Forms of Government and US Constitutional Amendments
Forms of Government
- Representative Democracy: Government is elected by citizens (e.g., USA).
- Direct Democracy: The people decide on policies without any intermediary or representative (e.g., Switzerland).
- Dictatorship: A form of government in which one person or a small group possesses absolute power without effective constitutional limitations (e.g., North Korea). One person decides for everyone.
- Autocracy: A form of government in which one ruler has absolute control and decision-making power in all matters of state and over all the country’s people (e.g., Afghanistan).
- Oligarchy: A form of government in which a small group of people hold most or all political power. (e.g., Russia)
- Theocracy: Government by divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided. Church/religion rules (e.g., Vatican).
- Monarchy: A political system based upon the undivided sovereignty or rule of a single person, such as a king or queen.
- Totalitarianism: A form of government that attempts to assert total control over the lives of its citizens.
US Constitutional Amendments
Amendment: A written change to the Constitution.
Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1791.
Bill of Rights (Amendments 1-10)
- Amendment #1: Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.
- Amendment #2: Right to bear arms.
- Amendment #3: No one may be forced to house soldiers.
- Amendment #4: Protects against unreasonable search and seizure.
- Amendment #5: Rights of the criminally accused (indictment by grand jury, no double jeopardy, no self-incrimination, due process of the law, eminent domain).
- Amendment #6: Rights to a speedy trial by jury (speedy trial, impartial jury, informed of charges, right to an attorney).
- Amendment #7: Rights to a jury trial in civil cases involving more than $20 (disputes over money or property).
- Amendment #8: No excessive bail, no cruel and unusual punishment.
- Amendment #9: People have other basic rights not listed in the Constitution.
- Amendment #10: All powers not given to the federal government are left for the states to take care of or decide.
Amendments 11-27
- Amendment #11: Federal courts do not have jurisdiction in cases against a state.
- Amendment #12: Provides for separate elections for president and vice president.
- Amendment #13: Abolishes slavery.
- Amendment #14: Provides equality for all citizens; state governments must follow previously passed amendments.
- Amendment #15: All males have the right to vote.
- Amendment #16: Congress has the power to pass direct taxes, such as income tax.
- Amendment #17: Senators are to be elected by the voters in their state; the governor fills state senator positions if a position opens during a term.
- Amendment #18: Selling and drinking of alcoholic beverages is made illegal (prohibited).
- Amendment #19: Gives women the right to vote.
- Amendment #20: Beginning of President, VP, and Congress terms in office begins in January; presidential succession can take place before Presidential inauguration.
- Amendment #21: Selling and drinking of alcoholic beverages is made legal (allowed again, #18 was repealed or canceled by this amendment).
- Amendment #22: Presidents may serve no more than 2 terms or a total of 10 years.
- Amendment #23: District of Columbia is allowed presidential Electoral College votes.
- Amendment #24: Eliminates poll tax (no required payment needed to vote).
- Amendment #25: Provides for presidential succession and filling a vacant office of vice president if the VP dies or is removed from office.
- Amendment #26: Lowers voting age from 21 to 18.
- Amendment #27: Congressional compensation increases may not take effect until after that congressional term is over (their pay raise doesn’t go into effect until the new term).