American Government Study Guide / Questions & Correct Answers / Updated 2025/2026.
Government ✔️is the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policy
Public policy ✔️is all of the goals a government sets and the various courses of action it pursues as it attempts to realize these goals.
Legislative power ✔️the power to make a law and to frame public policies
Executive power ✔️The power to execute, enforce, and administer law
Judicial Power ✔️The power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within the society
Constitution ✔️is the body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of government.
dictatorship ✔️is a form of government in which the leader has absolute power and authority.
democracy ✔️is a form of government in which the supreme authority rests with the people.
state ✔️is a body of people living in a defined territory who have a government with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of
any higher authority.
Sovereignty ✔️is having supreme power within its own territory; neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority.
Autocracy ✔️a political system governed by a single individual
oligarchy ✔️a political system governed by a few people
unitary government ✔️a centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single central agency
federal government ✔️a form of government in which powers are divided between a central government and several local governments
division of powers ✔️Basic principle of federalism; the constitutional provisions by which governmental powers are divided on a geographic
basis (in the United States, between the National Government and the States).
confederation ✔️a political system in which a weak central government has limited authority, and the states have ultimate power.
presidential government ✔️A form of government in which the executive and legislative branches of the government are separate, independent,
and coequal
parliamentary government ✔️A form of government in which the executive branch is made up of the prime minister, or premier, and that
official's cabinet
Compromise ✔️to settle a dispute by terms agreeable to both sides
free enterprise system ✔️an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods; investments that are
determined by private decision rather than by state control, and determined in a free market
law of supply and demand ✔️A law which states that when supplies of goods and services become plentiful, prices tend to drop. When supplies
become scarcer, prices tend to rise.
Mixed economy ✔️an economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and
promotion
limited government ✔️government is restricted in what it may do, and each individual has certain rights that government cannot take away
Representative government ✔️system of government in which public policies are made by officials selected by the voters and held accountable
in periodic elections
Magna Carta ✔️This document was signed by King John in 1215. It was the first document that limited the power of the government.
Petition of Right ✔️Document prepared by Parliament and signed by King Charles I of England in 1628; challenged the idea of the divine right of
kings and declared that even the monarch was subject to the laws of the land
, English Bill of Rights ✔️King William and Queen Mary accepted this document in 1689. It guaranteed certain rights to English citizens and
declared that elections for Parliament would happen frequently. By accepting this document, they supported a limited monarchy, a system in
which they shared their power with Parliament and the people.
Charter ✔️legal document giving certain rights to a person or company
Bicameral ✔️a legislature consisting of two parts, or houses
proprietary ✔️characteristic of an owner of property; constituting property
unicameral ✔️one-house legislature
confederation ✔️is an alliance of independent states for a common purpose, with a weak central government.
Albany plan of union ✔️plan proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 that aimed to unite the 13 colonies for trade, military, and other purposes;
the plan was turned down by the colonies and the Crown
Delegate ✔️to divide up, especially responsibilities
boycott ✔️refusal to buy or sell certain products or services
Repeal ✔️to cancel a law
Popular Sovereignty ✔️The concept that political power rests with the people who can create, alter, and abolish government. People express
themselves through voting and free participation in government
Articles of Confed ✔️created in 1777, gov where power is given to state or local gov, each state can govern w/in its own territtory, i vote in
continental congress for each state
Ratification ✔️formal approval
Framers ✔️Group of delegates who drafted the United States Constitution at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787
Virginia Plan ✔️The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for representation of each state in Congress in proportion to that
state's share of the U.S. population.
New Jersey Plan ✔️Opposite of the Virginia Plan, it proposed a single-chamber congress in which each state had one vote. This created a conflict
with representation between bigger states, who wanted control befitting their population, and smaller states, who didn't want to be bullied by
larger states.
Connecticut Compromise ✔️Compromise agreement by states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature with a lower house in
which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators
Three-Fifths Compromise ✔️agreement at the constitutional Convention that 3/5 of the slaves in any state be counted in its population
Federalists ✔️people who supported ratification of the Constitution
Anti-Federalists ✔️people who opposed the Constitution
Quorum ✔️The minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action
Preamble ✔️Introduction to the Constitution
Articles ✔️Numbered sections of a document. The unamended Constitution is divided into seven articles.
Constitutionalism ✔️basic principle that government and those who govern must obey the law; the rule of law
Rule of law ✔️principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern
Separation of Powers ✔️Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch
making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law
Checks and balances ✔️A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of
power
Government ✔️is the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policy
Public policy ✔️is all of the goals a government sets and the various courses of action it pursues as it attempts to realize these goals.
