Final answer:
A theocracy is a government system that finds its legitimacy through allegiance to a God or gods, where religious leaders are considered to hold divine guidance for governing the state. Unlike theocracies, democracies involve people-powered governance, either directly or through representatives, and monarchies are often justified by divine right but can vary in their actual power.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of government that finds its legitimacy in the allegiance to a God or gods is a theocracy. In a theocracy, the religious leaders hold power and are considered divinely guided or interpret divine will to govern the state. This form of government enacts theonomic laws, which are distinguished from other forms of government like monarchies, democracies, and oligarchies. On the other hand, democracies are systems of government where the people have the power either directly or through elected representatives, and monarchies are ruled by a single individual often justified by hereditary succession or divine right.
Specific answers to the provided questions are as follows:
- After the American War for Independence, the revolutionary leaders chose republicanism (A. republicanism) as their form of government, moving away from monarchy.
- A small group of elite people holding political power defines an oligarchy (C. oligarchy).
- Not characteristic of a democracy is B. A king or queen holds the majority of governmental control, as democracy typically centers around elected officials and the protection of basic citizen rights.
- Many constitutional monarchies began as b. absolute monarchies and later evolved.