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United States Government - Coggle Diagram
United States Government
Branches of Government
Executive
Vice President
President
Legislative (aka Congress)
Senate
Made up of 2 senators per state
Legislative house which uses the New Jersey Plan (equal representation)
House of Representatives
Legislative house which uses the Virginia Plan (proportional representation)
435 members
Term meaning both the House and the Senate
Bicameral - a legislature consisting of two houses (we are a bicameral legislature in the United States)
Judicial
Supreme Court
Chief Justice
Appointed for life
Federal Court
93 District Courts
Bill of Rights
The first 10 Amendments of the United States Constitution. (1791)
1st Amendment: Freedom of speech, press, religion, the right to petition, right to assemble.
Amendments guarantees civil rights and liberties.
Amendment: a change to the constitution
17 new amendments since 1791
2nd Amendment: Freedom to a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Characteristics of Responsible Citizenship
Rights of democratic citizens:
1st Amendment protections
Legal obligations of citizens:
Serve as jurors
Pay taxes
Vote
Obey the law
Various Forms of Government
Federalism
A mixed or compound mode of government that combines a general government with regional governments in a single political system, dividing the powers between the two.
Monarchy
A form of government ruled by a single person; monarch at the head
Oligarchy
A small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution. Power rests with a small number of people, either royalty, wealthy, family ties, or military control. Example: communist gov, totalitarian gov, absolute monarchy.
Dictatorship
A form of government characterized by a single leader or group of leaders that hold government power promised to the people and little or no toleration for political pluralism or independent media
Democracy
A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives
Parliament Systems
A democratic form of government in which the part or a coalition of parties with the greatest representation in the parliament forms the government, its leader becoming prime minister or chancellor