Government: What? Why? How?Notes to review Mr. Bishop’s study guide

PART 1

6 PURPOSES OF GOVERNMENT

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish

Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the

general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do

ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

So…

• Form a more perfect union

• Establish justice

• Insure domestic tranquility

• Provide for the common defense

• Promote the general welfare

• Secure the blessings of liberty

DATES

• 1781—Articles of Confederation written

• 1787—US Constitution written

• 1788—US Constitution ratified

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

• America’s first attempt of at a government

• In effect from March 1,1781—March 4, 1789

• This was not the only time a confederation existed in US history:• Confederate States of America, from

1861—1865 during the US Civil War

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION

• In a confederation, individual states have SOVEREIGNTY• Sovereignty is absolute and supreme

power within its boundaries

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION: PROBLEMS

• The national government did not have the power to tax

• The government could not regulate interstate trade

• There was no executive branch to enforce any laws passed by Congress

• There was no national court system

• Amending the Articles took a unanimous vote

• Laws needed 9 of states to agree

Government: What? Why? How?Notes to review Mr. Bishop’s study guide

PART 2

• DEMOCRACY—supreme political authority rests with the people

METHOD 1: By who can participate

DIRECT—the will of the people is directly turned into public policy

INDIRECT—the will of the people is represented by appointed leaders

Also known as REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY or a REPUBLIC

Ch. 1, Section 2: Classifying Governments

• DICTATORSHIP—those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people

METHOD 1: By who can participate

AUTOCRACY—a single person holds unlimited power

MONARCHY—heredity determines ruler

MILITARY—force determines ruler

OLIGARCHY—power is held by a small, usually self-appointed group

Ch. 1, Section 2: Classifying Governments

Ch. 1, Section 2: Classifying Governments

• UNITARY—all powers by the government belong to one central government

• FEDERAL GOVERNMENT—powers are divided between a central government and a local government (division of power)

• CONFEDERATE GOVERNMENT—an alliance of independent states

Geographic distribution of powerMETHOD 2:

• PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT—executive and legislative branches of the government are elected by the voters

• PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT—the executive branch is elected by the legislative branch

METHOD 3: Relationship between the legislative and executive branches

Ch. 1, Section 2: Classifying Governments

Ch. 1, Section 2: Classifying Governments

• AUTHORITARIAN—any system where the government has all of the power

• LIBERAL—a system where the government gives power to the people

• TOTALITARIAN—a government which seeks to control all areas of public and private lives

The amount of power that the government possesses

METHOD 4:

ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY

Cliesthenes, 508 B.C.

When did it begin?

ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY

Power to the people.

Actual meaning of “demokratia”

ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY

• 50 people from 10 geographic divisions of Greece

• Job: to prepare legislation for the Assembly

What was the responsibility of the Council of 500?

ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY

• Male• Over 30• Had to be in one of the highest 2

social classes (later expanded to three)

What were the requirements to be on the Council of 500?

ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY

What were the responsibilities of the Assembly?

• Discuss and debate proposal• Vote on and amend laws• All male gathering of citizens…about

6000

Government: What? Why? How?Notes to review Mr. Bishop’s study guide

PART 3

NOTES ON CLASSIFICATION

1. Worth of the individual

Every individual’s rights may at times be subordinated to the interests of many.

The Five Concepts

NOTES ON CLASSIFICATION

2. Equality of all persons

The two qualities that every person must have:

• Equality of opportunity• Equality before the law

The Five Concepts

NOTES ON CLASSIFICATION

3. Majority rule, minority rights

Every minority must have the chance to become, by fair and legal means, the majority.

Tyranny of the majority: When a majority becomes self-interested and oppresses those in the minority

The Five Concepts

NOTES ON CLASSIFICATION

4.Necessity of compromise

The Five Concepts

NOTES ON CLASSIFICATION

5. Individual freedom

Example of swinging the fist: any situation where the exercise of your individual freedom interferes with another’s individual freedom.

Democracy places highest importance on individual freedoms

The Five Concepts

ADDITIONAL TERMINOLOGY

Autocracy—a single person holds unlimited power

Monarchy—a type of autocracy that is determined by heredity/family lineage•Absolute–hereditary rule without limits (no checks on power)• Examples: Saudi Arabia, Swaziland

•Constitutional–hereditary rule with limits (Parliament would check power)• Examples: Great Britain, Australia

ADDITIONAL TERMINOLOGY

Dictatorship vs. Monarchy—dictatorships are not usually determined by heredity; monarchies are not always absolute

Examples of dictatorships: North Korea, Cuba, Sudan

Like an absolute monarchy in that the dictator has been passed down by family. It is now Kim Jong-un; was Kim Jong-il; before him, Kim Il-sung

ADDITIONAL TERMINOLOGY

Tyranny—a dictatorship that does not have the support of the people

Oligarchy--power is held by a small, usually self-appointed group