Final answer:
A republican government is a system where power lies with citizens and is exercised by elected representatives, contrasting with oligarchies and monarchies where power is held by a few or inherited.
Step-by-step explanation:
A republican government is best defined as a system where power rests with citizens and is characterized by elected representatives and officials who hold power for a fixed term and are accountable to the electorate. This contrasts with an oligarchy, where a small group of elite individuals wields political power, and a monarchy, where one ruler often inherits the throne. In a republic, political power is spread more evenly among the populace, though people might have varying degrees of influence within the system.
The framers of the US Constitution established a republic after the American Revolutionary War, which is evidenced by the way the government operates and the restrictions placed on holding power. James Madison, a key architect of the Constitution, emphasized a government deriving its powers from the people and rejected the idea of power stemming from a privileged class.