A country has a written constitution that lists the powers its government may use and names rights the government may never take away. What kind of government is this?

In one country, political power is held by a small group of wealthy families, and no one outside that group may hold office. What is this form of government called?

In one country, citizens elect representatives to make the laws, and those representatives must govern within the limits set by a written constitution. What is this system called?

In an ancient Greek assembly, citizens gathered in person and voted on each law themselves instead of sending anyone to vote for them. What form of government does that describe?

A king inherits his throne, but a written constitution and an elected legislature decide most laws and set clear limits on what he may do. What is this arrangement called?

A government controls the schools, the newspapers, the workplaces and even private life, and it allows no organized opposition. What kind of system is this called?

A country follows the principle that its leaders must obey the same laws as everyone else and can be held accountable in court. What is that principle called?

A ruler may jail critics without trial, raise any tax, and overturn any law whenever he wishes, and no court or legislature can stop him. How is this government classified?

In an absolute monarchy, how does a ruler normally come to hold power?

A constitution divides a government into separate branches that make, carry out, and interpret the laws. What is the main purpose of dividing power that way?

Under the classification of governments by rule by one, rule by few, and rule by many, a government headed by a hereditary king who makes the laws himself belongs in which category?

Under the classification of governments by rule by one, rule by few, and rule by many, a system in which political power rests with the citizens as a whole belongs in which category?

A founding document written in 1787 and amended in 1791 states that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. What does that clause create?

An oligarchy and a democracy differ most clearly on one dimension. What is that dimension?

What are the two main jobs of a constitution in a constitutional system?

A country is governed by a council of twenty appointed officials who pick the replacements for their own empty seats, and no one outside the council takes part. What form of rule is this?

In an absolute monarchy, the monarch makes laws, collects taxes and judges cases, and no one else can overrule those decisions. What kind of government power is this?

Why is every constitutional republic also described as a limited government?

In a totalitarian system, what part do ordinary citizens play in choosing who governs them?

Two countries both hold elections. In one, courts may strike down a law that breaks the constitution; in the other, the leader may set any court ruling aside. What separates them?