Government 101

1. Monarchy -- A government by one ruler such as a king or queen.  Passed down from one generation to the next in the same family, hereditary.  

2. Oligarchy -- A government by an ruling elite group of people.  The rulers make decisions to benefit themselves.

3. Democracy -- The rules and decisions are made by a majority (51%).  A super majority is 60%.  

4. Republic -- Decisions are held accountable to the law.  The majority doesn’t make the final decision.  The decision is up to the courts.  

5. Anarchy  -- There is no government.  People are allowed to make their own decisions.  This includes defending their own land, property, and themselves.

Why does America have federal and state governments?

America has federal and state governments because state governments deals with small issues in their country and enforce things that can help their state. Whereas, the federal government deals with international issues and common laws across the country. Different local states have different problems that they worry about.