Politics, Law & Government

The world today is divided territorially into more than 190 countries, each of which possesses a national government that claims to exercise sovereignty and seeks to compel obedience to its will by its citizens. Governments can be classified in any number of ways. For example, they might be classified by the number of rulers, thus distinguishing government by one (as in a monarchy or a tyranny) from government by the few (in an aristocracy or oligarchy) and from government by the many (as in a democracy). Governments can also be classified by mode of succession; for example, ascension to governmental leadership may follow the rules of hereditary succession, or it may be determined through elections or by force. Governments also vary in terms of the laws and rules of conduct that each political entity follows.
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Featured content, December 07, 2024

6 of the First Women to Become Heads of State
How six women became leaders, from Iceland to the Philippines.
What Is Gerrymandering?
You may have heard about this in the news, but how is it affecting you?
How Does the U.S. Government Define the Difference Between a Protest and a Riot?
How does the U.S. government define the difference between a protest and a riot? A protest is “a[n]…organized public demonstration...
economics
Economics, social science that seeks to analyze and describe the production, distribution, and consumption of wealth. In...
diplomacy
Diplomacy, the established method of influencing the decisions and behaviour of foreign governments and peoples through dialogue,...
Barack Obama
Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States (2009–17) and the first African American to hold the office. Before...
property law
Property law, principles, policies, and rules by which disputes over property are to be resolved and by which property transactions...

Politics, Law & Government Quizzes

Structures of Government: Fact or Fiction?
Parliamentary democracy. Monarchies. Feudalism. All are types of government, but do you know the differences? Sort out the...
Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
Which amendment is which? Match the amendment number to its purpose.
Republican or Democrat?
Think you’re a political junkie? Prove it by acing our Democrat or Republican quiz.
U.S. Presidential Elections Quiz
Which day of the week are U.S. presidential elections held? Who was George Washington’s running mate? Test your knowledge...
Australian Government and Political System
Australia is a federation, and the duties of the federal government and the division of powers between the Commonwealth and...
Voting for the U.S. President: A Quiz
Test your knowledge of how voters voted in U.S. presidential elections across history. Quiz content provided by
Women’s History: Leaders Quiz
Women have been political leaders for centuries. Test what you know about their accomplishments with this quiz.
U.S. Constitutional History Quiz
Who is considered the father of the U.S. Constitution? Which English philosopher greatly influenced the Constitution? Find...
Global Governance Quiz
Intergovernmental cooperation is essential to resolve issues of global importance. That cooperation is often made possible...
U.S. Presidential History Quiz
The phrase “New Frontier” is associated with which U.S. president? Who was “first in war, first in peace, and first in the...
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Politics, Law & Government Subcategories

subcategory placeholder Banking & Business
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J.P. Morgan Businesspeople & Entrepreneurs
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Writers Guild of America strike Economics & Economic Systems
Economic system, any of the ways in which humankind has arranged for its material provisioning. One would think that there would be a great variety of such systems, corresponding to the many cultural arrangements that have characterized human society.
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subcategory placeholder International Relations
International relations is the study of the relations of states with each other and with international organizations and certain subnational entities (e.g., bureaucracies, political parties, and interest groups). It is related to a number of other academic disciplines, including political science, geography, history, economics, law, sociology, psychology, and philosophy.
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police officer: collecting fingerprints Law, Crime & Punishment
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Find out what types of artillery were used during the American Civil War Military
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voting in the 2012 U.S. presidential election Politics & Political Systems
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John F. Kennedy World Leaders
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