Download Political Systems

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Concept Connector Study Guide
Political Systems
Essential Question: How have societies chosen to govern themselves?
A.
Define political system.
B.
Record information about the topics listed in the Cumulative Review or your answers to
the questions in the Cumulative Review below. Use the Concept Connector Handbooks at the
end of your textbook, as well as chapter information, to complete this worksheet.
1. Oligarchy
In ancient Greece, between 750 B.C. and 500 B.C., different forms of government
evolved. The first cities were ruled by kings. A government in which a hereditary
ruler has central power is called a monarchy. Wealthy landowners could afford
bronze weapons and chariots. They were the military defenders of the city.
Gradually they won power for themselves; this resulted in an aristocracy, or government by a hereditary landholding elite. As trade grew, a new middle class of
wealthy merchants, farmers, and artisans developed in some cities. They challenged the aristocracy for power. The result in some city-states was a form of government called an oligarchy. In an oligarchy, power is in the hands of a small,
wealthy elite.
2. The Roman Republic and the Oligarchies of Ancient Greece
In the oligarchies of ancient Greece, power was in the hands of a small, wealthy
elite. Ancient Romans set up a different form of government. In 509 B.C., wealthy
Roman landowners overthrew the king. In place of a monarchy, the Romans
established a republic. Men who were citizens could elect their officials. Three
groups of citizens helped govern the republic—the senate, the magistrates, and
several assemblies. Early Rome was made up of two social orders: the wealthy
landowning patricians and the plebeians. Although both plebeians and patricians
voted, only patricians could be elected to office. Even in the republic, power generally remained in the hands of the wealthy ruling class.
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Concept Connector Study Guide
POLITICAL SYSTEMS (continued)
3. Religion and Rulers in Egypt, China, and the Inca Empire
In early civilizations, religious beliefs and political systems were often linked. In
ancient Egypt, the chief god was the sun god, Amon-Re. The pharaohs, whom
Egyptians viewed as gods as well as kings, were believed to receive their right to
rule from Amon-Re. In China, rulers were not considered gods. Instead, the
Chinese developed the idea of the Mandate of Heaven. This was the divine right
to rule. As long as a dynasty provided good government, it was believed the gods
wanted that dynasty to continue. If rulers became corrupt or weak, the Chinese
believed that heaven would withdraw its support. In the chaos that followed, a
new leader would seize power. If the new leader was successful, it showed the
people that the new dynasty had won the Mandate of Heaven. In the Andes of
South America, the Incan civilization grew into an empire in the 1400s. The Inca
believed their emperor was divine, descended from the sun itself. Incan emperors
had absolute power and also served as the religious leaders of the empire.
4. Feudalism and Building a Strong Empire
Feudalism was a political system in which powerful lords divided their landholdings among lesser lords in exchange for loyalty and service. Around 220 B.C., the
emperor Shi Huangdi abolished feudalism in China in order to create a strong
central government. He felt that allegiances to local lords weakened the central
government. Feudalism was the political system of medieval Europe for hundreds
of years. Knights owed military service to their feudal lords. Warfare was constant because rival lords battled for power. Gradually feudalism declined.
Monarchs became more powerful. Knights were replaced by professional armies.
Towns and cities provided revenue for kings. Kings gained the right to tax their
subjects, and strong centralized governments began to form. In both China and
Europe, monarchies replaced the political system of feudalism.
5. Absolute Monarchy Under Louis XIV and Imperial Rule in Ancient Rome
Absolute monarchy in France under Louis XIV and imperial rule in ancient Rome
were similar in some respects. In both systems, political power was in the hands
of a central figure. Louis XIV claimed divine right to rule. Some Roman emperors
were worshiped as gods after death if they ruled well. Louis XIV did not once call
a meeting of the Estates General, which was a council made up of representatives
of all French social classes. In imperial Rome, the senate, an elected body, continued to meet, but in reality it had little power. As a symbol of his power, Louis XIV
called himself the Sun King and turned the palace of Versailles into the most magnificent building in Europe. Roman symbols of power included beautiful monuments, temples, and public buildings throughout the capital city.
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Concept Connector Study Guide
POLITICAL SYSTEMS (continued)
6. Government Under an Absolute Monarch (Chapter 1, page 49)
7. The Federal Government (Chapter 2, page 77)
8. Enlightenment Ideas About Democracy and Totalitarianism
(Chapter 13, page 455)
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Concept Connector Study Guide
POLITICAL SYSTEMS (continued)
C. Sample Topics for Thematic Essays
Below are examples of thematic essay topics that might appear on a test. Prepare for the test
by outlining an essay for each topic on a separate sheet of paper. Use the Concept Connector
Handbooks at the end of your textbook, as well as chapter information, to outline your essays.
1. Compare and contrast democracy in ancient Athens with the American political
system today, including the responsibilities of citizens.
2. Describe the political system in England after the Magna Carta and the establishment of Parliament in the 1300s.
3. Compare monarchy to aristocracy. How are these two political systems similar?
How are they different? Include an example of each from history in your essay.
4. Describe the relationship between the Industrial Revolution and the ideas of
Karl Marx, and discuss the reasons why communism appealed to many workers
of this time.
5. Describe the changes to Argentina’s political system that occurred between the
early 1900s and the late 1900s.
6. Analyze the conditions in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union late in the
Cold War that led to the collapse of communism and the breakup of the
Soviet Union.
7. Describe the changes in the political system in South Africa after the end of
apartheid.
8. Describe the changes that occurred to the Iraqi political system after the defeat of
Saddam Hussein in 2003. What challenges does the new political system face?
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