Almost There/Study Guide: Government Systems of Europe

Part One:

1. In Nigeria’s government, power is divided between Central and regional authorities. This is an example of which government type?

Federal

2. In France’s government, power is held by one central authority. This is an example of which government type?

Unitary

3. What is a basic way citizens of a democratic nation can influence the government?

Voting

4. Which form of government distribution of power is shown in the following chart?

Confederation

5. With this type of government, a country or nation is controlled by a small group of people; such as in communist China?

Oligarchic

6. Which of the following types of government best describes AdolfHitler’s Germany; where he held unlimited power and there was little or no citizen participation?

Autocratic

7. This form of government encourages its’ citizens to actively participate in the government by voting?

Democratic

8. The United States is an example of which type of government?

Federal

9. Presidential and Parliamentary are two examples of this system of government?

Democratic

10. The European Union (EU) is a confederation of European states. What are the three main reasons for the creation of the EU?

  1. Ensure the safety of the member nations.
  2. Create peace and stability across the European continent.
  3. Promote free trade within Europe (common currency- Euro)

Answer TRUE or FALSE for each of the following questions.

11. _____ Citizens participate fully in a autocracy.

12. _____ Citizens participate fully in an democracy.

13. _____ The central government controls all power in a unitary government.

14. _____ Unitary is the most common system of government in the world.

15. In the United Kingdom the head of government is the Prime Minister who is elected by the House of Commons. What type of government does this describe?

Parliamentary Democracy

16. What are the Bundestag and Bundesrat?

Germany’s Parliament

17. Which part of government is responsible for making the laws for the United Kingdom?

Parliament

18. The United Kingdom is to House of Commons as Germany is to

Bundestag

19.The purpose of the founding of the European Union (E.U.) in 1993 was to

Guarantee the freedom of movement of people, goods, services and capital.

20.On January 1, 2002, what was introduced to help European countries invest in one another and trade with one another?

The Euro Currency

Part Two:Answer each of the following questions.

  • What is the difference between a presidential and parliamentary democracy?
  • Explain the difference between an autocracy, oligarchy, and democracy with reguards to citizen participation?
  • What is the difference beteween a federal, confederate, and unitary system with reguards to how the government distributes power?