellion argue was being threatened? property - farmers
41. Who was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence? Thomas Jefferson
42. Why did the Articles of Confederation fail? What was one achievement of the Articles?
weak national government (no taxes) - Northwest Ordinance
43. Explain how the Massachusetts Constitution was different that all other states.
Seperation of powers
- branches had equal power instead of leg. supremacy
44. What constitutional ideas did the Massachusetts Constitution address?
separation of powers and checks and balances