WHAT DOES THE GOVERNMENT DO FOR

YOU?Chapter 1

WHAT IS CIVICS?GOVERNMENT FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE

The study of the rights and duties of citizens

What is a citizen? Community members who owe loyalty to the

government and are entitled to protection from it

DISCUSSION QUESTION:

WHAT DO CITIZENS DO TO BE LOYAL?

WHAT KIND OF PROTECTION DO WE GET?

WHY DO WE NEED GOVERNMENT??

According to Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher in the 1600’s, life

without government would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”

A free-for-all!

GOVERNMENT

The ruling authority for a community. They have the power to make and enforce laws and

decisions for the people.

WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT? Keeping order and providing securityArmed forcesTraffic laws and regulations

Providing public servicesMail deliverySchools

WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT? Guiding the communityDone by public policyA course of government action to achieve community goalsExample – improving national security

Building relationships with foreign countries and establishing a budget are also a part of foreign policy

WHAT ARE THE THREE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT? Federal (national)

State

Local (cities and counties)

DEMOCRACY

All citizens share in governing and being governed (people have the power to rule by selecting leaders)

Direct Democracy: citizens meet to debate government matters and vote firsthand

Not very practical today – large countries with large populations

Representative Democracy: citizens choose a smaller group to represent them, make laws, and govern on their behalf

United States is the oldest representative democracy in the world

WHAT ARE THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY? Consent of the governed•Citizens are the source of the government’s power

Representative government•People elect government leaders to make laws and govern on their behalf

“One person, one vote”•Everyone’s vote carries the same weight

WHAT ARE THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES CONT’D Majority rule•Whenever there is a difference of opinion, we abide by what most people want

Individual rights•Protection and respect for the rights of those in the minority

Rule of law•All people, including those who govern, are bound by the law

Limited government•Government can do only those things the people have given it the power to do

GOVERNMENT IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES

Television – FCC Fast Food – FDA, taxes

School – Teachers Driving/Traveling – Roads, sewers, traffic

lights, highways