Chapter 1: American Government: Roots, Context, and Culture
Classroom Resources
Key Terms
Government :The formal vehicle through which policies are made and affairs of state are conducted.
Mayflower :The ship carrying Pilgrim settlers from England whose arrival in Massachusetts in 1620 is considering a founding moment for the nation.
Roger Williams :Seventeenth century religious and political leader who was expelled by Puritans in Massachusetts and then established the colony of Providence Plantations that later became Rhode Island.
Anne Hutchinson :Seventeenth century political leader and thinker who supported religious liberty.
Thomas Hooker :Colonial-era politician who supported expanded voting rights.
William Penn :Quaker leader and supporter of religious tolerance who founded Pennsylvania.
Democracy :A system of government that gives power to the people, whether directly or through elected representatives.
Republic :A government rooted in the consent of the governed; a representative or indirect democracy.
Enlightenment :A philosophical movement in eighteenth-century Europe; Its adherents advocated liberty and tolerance of individual differences, decried religious and political abuses, and rejected the notion of an absolute monarch.
Politics :The study of who gets what, when, and how-or how policy decisions are made.
American Dream :An American ideal of a happy, successful life, which often assumes wealth, a house, and a better life for
one's children.
Donald J. Trump :The forty-fifth president, a Republican, elected in 2016; first president elected without prior political or military experience; an experienced businessman.