Principles of American

Government

Warm-up

•List the basic powers that every government has. In other words list what the government does. What are there responsibilities.

Chapter 1 Section 1 pg 2-10

• Objectives: Define government and the basic powers of every government holds

• Describe four defining characteristics of the state

• Identify four theories that attempt to explain the orgigin of the state

• Understand th epurpose of government in the united States and other countries

Opening thoughts

Things the government provides:

• Protection

• Education

• Gaurds for public health

• Protects the environment

• Pave streets, regulate traffic, respond to fires

• Provide for the elderly and the poor

What is government?

•Government is the authority over society made up of people elected by the citizens.

•Public policies are what the government decides to do ranging from

Taxation, education, crime, and health care

What is Government?

• Every government excercises three types of power

• Legislative power – the power to make law (public policies)

• Executive power- the power to enforce the law

• Judicial power- the power to interpret the law

Legislative Branch

• Article I of the Constitution states that the Legislative Branch consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate together form the United States Congress.

• Congress the power to create public policies (laws) and declare war

Executive Branch

• The power of the Executive Branch is the President of the United States

• The president is known as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.

• The President is responsible for:• implementing and enforcing the laws written by Congress

• appoint the heads of the federal agencies, including the Cabinet.

Judicial Branch

• Article III of the U.S. Constitution establishes the federal judicial branch of government.  

• Federal courts have the power to interpret the law, determine the constitutionality of the law, and apply it to individual cases.

• The courts, like Congress, can compel the production of evidence and testimony through the use of a subpoena.

• The inferior courts are constrained by the decisions of the Supreme Court — once the Supreme Court interprets a law, inferior courts must apply the Supreme Court's interpretation to the facts of a particular case.

What is Government?

• Every government excercises three types of power • Legislative power – the power to make law (public policies) Article 1

• The House of Representatives

• The Senate

• Known as congress

• Executive power- the power to enforce the law Article 2

• The President and the cabinet

• Judicial power- the power to interpret the law Article 3

• The federal courts

• The inferior courts

Brief Review

• Public policies are the laws constructed by congress.

• The constitution is the rule book for the government. It outlines how it runs in the different branches of government.

• The legislative, executive, and judicial branch all have separate duties.

What is Government?

• The powers that the government hold are outlined in the counsitution

• Constitution is the fundamental laws, principles, and process of a government

• THE CONSTITUTION IS THE RULE BOOK FOR GOVERNMENT

The State

• The State is a body of people in an area• They are organized

• They have an established way to enforce law

• They consent to the local authority

The four characteristics of a state are population, boundaries, independent, and government.

Note: In the united states the states are not indendent they are subordinate to the constitution.

The Purpose of Government

• Form a More Perfect Union- Bring the American people closer together

• Establish Justice- the law must be fair, reasonable, and impartial

• Insure Domestic Tranquility- Keep order in society

• Provide for the Common Defense- Defend the U.S. from other countries

• Promote the General Welfare- the government should provide services that benefit all or most people

• Secure the Blessings and liberty- secure rights and liberties of the individual

Directions

• Using Amendments 1-9 choose 6 to illustrate. You must have the name of the Amendment in the box. You also need to define the Amendment.

Be Funny

Be Neat!

Final Project

The Coming of Independence pg 34

• Objectives: