| A | B |
|---|
| monarchy | gov't led by a king or queen |
| absolute monarchy | a monarchy with unlimited power |
| absolutism | places total (absolute) power in the hands of a ruler & his/her advisers |
| divine right | the idea that rulers receive their power to rule directly from God & are responsible only to God |
| limited gov't | a system where power is restricted by the people; basis of American democracy |
| Magna Carta | 1215 document signed by King John which set up the idea of limited gov't (Great Charter) |
| Parliament | a law-making body divided into the House of Lords & House of Commons |
| Puritans | people who wanted to purify the Protestant Church of England |
| martial law | rule by the military |
| constitutional monarchy | monarchy whose powers are limited by a constitution |
| unlimited gov'ts | gov'ts where the ruler has absolute and total control |
| Estates-General | the French assembly; law making body |
| czar | Russian word for "Caesar" |
| constitution | a plan of gov't that sets the rules for how the country is run |
| preamble | an introductory statement to the US Constitution which sets forth the purposes of the democracy |
| democracy | a system of gov't where people hold power, usu. through the vote |
| anarchy | total lack of government |