Legislative power ✔️the power to make a law and to frame public policies
Executive power ✔️The power to execute, enforce, and administer law
Judicial Power ✔️The power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within the society
Constitution ✔️is the body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of government.
dictatorship ✔️is a form of government in which the leader has absolute power and authority.
democracy ✔️is a form of government in which the supreme authority rests with the people.
state ✔️is a body of people living in a defined territory who have a government with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of
any higher authority.
Sovereignty ✔️is having supreme power within its own territory; neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority.
Autocracy ✔️a political system governed by a single individual
oligarchy ✔️a political system governed by a few people
unitary government ✔️a centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single central agency
federal government ✔️a form of government in which powers are divided between a central government and several local governments
division of powers ✔️Basic principle of federalism; the constitutional provisions by which governmental powers are divided on a geographic
basis (in the United States, between the National Government and the States).
confederation ✔️a political system in which a weak central government has limited authority, and the states have ultimate power.
presidential government ✔️A form of government in which the executive and legislative branches of the government are separate, independent,
and coequal
parliamentary government ✔️A form of government in which the executive branch is made up of the prime minister, or premier, and that
official's cabinet
Compromise ✔️to settle a dispute by terms agreeable to both sides
free enterprise system ✔️an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods; investments that are
determined by private decision rather than by state control, and determined in a free market
law of supply and demand ✔️A law which states that when supplies of goods and services become plentiful, prices tend to drop. When supplies
become scarcer, prices tend to rise.
Mixed economy ✔️an economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and
promotion
limited government ✔️government is restricted in what it may do, and each individual has certain rights that government cannot take away
Representative government ✔️system of government in which public policies are made by officials selected by the voters and held accountable
in periodic elections
Magna Carta ✔️This document was signed by King John in 1215. It was the first document that limited the power of the government.
Petition of Right ✔️Document prepared by Parliament and signed by King Charles I of England in 1628; challenged the idea of the divine right of
kings and declared that even the monarch was subject to the laws of the land
, English Bill of Rights ✔️King William and Queen Mary accepted this document in 1689. It guaranteed certain rights to English citizens and
declared that elections for Parliament would happen frequently. By accepting this document, they supported a limited monarchy, a system in
which they shared their power with Parliament and the people.
Charter ✔️legal document giving certain rights to a person or company
Bicameral ✔️a legislature consisting of two parts, or houses
proprietary ✔️characteristic of an owner of property; constituting property
unicameral ✔️one-house legislature
confederation ✔️is an alliance of independent states for a common purpose, with a weak central government.
Albany plan of union ✔️plan proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 that aimed to unite the 13 colonies for trade, military, and other purposes;
the plan was turned down by the colonies and the Crown
Delegate ✔️to divide up, especially responsibilities
boycott ✔️refusal to buy or sell certain products or services
Repeal ✔️to cancel a law
Popular Sovereignty ✔️The concept that political power rests with the people who can create, alter, and abolish government. People express
themselves through voting and free participation in government
Articles of Confed ✔️created in 1777, gov where power is given to state or local gov, each state can govern w/in its own territtory, i vote in
continental congress for each state
Ratification ✔️formal approval
Framers ✔️Group of delegates who drafted the United States Constitution at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787
Virginia Plan ✔️The proposal at the Constitutional Convention that called for representation of each state in Congress in proportion to that
state's share of the U.S. population.
New Jersey Plan ✔️Opposite of the Virginia Plan, it proposed a single-chamber congress in which each state had one vote. This created a conflict
with representation between bigger states, who wanted control befitting their population, and smaller states, who didn't want to be bullied by
larger states.
Connecticut Compromise ✔️Compromise agreement by states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature with a lower house in
which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators
Three-Fifths Compromise ✔️agreement at the constitutional Convention that 3/5 of the slaves in any state be counted in its population
Federalists ✔️people who supported ratification of the Constitution
Anti-Federalists ✔️people who opposed the Constitution
Quorum ✔️The minimum number of members who must be present to permit a legislative body to take official action
Preamble ✔️Introduction to the Constitution
Articles ✔️Numbered sections of a document. The unamended Constitution is divided into seven articles.
Constitutionalism ✔️basic principle that government and those who govern must obey the law; the rule of law
Rule of law ✔️principle that the law applies to everyone, even those who govern
Separation of Powers ✔️Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch
making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law
Checks and balances ✔️A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of
power
