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TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to Government
Pre-Write: What is Government?
(2 minutes)
Write the entire time even if
you go off topic. Writing hand
moves the whole time.
Brainstorm Ideas:
• Government is…
• Government is…
• Government is…
• Government is…
“Government is the
institution through
which society makes
and enforces its public
policies.”
Institution:
Structure of order governing behavior
of people in a community.
Public Policies:
Everything a government decides to
do… like provide interstate highways,
an educational system, health care,
etc…
Countries and Continent Review
• Group #1: List all countries in Europe.
• Group #2: List all countries in Asia.
• Group #3: List all countries in Africa.
• Group #4: List all countries in South America
• Group #5: List all countries in Central America
Compare and Contrast
• Different• Common
What Four Things Characterizes a
“State”? (Nation)
Sovereignty• The ability to make decisions for yourself.
Government• The institution through which society
makes and enforces public policies
Population• Every state must have people
Population Expectations for 2050.
Territory• A state must have known and recognized
borders
Pre-Write
When did Government Begin?
(2 minutes)
Write the entire time even if
you go off topic. Writing hand
moves the whole time.
Origins of the State
•Force Theory
•Evolutionary Theory
•Divine Right Theory
•Social Contract Theory
Force Theory
• The state was established when one person claimed control
over an area and forced all within it to submit to their rule
Evolutionary Theory: Family
• The state was naturally established out of the early family
Evolutionary Theory: Village
Evolutionary Theory: Nations
Divine Right Theory
• The state was created by God and that God had given those of
royal birth a “divine right” to rule
Louis XIV
Social Contract Theory
Mayflower Compact: 1620• The state arose out of a voluntary act of free people and that the state
only exists to serve the will of the people, that they are the sole source of
political power, and they are free to give or withhold power as they
choose.
Pre-Write:
What is the Purpose of
Government?
(3 minutes)
Write the entire time even if
you go off topic. Writing hand
moves the whole time.
Brainstorm Ideas: Come to the board and write your thoughts.
• The purpose of government is…
• The purpose of government is…
• The purpose of government is…
• The purpose of government is…
Purpose of Government
Preamble to the United States Constitution
To Form a More Perfect Union
To Establish Justice
To Insure Domestic Tranquility
Eden Prairie, MN
Columbia, MD
Newton, MA
Bellevue, WA
McKinney, TX
Fort Collins, CO
Overland Park, KS
Fishers, IN
Ames, IA
Rogers, AR
To Provide for the Common
Defense
To Promote the General Welfare
To Secure the Blessings of Liberty
Geographic Distribution of Power
• Unitary Government:
– Central Government is all
powerful. Local units (like
states) exist with powers
only granted to it.
– Unitary does NOT mean
dictatorship. Many, like
Great Britain are
democratic states.
Geographic Distribution of Power
• Federal Government:
– Federal Government is one
in which the powers are
divided between both
central and local
governments
– United States, Mexico,
Canada, Germany, India
are all Federal
– Each of our 50 states are
unitary in form.
Geographic Distribution of Power
• Confederate Government:
– A Confederate Government
is an alliance between
independent states.
– Limited power in central
body. Commonly, defense
and foreign commerce.
– Articles of Confederation.
– Confederation of Southern
States.
Relationship Between Legislative &
Executive Branches
• Presidential Democracy
• Parliamentary Democracy
The Number who can Participate
One- “Autocracy”
Dictatorship-------------------Monarch
Many: First Democratic Election in
Post Apartheid South Africa
How Many People Want Cheese
on Their Hamburger? Direct Democracy
Everybody Votes
Should we put Cheese on all Hamburgers?
Too many people to count the votes
so….pick one Representative
Representative
Democracy
Forms of Government
Theocracy
• Rule by religious leaders
Aristocracy• Rule by nobles or “titled class”
Oligarchy• Rule by a small elite
Plutocracy• Rule by the wealthy
Gerontocracy
• Rule by elders
Power vs. Authority
• “Ability to influence someone to do something that he/she may not have wanted to do.”
• “The legitimate recognized ability to exercise a given power”
Ex: While a mob may have the power to lynch
a person suspected of wrongdoing the
government (court) is the body holding the
legitimate authority to exercise the punishment.
Inalienable Rights
• These are natural rights that are deemed
“self-evident” and “universal”. All people
have these regardless on country,
government or socioeconomic status.
– Life
– Liberty
– Property
– Happiness