Define the following terms:
Public policy-a course of government action to achieve community goals
Government-ruling authority for a community
Civics-study of rights and duties of citizens
Citizens-member of a community that owes loyalty to the government in exchange for protection
Budget-a plan for collecting and spending money
Terrorism-the use of violence against civilians to achieve a political goal
Patriotism-love for one’s country
Migration-mass movement of people
Tolerance-respecting and accepting others, regardless of their differences
Bureaucracy-complex system with many departments and rules
E pluribus unum- out of many one
Popular sovereignty-government by the consent of the governed
Parliament-lawmaking body of England, wrote English Bill of Rights in 1689
Monarch-king or queen
Precedent-ruling in an earlier similar case
Compact-an agreement or contract among a group of people
Colony-group of people ruled by a parent country elsewhere
Delegates-representatives to a meeting
Mayflower Compact-written by the Plymouth Colonists signed on Mayflower, est direct democracy
Magna Carta-up held nobles authority and rights, not even king or queen was above the law
First Continental Congress-formed in response to the Intolerable Acts
Boston Tea Party-protest staged by colonists to protest tea act, also caused Intolerable or Coercive
Acts to be passed
Common law-system of law based on precedent and customs
Boycott-refusal to buy goods
Glorious Revolution-peaceful transfer of power that changed the idea of government in England
Declaratory Act-taxes levied on basic goods to the colonies from Great Britain
Social contract-idea that people agree to give up some of their freedoms and abide by the decisions of
their government in return for the governments protection
Intolerable Acts-Laws restricting the colonists rights including the right to trial by jury, passed b/c of
Boston Tea Party, aka Coercive Acts
Articles of Confederation-first constitution of the USA
Declaration of Independence-document that explains why the US should be a free nation
Mercantilism-theory that a country should sell more goods than it buys
Bill of Rights- part of a constitution that guarantees certain basic freedoms to its citizens
Bicameral-type of legislature divided into 2 parts or houses
Confederation-group of individuals that band together for a common purpose
Constitution- detailed written plan of government
Ratify- to approve
Thomas Jefferson-wrote most of the Declaration of Independence
Thomas Paine-wrote Common Sense and called for independence from Britain
Daniel Shays-farmer who lead an uprising b/c of high taxes and helped realize need for new gov.
Answer the following questions
When was the last draft? Vietnam War
Is jury duty legally required of all citizens? Yes
Where do many of our rights as Americans come from (hint it’s a country)? England
How do we give our consent to the government? Voting
What marked the beginning of self- government in colonial America? VA House of Burgesses
According the Declaration of Independence, what are our inalienable rights? Life, Liberty and the
Pursuit of Happiness
What was the Mayflower Compact an example of? Direct Democracy
Who voted to break away from England? (More than half supported this) 2nd Continental Congress
What are things people are required to do? Duty
What are things people should do? Responsibility
What is a citizen’s most important duty? Obey the law
What two ways does the constitution establish citizenship? By birth and naturalization process
What document was written by Parliament that limited the rights of the king? Magna Carta
Where did the first battles of the Revolutionary war take place? Massachusetts
Who did Great Britain go to war with that forced them to tax the colonists? France
Where was the 1st permanent English settlement in North America? Jamestown
What was the name for the 22 men chosen to govern the people of Jamestown? Burgesses
Because of their experiences with Britain, the 13 states refused to give the newly formed Congress the
power to tax or the power to enforce laws.
Being informed is part of our civic responsibilities.
Most states legally require you to attend school until this age 16.
New state legislatures were bicameral just like Parliament.
Without taxes the government could not pay its employees or pay for the military.
George Washington and other political leaders wanted a stronger National Government.
What was the first colony to organize and craft (write) a constitution? New Hampshire