Post on 18-Jan-2018
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TODAY’S CLASS
Introduction to Government Systems
Discussion of 9/11 attacks
Important Dates: Monday - No School! Block Day – Presidential Profile Due Friday/Monday – Identifications Due
FOUNDATIONS OF GOVERNMENT
United States Government & Economics
WHY DO WE HAVE GOVERNMENTS?
With a partner consider the following:
Why do we have governments?
What purposes do governments have?
How do governments serve the people (if at all)?
Is it necessary to have a government for a country to function?
EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS A GOVERNMENT…
Helps people cooperate with one another
Provides basic services to the population
Provides a set of laws that all people obey
Guarantees certain freedoms, rights, etc.
Establishes unity across the nation
And many, many more…
TYPES OF GOVERNMENTS
Democratic
Type Description
Example
Non-Democratic
Try to begin your notes on types of governments by brainstorming systems /examples of democracies and non-democracies.
Type Description
Example
TYPES OF GOVERNMENTS
Democratic
Direct Democracy: All voters meet and decide the proper course of action
Representative Democracy: People elect officials to carry out government actions on their behalf
Republic: System with elected officials where power is held primarily by the people
TYPES OF GOVERNMENTS
Non-Democratic
Monarchy: king or queen
Dictator: one ruler of absolute power
Oligarchy: Small number of people lead the nation Often has tie of wealth…needs a means to
separate classes
Theocracy: Leader of the government is the leader of the state religion; laws based on religious code
SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT
ORGANIZER FOR YOUR NOTES
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
VISUAL STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES EXAMPLES
UNITARY
CONFEDERATE
FEDERAL
UNITARY SYSTEM
Central government holds all the power
Gives directives to lower governments
Allocates power as they choose
Example: Great Britain during Revolution
CONFEDERATE SYSTEM
Local governments hold the power
Weak central government
Promotes cooperation between states
Often has voluntary membership and states can leave
Treaties often used to define relationships between the states
FEDERAL SYSTEM
Central and local governments share power
Often times, a document outlines which powers each shares (CONSTITUTION)
May have powerful central government, but it may not dissolve states
THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Think Individually, write out the pros and cons of each
system of government Try to add additional examples to your list
Pair With a partner, discuss the systems, compare
organizers, and come to a consensus on the best system.
Why is this system better than the others? Think in terms of efficiency, fairness, stability, etc.
Share Class Discussion
TODAY’S CLASS
Declaration of Independence Historical Significance Reading of the Declaration Jefferson’s Intent
Reminder: Presidential Profile Project is due on the Block
Block: Articles of Confederation & Constitution
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Watch the reading of the Declaration of Independence (and preface by Morgan Freeman) as a class and come up with a list of the five key points Jefferson was trying to make in this document.
Discuss the reasons as to why Jefferson worded the document the way he did and what goals he was trying to accomplish.
Follow up from last week…what system of government is represented by King George III? Explain how this document and historical context exemplifies one of the weaknesses you came up with last week.
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
Declaration:Page 38 of Textbook
It’s not Festivus……but the same general idea?
STRUCTURE
Preamble Explains why it is necessary to leave Right to become state
Rights of People Basic Human Rights Consent of Governed Self-Government
Grievances List Tyrannical Actions Lack of Self-Government Abandonment of Citizens Abroad Call to Arms, Defense of Colonists…WE ARE THE GOOD GUYS!
Actual Declaration
WHY DOES THIS ALL MATTER?
Created a new government? NO
Started the war? NO
Rallied the troops? MAYBE
Discussed ideas of our democracy? YES
LET’S THINK ABOUT THIS…
Why did Jefferson put the grievances in there?
He says gov’t shouldn’t be overthrown often, yet this is essentially a document stating an overthrow.
Why is “united States of America” important?
Signers: put name against the king…rebel or hero? What happens if we lose?
DECLARATION MEANT TO BE SPOKEN…OR SUNG?TJ AND THE REVOLUTION
TODAY’S CLASS
Collect Presidential Profiles (Make sure name is somewhere on project—even if it is on the back)
Identifications for Ch. 2 & 3 will be due Monday
Today’s Agenda Snapshot of Articles of Confederation, Constitutional Ideas, Constitution itself Constitutional Scavenger Hunt Assignment (will get most done in class—due Fri.) Extra time? Finish up those IDs!
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
STRENGTHS: To declare war and make
peace To coin and borrow money
at state level To detail with foreign
countries and sign treaties To operate post offices
WEAKNESSES:
The national government could not force the states to obey its laws
It did not have the power to tax
It did not have the power to enforce laws
Congress lacked strong and steady leadership
There was no national army or navy
There was no system of national courts
There was no strong executive branch
Each state could put tariffs on trade between states (A tariff is a tax on goods coming in from another state or country.)
IDEOLOGY BEHIND CONSTITUTION
Social Contract Theory
Major Theorists: Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau
Relationship between individuals and their governments need mutual consent
Important historical role in the emergence of the idea that political authority must be derived from the consent of the governed
Citizens give up some rights
IDEOLOGY BEHIND CONSTITUTION
Popular Sovereignty
Legitimate states must have consent of the people
People have all the political power
Explain:
How does this work in the US?
KEY VOCABULARY
Limited Government Government with specific restrictions on power Constitution did this by clarifying what government can and cannot
legally do to the citizens Try to come up with examples of how this works within the United
States today
Majority Rule Everyone will accept the decision of the majority Minority Rights: Provisions to protect minority views on issues Come up with examples of how majority rule exists in the US and how
minority rights are protected
THE CONSTITUTION
Why was it created?
What are some key ideas outlined within the Constitution?
Explain the structure of our government system
THE CONSTITUTION
Why was it created? Originally to fix the Articles…then just replaced them Created the new laws of the land based on a FEDERAL system
What are some key ideas outlined within the Constitution? Federalism, Checks/Balances, Separation of Powers
Explain the structure of our government system Multiple layers…State/Federal, 3 Branches
A TIMELINE: HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND REVIEW
1775: Revolutionary War Begins
1776: Declaration of Independence
1777: Articles of Confederation Adopted
1781: Articles of Confederation goes into effect
1783: Revolutionary War Ends
1787: Constitutional Convention Debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists
1788: Constitution Ratified
1789: Constitution goes into effect
SEPARATION OF POWERS
Creates the system of
“checks and balances”
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION
THE AMENDMENT PROCESS: ARTICLE V
Outlined in Article V of the Constitution
Amendment Proposal: 2/3 vote in both houses of Congress Legislatures in 2/3 of the states (34 of 50) can ask
Congress to call for a national convention
Ratification of Amendments ¾ of the states must approve (38 of 50) Approved by state legislatures or state conventions
Why is it difficult to amend the Constitution?
AMENDMENTS
Constitution amended a total of 27 times
If people do not like results of an amendment, they may repeal it Example: 1933, 21st amendment repealed the 18th amendment (Prohibition)
INTERPRETING THE CONSTITUTION
Congressional laws Example: Minimum Wage
Congress can control trade between states
Goods made by workers travel amongst states
Thus, Congress has power to pass laws about working conditions nationally
Always able to be overturned by Judicial Review Congress can rewrite the law
using the court’s objections as guidance