Introduction to US Government

Introduction to US Government Chapter 1

State- identifies a political community that occupies a definite territory and has an organized government with the power to make an enforce laws without approval of any higher authority.
Sentence- The name United states was used when the 13 colonies became independent.

Nation- is a sizable group of people who are united by common bonds of race.
Sentence- We will al stand up together as the nation that we are.

Nation-state- is the term to describe a country with common bonds of race.
Sentence: France was a example of a nation-state, had lots of people that were not French but were united in France.

Consensus- Agreement about basic beliefs.
Sentence: Consensus maintain the state healthy, and a perfect example of this is the United States of America.

Sovereignty- means that he state has supreme and absolute authority within its territorial boundaries.
Sentence: What keeps every state messing with the issues of another is sovereignty which makes all the states equal to each other.

Government- is the institution through which the state maintain social order, provides public services , and enforces decisions that are binding on all people living within the state.
Sentence: Without government there would be no organization and everyone would like to change laws or decide not to apply those laws to him.

Social Contract- its the protection for the citizens and their well being.
Sentence: Without the social contract there is no reason for people to look up to the state for protection in the 1600s.

Aristotle-a scholar in ancient Greece, was one of the first students of government. Studied concepts of government such as politics, democracy, and republic.

Thomas Hobbes- Was the first to theorize how the social contract came about. One to stand up against the divine law. He wrote that in the “state of nature” no government existed.

John Locke- Took the social contract one step further. He defended the parliament overthrow of the king. He wrote that people were naturally endowed with the right to life, liberty, and property(persued of happiness). 3. What are the 4 essential features of a state?
It’s a definite territory, identifies a political community, has an organized government, have the power to make decisions of their own,

4. How can a population shift affect political power in a particular area?
Through its mobility. Because of so many Americans are changing residence. As a result political power is slowly changing and being modified.

5. Identify four theories for the origin of the state.
-Evolutionary theory, says that the state evolved from the family.
-Force Theory, says government emerged when all the people of an area were brought under the authority of one person or group.
-Divine Right Theory, says that the gods have chosen certain people to rule.
-Social Contract Theory, says that in state of nature no government existed. Without and authority to protect one person from another life was cruel.

6. What are the four major purposes of government?
Maintain Social order, providing public services, providing national security, making economic decisions.

7. Explain the “legitimate object of government” according to Abraham Lincoln.
Its says to give the people the resources they do not have or cannot get for themselves. But once they use the tool for themselves and start making some progress, do not interfere in their work and let them continue.

8. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke both subscribed to the social contract theory of government. Compare and contrast their views of that theory.