American Heritage Midterm 1 | BYU Study
Guide & Key Concepts
Sovereignty - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----'Who has the final say?' - Who is in
charge - The ultimate political power within a particular jurisdiction.
Revolution - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Part of the Human Predicament and Rule
of Law, When the people are not satisfied with government they can and will
revolt. Usually motivated by some central ideas of change.
Areté - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Greek word for human virtue, the backbone
of republican morality. Striving for excellence.
Theocracy - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Divine inspired rule or rule by religion.
Autocracy - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----One of four forms of government.
Government sees people as "children" in need of a carefully controlled
environment provided by government
,Liberalism - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----One of the four alternative forms of
government, sees people in the most favorable light, but institutions or other
influences can corrupt them, so government is necessary to protect them from
such corruption.
Human Predicament - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----A constant cycle of Tyranny -
Revolution - Anarchy - Competing Groups
Anarchy - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----No one person or group maintains absolute
power and is characterized by mass disorder caused by failure to agree on a
common course of action
Political Legitimacy - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----The right/reason for being in
power. Ruling by a sanction higher than stark necessity; sanction may stem from
divine right, wisdom, or consent, etc.
Aristocracy - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Rule based on distinguished or wise
ancestors or heritage.
Classical Republicanism - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----One of four types of
government. Government should have power to restrict to try and encourage a
good moral climate. Sees people as mostly good but corruptible.
Social Compact - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----People making a common
agreement about the sort of political world they want to live in
, Tyranny - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----absolute power centralized in one person
(or small group)
Good Society - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Reasonably stable and prosperous
society without an oppressive tyranny. Usually includes peace, respect, vibrant
culture, and personal freedom to live the way one chooses.
Divine Right of Kings - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Political theory that royal lines
are established by God and that kings rule by divine decree.
Human Nature - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----The fundamental disposition of
humans that determines their behavior. Factors, circumstance and conditions play
a big role in determining human nature
Libertarianism - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----One of four alternative forms of
government. See most important value being individual freedom and hold that
government should only protect that freedom and nothing more.
Corporate Communities - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Colonial settlements
established for economic purposes; Jamestown. Benefits; prosperity, cooperation,
everyone gets what they want. Drawbacks; economic growth based on slavery and
indentured servitude. Usually chartered by the Crown, but in being remote were
able to practice self-governance.
Guide & Key Concepts
Sovereignty - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----'Who has the final say?' - Who is in
charge - The ultimate political power within a particular jurisdiction.
Revolution - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Part of the Human Predicament and Rule
of Law, When the people are not satisfied with government they can and will
revolt. Usually motivated by some central ideas of change.
Areté - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Greek word for human virtue, the backbone
of republican morality. Striving for excellence.
Theocracy - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Divine inspired rule or rule by religion.
Autocracy - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----One of four forms of government.
Government sees people as "children" in need of a carefully controlled
environment provided by government
,Liberalism - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----One of the four alternative forms of
government, sees people in the most favorable light, but institutions or other
influences can corrupt them, so government is necessary to protect them from
such corruption.
Human Predicament - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----A constant cycle of Tyranny -
Revolution - Anarchy - Competing Groups
Anarchy - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----No one person or group maintains absolute
power and is characterized by mass disorder caused by failure to agree on a
common course of action
Political Legitimacy - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----The right/reason for being in
power. Ruling by a sanction higher than stark necessity; sanction may stem from
divine right, wisdom, or consent, etc.
Aristocracy - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Rule based on distinguished or wise
ancestors or heritage.
Classical Republicanism - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----One of four types of
government. Government should have power to restrict to try and encourage a
good moral climate. Sees people as mostly good but corruptible.
Social Compact - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----People making a common
agreement about the sort of political world they want to live in
, Tyranny - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----absolute power centralized in one person
(or small group)
Good Society - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Reasonably stable and prosperous
society without an oppressive tyranny. Usually includes peace, respect, vibrant
culture, and personal freedom to live the way one chooses.
Divine Right of Kings - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Political theory that royal lines
are established by God and that kings rule by divine decree.
Human Nature - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----The fundamental disposition of
humans that determines their behavior. Factors, circumstance and conditions play
a big role in determining human nature
Libertarianism - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----One of four alternative forms of
government. See most important value being individual freedom and hold that
government should only protect that freedom and nothing more.
Corporate Communities - ---✔✔✔ANSWER----Colonial settlements
established for economic purposes; Jamestown. Benefits; prosperity, cooperation,
everyone gets what they want. Drawbacks; economic growth based on slavery and
indentured servitude. Usually chartered by the Crown, but in being remote were
able to practice self-governance.
