UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION to AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT FINAL EXAM WELL
ANSWERED.
government - Answer institution through which the state maintains social order, provides public
services, and enforces binding decisions on citizens
*decisions of government can be enforced upon all of society (authoritative)
Social Contract Theory - Answer theory that by contract, people surrender to the state the power
needed to maintain order and the state, in turn, agrees to protect its citizens
*beginning of 1600s
Hobbes (Leviathan) - Answer Thomas Hobbes in England was one of the first to theorize on the social
contract. He wrote that in a "state of nature," no government existed. Without an authority to protect
people from one another, life was "nasty, brutish, and short."
*people did not have the right to break this agreement
Locke (Second Treatise on Government) - Answer John Locke took the social contract a step further.
1688- British Parliment forced King James II out of the office and invited William and Mary of Orange to
rue. Locke defended Parliament's overthrow of the king. (wrote that people were naturally endowed
with the right to life, liberty, and property)
*when governemnt failed to preserve the rights of the people, the people had the right to break the
contract
Unitary System - Answer government that gives all key powers to the national or central government
*state has the power to create state, provincial, or other local governments and may give them limited
svereignty
*GB and France developed unitary governments
, Federal System - Answer government divides the powers of the government between the national
government and state or provincial governments
*United states- developed federal system after 13 colonies became states
Confederacy - Answer loose union of independent states
*confederacy failed to provide an effective national government, the Constitution made the national
government supreme while preserving some state government powers.
The Constitution - Answer plan that provides the rules for government
*1. setes out ideals that people bound by the constituion believe in and shre 2. establishes the basic
structure of government and defines government's powers and uties 3. provdes supreme law for the
country
The Preamble - Answer statement in a constitution that sets forth the goals and purposes of
government
*states the major goals of the American government
The Federalist - Answer James Madison expresssed concerns about how the government should
operate in the interests of ALL the people, not favoring any special group or person.
*were concerned that groups of people, united by special political interests, would hinder the launching
of the new government.
Oligarchy - Answer system of government in which a small group holds power
*derives its power from wealth, military power, social position, or combination (religion, etc.)
Democracy (direct & indirect) - Answer government in which people rule
*governemnt by the many in contrast to government by the few
*people hold sovereign power
capitalism (laizzez faire) - Answer economic system providing free choice and individual incentive for
workers, investors, consumers, and business enterprises
GOVERNMENT FINAL EXAM WELL
ANSWERED.
government - Answer institution through which the state maintains social order, provides public
services, and enforces binding decisions on citizens
*decisions of government can be enforced upon all of society (authoritative)
Social Contract Theory - Answer theory that by contract, people surrender to the state the power
needed to maintain order and the state, in turn, agrees to protect its citizens
*beginning of 1600s
Hobbes (Leviathan) - Answer Thomas Hobbes in England was one of the first to theorize on the social
contract. He wrote that in a "state of nature," no government existed. Without an authority to protect
people from one another, life was "nasty, brutish, and short."
*people did not have the right to break this agreement
Locke (Second Treatise on Government) - Answer John Locke took the social contract a step further.
1688- British Parliment forced King James II out of the office and invited William and Mary of Orange to
rue. Locke defended Parliament's overthrow of the king. (wrote that people were naturally endowed
with the right to life, liberty, and property)
*when governemnt failed to preserve the rights of the people, the people had the right to break the
contract
Unitary System - Answer government that gives all key powers to the national or central government
*state has the power to create state, provincial, or other local governments and may give them limited
svereignty
*GB and France developed unitary governments
, Federal System - Answer government divides the powers of the government between the national
government and state or provincial governments
*United states- developed federal system after 13 colonies became states
Confederacy - Answer loose union of independent states
*confederacy failed to provide an effective national government, the Constitution made the national
government supreme while preserving some state government powers.
The Constitution - Answer plan that provides the rules for government
*1. setes out ideals that people bound by the constituion believe in and shre 2. establishes the basic
structure of government and defines government's powers and uties 3. provdes supreme law for the
country
The Preamble - Answer statement in a constitution that sets forth the goals and purposes of
government
*states the major goals of the American government
The Federalist - Answer James Madison expresssed concerns about how the government should
operate in the interests of ALL the people, not favoring any special group or person.
*were concerned that groups of people, united by special political interests, would hinder the launching
of the new government.
Oligarchy - Answer system of government in which a small group holds power
*derives its power from wealth, military power, social position, or combination (religion, etc.)
Democracy (direct & indirect) - Answer government in which people rule
*governemnt by the many in contrast to government by the few
*people hold sovereign power
capitalism (laizzez faire) - Answer economic system providing free choice and individual incentive for
workers, investors, consumers, and business enterprises
