Unit 1: The Role of Government

Government

Think About it!• What is government and

why do we have one?

• What are the signs of government around you everyday?

• How would our lives be different if the U.S. had a king instead of a president?

VS

Important Concepts

• Sovereignty—”authority to rule.” In the US, the people grant sovereignty to the govt.

• Law—set of rules enforced by govt.

• Natural Rights—rights not given by govt. (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness). These rights come from being human.−John Locke believed that it is a govt’s

job to protect citizens’ natural rights.

Philosophers and Philosophies• Divine Right of Kings—God grants a

king or queen the power to rule.

• Thomas Hobbes—Believed people entered into a “Social Contract,” where people give up individual sovereignty to govt in exchange for peace and order.

• John Locke—believed that the only “legitimate” govt is one in which power (sovereignty) is granted by the people.

Functions of Governments

Maintain order Providing services

Resolving conflict Promoting values

Functions ofGovernment

This is all for the Public Good

4 Functions of Government

1. How does the government maintain order?

2. What services does the govt. provide people?

3. How do conflicts between people get peacefully resolved?

4. What “values” exist in the United States?

Answer the following questions on your notes.

You will be called on to share your answer.1. Maintain Order: Police, Fire Departments,

Laws, Traffic signs, National Guard

2. Provide Services: Street cleaning, Homeless shelters,Hurricane

evacuation assistance, US Postal Service3. Resolve Conflict: The US court system can

peacefully resolve disputes.

Promote Values: Public safety, Individualrights, Equality, Helping the needy

The “Public Good”

• Good govt. pursues policies that serve the public interest.

How do we know what policies serve thepublic good?

• Public Good is determined by deciding which policies serve the “many” instead of the “few.”

Quiz1. What are examples of natural

rights.

2. Who wrote about a “Social Contract?”

3. How does government maintain order?

4. What are the other three functions of government (other than maintain order?)

Democracy

Allowing choice

Recognizing individual rights

Promoting respect for

the law

Protecting minority rights

Promoting the public good

5 Benefits of Democracy

Advantages Disadvantages

Federal: power shared by

National, State, & local govt

Confederal: each state is represented

Unitary: Central Government holds all power

Each level has to create its own

laws, elect officials

Weak central government

No local power

Power among levels of government

Monarchy Republic Dictatorship

Sources of authority

•Political and/or military power, wealth or social position are source of leaders’ authority

•Head of state is a hereditary positionConstitutional Monarchy•King or Queen only ceremonial

People are the source of the authority

Gov’t made up of representatives elected by people

Presidential vs. Parliamentary System

PresidentialJob of Chief Executive: Carries out laws—does not make laws

Not part of legislature

Part of law-making body—the “legislature”

Head of State:

President

King

Title of Chief Executive:

President

Prime Minister or Premier

Parliamentary

•Representative: (Ex. U.S.)

Citizens vote on politicians who make the laws, they don’t vote on the laws directly

•Direct: (Ancient Greece)

Citizens vote directly

on laws

Representative vs. Direct Democracy

Sources of Authority

•What is the most effective form of Government?

Monarchy, Dictatorship or Republic

Describe 2 British ideals that influenced North American colonists as they began to set up their governments

Limited Government Representative Government

Few limits on English government before 1200

Magna Carta limited govt by establishing rule of law; laid foundation for govt for the people

Roots in English council of nobles, which evolved into a bicameral Parliament

Members of Parliament represented the people and passed laws to limit rulers’ power.

Virginia & New Jersey plans and the compromise

Strong Executive

Bicameral legislation

Judiciary elected by legislature

Weak Executive

Unicameral legislation

Each state represented by 1 vote

Executive chosen by state electors in

accordance with popular votes

Bicameral legislature: one house has 2

representatives per state & the other by

population

Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan

Cause

British Policies:

Increased Trade Restrictions

Higher Taxes

Effect

Colonial Reactions:Publicly denounced the new policiesOrganized boycottsParticipated in violent protests

Give 2 examples of reactions taken by American colonists to changes in British colonial policy after

1760

The causes that led the Federalists to promise the first Congress would pass a Bill of Rights

EffectCauses

Bill of Rights

Anti-federalists argued absence of BoR would be dangerous

afraid no BoR would cancel previous laws protecting individual rights

Some believed no BoR would create a powerful National

government

Some states would not ratify the Constitution unless there was a BoR

Ch. 2 Warm up #2 (p.31 - 34)

1. What was the 1st constitution called?

2. How was the power distributed?

3. What were some of the limits of the National Gov’t under the 1st Constitution (list at least 3)?

4. How did Shay’s Rebellion highlight the need for a stronger national gov’t?

Articles of Confederation

Confederal System

No president or executive branch, no national court, no officials to enforce laws, no power to tax, no trade regulation etc…

People felt frustrated they could not maintain order & protect and promote the public good of citizens

Limitations of The Articles of

Confederation

• No President or Executive Branch

• No National Court System

• No officials to enforce laws

• No power to raise an army

Obstacles to UnityCultural

- Religion- Each colony preferred there own church

- Ancestry- English, German, French & Swedish

Fear that one would unite over the others

Economic- Rural South- Used slave

labor for economic reasons

- Urban North- Mostly opposed slavery on moral and legal levels

South feared national opposition would limit there economy

Another Obstacle • Geographic Isolation- Size

and location would make it difficult to unite and trade with each other as well as European nation.

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

Federalist

- James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, & John Jay

- Stronger Central Government

- Each gov’t branch would check the others

- Claimed any powers not given to national gov’t. would be granted to the states

Anti-Federalist

- Patrick Henry

- Wanted the states to have more power

- Feared a large gov’t would use force for unity

- Believed in individual rights of the people

The Result:

The Constitution was passed with the Bill of Rights, and the 10th Amendment giving all non-expressed

right to the states or the people

A Salute to High Treason• George Washington- “Father of Our Country.”

Commander of the Continental Army, first President under The Constitution.

• Benjamin Franklin- Inventor, Ambassador, Strong Abolitionist, Only person to sign all 4 founding documents: Declaration of Independence, Treaty of Paris, Treaty of Alliance with France, & The Constitution

• Thomas Jefferson- Wrote the Declaration of Independence, driving force of the “Empire of Liberty,” promoted republicanism, supported separation of church and state, our 3rd President.