1. Checks and balances: a principle of the federal government, according to the U.S. Constitution, that allows each branch of government to limit the power of the other branches.

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2. Consent of the governed: an agreement made by the people to establish a government and abide by its laws

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3. Enlightenment: a period in European history when many educated people stressed the importance of learning and reasoning; education was considered the key to understanding and solving society’s problems.

 

4. Individual liberty: a person’s ability to be free and independent.

 

5. Influence: having an effect or impact on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others

 

6. Natural law: laws passed by government to protect natural rights

 

7. Natural rights: the belief that individuals are born with basic rights that cannot be taken away by governments; life, liberty, and property

 

8. Separation of powers: the structure of the federal government, according to the U.S. Constitution, that sets up three branches with their own distinct powers and responsibilities.

 

9. Social contract: an implied agreement among the people of an organized society that defines the rights, duties, and limitations of the governed and the government.

 

10. John Locke: Enlightenment philosopher who promoted the idea of the natural rights of life, liberty and property. He believed the role of government is to protect these rights and if it fails to do so the people should create a new government.

 

11. Charles Montesquieu: Enlightenment philosopher who believed that the power of government should be separated or divided.

 

12. Compact: an official agreement made by two or more parties

 

13. Common Sense: a pamphlet published by Thomas Paine in 1776 to convince the American colonists to support becoming independent from England

 

14. English Bill of Rights: a government document that expanded the powers of the English Parliament and expanded the rights of the people, as well as further limited the rights of the king; written by the members of the English Parliament in 1689

 

15. Due process: the idea that people have the right to fair and reasonable laws, and that government leaders and officials have to follow rules when enforcing laws and treat all people in the same way

 

16: Limited government: a government that has been limited in power by a constitution, or written agreement

 

17. Limited monarchy: a system of government in which the king or queen shares authority with an elected legislature and agrees to be bound by a constitution or a set of laws, also known as a constitutional monarchy

 

18: Magna Carta: a government document that limited the power of the king of England and protected the rights of the nobility; written by the English nobles in 1215

 

19: Mayflower Compact: an agreement between individuals that created a government that would provide order and protect the rights of the colonists; written by a group of English Puritans in Massachusetts in 1620

 

20. Rights: a set of things that people believe they should be free to do without restrictions

 

21. Self-government: popular or representative system where the people create and run their own government

 

22. Thomas Paine: the colonial journalist who wrote Common Sense in 1776

 

23. Duty: a tax

 

24. Export: goods sent to another country

 

25. Goods: merchandise or objects for sale or trade

 

26. Import: goods brought into the country

 

27. Individual rights: rights guaranteed or belonging to a person

 

28. Legislature: governing body responsible for making laws

 

29. Levy: to collect by legal authority

 

30. Oppression: the use of authority or power in a cruel or unjust manner

 

31. Parliament: the name of the English legislature

 

32. Representation: a person or group acting on behalf of another person or group

 

33. Tax: money levied by a government for specific facilities or services

 

34. Taxation without representation: the idea that it is unfair to tax someone without giving them a voice in government

 

35. Abolish: to end

 

36. Assent: to agree

 

37. Deprive: to take something away

 

38. Derive: to take

 

39. Despotism: a system of government where the ruler has unlimited power

 

40. Dissolve: to bring to an end

 

41. Endow: to be given something naturally

 

42. Grievance: a complaint

 

43. Impel: to urge

 

44. Impose: to establish by using authority or power

 

45. Institute: to establish

 

46. Natural rights: the belief that individuals are born with basic rights that cannot be taken away by governments

 

47. Quarter: to house

 

48. Rectitude: the quality or state of being correct

 

49. Self-evident: obvious, having no need of proof

 

50. Tyranny: a government in which a single ruler possesses and abuses absolute power

 

51. Tyrant: a single ruler that possesses and abuses absolute government power

 

52. Unalienable (inalienable) rights: basic rights of the people that may not be taken away

 

53. Usurpation: the act of exercising power by force