american government

American Government

The Balance of

Freedom and Order

FREEDOMORDER

JEFFERSONIAN MADISONIAN

1791

ORDERThe

ConstitutionThe Declaration

OfIndependence

WHAT IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT?

To maintain the balance of freedom and order!

CORE PRINCIPLES

CIVIC VIRTUE

A person looks out for the

common good

POPULAR SOVEREIGNITY

The people are the highest authority;

“We the people, ….”

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY

REPUBLIC

We elect leaders to speak on our behalf

PLURALISM Diversity

We ARE a nation of Immigrants!

People are allowed and encouraged to be different

NATURAL RIGHTSInalienable Rights

Rights for all humans at birthJohn Locke (1600s) :

Life, Liberty, and Property you are born with these

rights

1948 UN passed the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights which officially extended natural

rights to all

SOCIAL CONTRACT The government will

protect the rights of the people and the people will obey

the government’s laws.

Contract/Agreement that must be

JUST AND MUTUAL

CORE DOCUMENTS

Declaration of Independence

Written by Thomas Jefferson on July 3, 1776 The USA formally

expressed their status as a free and independent state, no longer colonies of Great Britain

Articles of Confederation

Original explanation of the government and law before the Constitution was

adoptedSupreme law from

1781-1789

CONSTITUTION:Fundamental law and

structure of the US government. Framed 1787, ratified 1789

amended variously since.

***Treason only crime dealt with in

original!

BILL OF RIGHTS

First 10 amendments to the Constitution, added in 1791 to protect certain

essential rights to citizens.

FEDERALIST PAPERS

Series of essays written by

supporters of ratification of the Constitution to

convince others of its worth.

6 Goals of ConstitutionTo form a more perfect union

Establish justice

Ensure domestic tranquility

Provide for the common defense

Promote the general welfare

Secure the blessings of

liberty

3 Branches of

WHY DID THE FOUNDING FATHERS

SEPARATE THE POWERS OF

GOVERNMENT?

Legislative Branch of Government BICAMERAL

SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

State Representatives… Serve 2 year terms Qualifications???

a. at least 25 years old b. a US citizen for 7 yearsc. reside in state elected from

435 members Representation based on state population

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/VC/visitor_info/our_house/who.htm

serve 6 year terms Qualifications???:

a. at least 30 years old b. US citizen for 9 yrs c. must live in state

elected from 50 members

State Senate

Can you name the 2 PA State Senators?

Pat Toomey and Robert Casey Vice President

How does a bill become a law?Let’s watch this short and find

out!http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=4bd0cf05c37c246f215fSo, let’s talk about the process of a

bill becoming law…

CONGRESSIONAL POWERSMakes Laws

Establish budgetDeclare war

ImpeachApprove presidential

appointments Ratify Treaties

Executive Branch of Government

Electoral College (NOT Popular Vote)

Qualifications??? a. 35 years old b. Natural born citizen c. live in the US for 14

consecutive years

The Cabinet Can you

name any members ofThe currentCabinet???

Who assists the president in the decision making process?

The Vice PresidentJoe Biden

Department ofHomeland Security

Secretary Jeh Johnson

Department of State Secretary John Kerry    

Department of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel

Department of the Treasury

Secretary Jack Lew

Power & Responsibilities of the President

Chief Executive--enforce laws Commander in Chief of Military Controls US Foreign Policy Indirect legislative powers

(suggestions…influence) Indirect Judicial Powers

(Appoints Justices) Chief of State

What qualifications doYOU think a future

president should have?

Judicial Branch of Government

INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY!

9 members of the Supreme Court Currently Appointed Judges:

CHIEF JUSTICE -- John Roberts Clarence Thomas Antonin Scalia Anthony M. Kennedy Ruth Bader Ginsburg Sonia Sotomayor Stephen Breyer Samuel Alito Jr Elena Kagan

Establish Uniformity in the law (Between States)

Address a relevant issue (Constitutionality of laws and their implementation)

Judicial Review: 1803 Allows the Supreme Court to

declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional or illegal

Habeas Corpus:“Bring the body”one CAN NOT be held in jail WITHOUT a BODY of EVIDENCE presented against them

Do you know of any famous Supreme Court decisions?

Serve life terms to remove them from

campaigning (Constitution over popularity)

When does a president assume more control of the government and the system of checks and balances becomes suspended?

War or State of Disaster

CIVIL LIBERTIES/RIGHTS

Rights or privileges guaranteed to United States Citizens under the

Constitution

1st Amendment - Freedom of…

SPEECHIncludes expression

and lifestyleRELIGIONProtects minority

religionsPRESSAn informed public

is better able to make decisions

Private citizens can own guns

2nd AmendmentThe Right to Bear Arms

Protects againstunjust arrestillegal searches or seizuresexcessive bail

Police need a warrant unless there is a probable cause

*** Different rules in SCHOOL!!!

4th Amendment

Due Process “Innocent until proven guilty”

Protects the rights of the ACCUSED

No Self-IncriminationRight to an AttorneyRight to a speedy, public trial

5th and 6th Amendments Establish Due Process

Protects against excessive use of powerNo Cruel or Unusual punishment

No torture!

8th Amendment

What is cruel or unusual punishment???

CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES1. TAXES:

LOCAL property taxes Police, sewage, community events, etc. 85% funds education

STATE- communication/transportation systems, state parks/reserves/police, recreation,higher education (state schools), prison system

FEDERAL-Defense: FBI, CIA, Armed Forces Welfare, salaries of gov’t employees,

national parks

2. POLITICAL PARTICIPATION & VOTING Apathy is the enemy of

democracy Why do people choose not to

vote?

3. ABIDE BY LAWS: What laws do we break? What laws do we view as flexible?

4. MILITARY SERVICE:DraftOR

VolunteerOR

Conscientious Objector

5. Volunteer: Freedom from heavy government

civic virtue=participation and support

Virtuous Institutions Religious Institutions Volunteer firemen Red Cross

ACTIVISM METHODS:

Speeches Editorial letters Songs Demonstrations

Marches and Boycotts Terrorist attack Revolution Mutiny Riot Strike/Work Struggle

Famous American Activists: Martin Luther King, Jr. Eleanor Roosevelt Woody Guthrie Harriet Tubman Upton Sinclair Dorothea Lange Thomas Nast John Muir Cesar Chavez Mary “Mother” Jones John Scopes Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B.

Anthony

ACTIVIST ORGANIZATIONS KKK ADL Nat’l Org. of Women Sierra Club Black Panther Party SNCC PETA ACLU NAACP Amnesty International Christian Coalition

Bill of Rights 2nd Amendment: The Right to Bear Arms

Citizens may own guns 3rd Amendment: Prohibits quartering troops

Gov’t may not require citizens to house US troops

7th Amendment: Juries for civil trials Trials between private parties include juries

9th Amendment: Unenumerated Rights People have rights that are not expressly listed

10th Amendment: Reserved Powers Powers not delegated to Federal gov’t are

reserved to the states