U.S. Government Exam Review

What is the purpose of government? - Answer- Protect, maintain public order, resolve social conflicts, responsibility for a stable economy, and provide public services. Limited Government - Answer- A system in which government's powers are restricted and individuals' rights are protected. Declaration of Independence - Answer- Written by Thomas Jefferson, Declares Independence, List of complaints against Britain,expresses enduring beliefs of American society. Defines liberty, order, equality, democracy, and justice. John Locke - Answer- Enlightenment philosopher who wrote the "Second Treasties of Government", greatly influenced the Declaration of Independence. Principles:Natural Rights and Consent of The Governed. Surpremacy Clause and changes - Answer- Created to keep elastic clause from being stretched, and to restrict governmental powers. Overlooked during McCulloch VS. Maryland case. During the civil war, supremacy clause guaranteed that the union could not be dissolved. Unitary System - Answer- A form of government in which all powers of the government are held by a single unit or agency. Federal System - Answer- A form of government in which governmental powers are divided between a central authority and a number of regional political subdivisions. Confederacy - Answer- A political system in which a weak central government has limited authority, and the states have all of the power. Socialism - Answer- The economic system that advocates government ownership of the means of products. Capitalism - Answer- An economic system characterized by open competition in a free market and based on private ownership. Communism - Answer- A system of government in which the state controls the means of production. Parlimentary Government - Answer- A form of government in which the executive leaders are chosen by and responsible to the legislature. Presidential Government - Answer- A form of government in which the legeslative and executive brances are seperate and function independently.