Chapter One Notes

Section 1: Govt of the People, by the People, for the People-Democratic governments perform necessary functions so citizens can live together peacefully

• *Civics- is the study of the rights and duties of citizens.

• *Government- the ruling authority for a community.

• -Has the power to make and enforce laws and decisions for its members. They help keep order, settle conflicts, and protect the community.

• *Thomas Hobbes- was an English political thinker during the 1600s.

• -He believed that without govt life would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

• -Hobbes claimed that human beings naturally compete for territory, resources, and power.

• -Believed that if each of us could do just as we pleased, fighting would be common and survival would depend on strength and cunning.

• *Public policy- a course of action to achieve community goals. Passing laws to develop guidelines to follow.

• *Budget- plan for collecting and spending money.

Levels of Government• US – National Govt- located in DC- makes and

enforces laws for the country.• State Govt- makes and enforce laws for the

states.• Local Govt- closest to the people- they include

counties, cities, and towns.• -No other form of govt can take action that

goes against the national govt.

• *Dictatorship- a govt controlled by one person or a small group of people. (Cuba)

• *Democracy- all citizens share in governing and being governed. (US, GB, CAN)

• -Began in ancient Greece over 2,500 yrs ago. (Athens) • There they formed a *direct democracy- where all citizens

meet to debate govt matters and vote first hand.• *Representative democracy- where the citizens choose a

smaller group to represent them, make laws, and govern on their behalf. (US is the oldest representative democracy in the world)

• *Majority rule- where we abide by what most people want.

• *Read the first and second paragraph under the Principles of American Democracy. Page 10

Section 2: The Path to Citizenship• -2 ways to be a citizen: birth and

naturalization• *Aliens- noncitizens, they can not vote, serve

on juries, or work in govt.• *Immigrants- people who move here

permanently from another country.• *Deport- send back to their own country.

• *Patriotism- love for one’s country.• *Terrorism- use of violence by groups against

civilians to achieve a political goal. • • E Pluribus Unum: “Out of many, one”