FORMS OF GOVERNMENT-RULE

GOVERNMENT MAJOR IDEA EXAMPLES

RULE BY THE PEOPLE! Started in Athens (DIRECT

Democracy)
DEMOCRACY Japan, Russia today, Mexico,

England, Canada, Israel

REPUBLIC When people elect representatives Started in Rome, The United States is a
to run government Republic
Weak central government MEDIEVAL EUROPE
KING FEUDAL JAPAN
↓ All based on the control of land
LORDS
FEUDALISM and loyalty!
↓
Social, military, economic, and
KNIGHTS RIGID CLASS STRUCTURE
political system
↓
PEASANTS
1)Divine Right-kings and queens 1. Louis XIV of France
derived their authority from GOD 2. Henry VIII and Elizabeth I
or had GOD’s blessing
MONARCHY of England (limited monarchy)
(King or Queen rules) 3. Peter the Great and
2) Absolutism-monarchs that
rule with absolute (total) Catherine the Great of Russia
authority over their subjects. 4.Ferdinand & Isabella of Spain

RULE BY ONE One ruler who usually Modern day examples of Hitler,
Tyrant seizes power and wants to Stalin, Mao ZeDong, Pol

Dictator stay in power, usually with Exceptional- Pot

Autocrat total control benevolent dictators-Caesar, Napoleon
Despot enlightened despots-Frederick the Great, Maria
Theresa, Catherine the Great

RULE BY RICH Only the wealthy, nobility Some say the United States,
Aristocracy are eligible to run mostly think about earlier
government civilizations

RULE BY FEW Rulebythefew Sparta -two kings council of

Oligarchy elders
RULE BY RELGION
Theocracy Rule by god(s), priests, AncientIslamic
Egypt, fundamentalists
Aztecs-What many
want
religion dominates society
today