AMERICAN

GOVERNMENT:

PRINCIPLES

OF GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER ONE

Monday, October 23rd

Good afternoon!

Welcome to Government!

As you come in, please:

Sit in your NEW assigned seats!

Pick up an Economics ‘Using It So We Don’t Lose It’ sheet off the Front Table and begin reviewing it

Then…

Sign in to Classroom at classroom.google.com.

On the Home page, click +.

Enter the code that I gave you in the box and click JOIN.

Powell Fall 2017 - Govt/Econ - Google Classroom Code:

8ch3fk9

Congratulations on Econ!

As a whole, our class did GREAT!

All grades should be in Synergy and I’m very proud

of you and what you’ve accomplished!

If you want to know what grade you need to make

on your Economics Milestones test, you can estimate

it as follows:

Your current class grade is 80% of your final grade

Your milestones grade will be 20% of your final grade so…

((Your current grade) x .80) + (Milestones grade x .20) = Desired Grade

Economics

‘Use It So You Don’t Lose It’ Action Plan

Unit Theme Start Date Assignments Due Date Assignments

One Fundamentals Monday, October 23rd Sunday, October 29th

Two Microeconomics Monday, October 30th Sunday, November 5th

Three Macroeconomics Monday, November 6th Sunday, November 12th

Four International Econ Monday, November 13th Sunday, November 19th

Five Personal Finance Monday, November 20th Sunday, December 3rd

• Following is a schedule of what we’ll be reviewing and

studying on Google Classroom.

• Some assignments you just need to view. Some

assignments you will need to complete and submit for

credit.

• Your points for these assignments will count toward

your government class grade even though they are focused more on economics.

Let’s Get Started on Government!

Time for a Semi-Quick Pretest

Please:

Clear your desk & power down all electronics

All you need is a pencil

We’ll use the Zipgrade bubble sheet and iRespond hand helds as usual

Time for Test Mode!

No electronics

No talking

No squawking

No walking

No gawking!

Our Unit One Schedule

Today – our first lesson

Tomorrow – computer lab

Wednesday – a quick formative + a lesson

Thursday – review day

Friday – Unit One Test (also a Pep Rally – still

waiting on bell schedule)

Unit One

Foundations for U.S. Government

Principles

Philosophies

Important Documents

Path to our Constitution

Georgia Standard of Excellence

SSCG1 Compare and contrast various systems of government.

a. Determine how governments differ in geographic distribution of power, particularly unitary, confederal, and federal types of government.

b. Determine how some forms of government differ in their level of citizen participation particularly authoritarian (autocracy and oligarchy) and democratic.

c. Determine how the role of the executive differs in presidential and parliamentary systems of governments.

d. Differentiate between a direct democracy, representative democracy, and/or a republic.

What is the purpose

of government?

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

What Is Government?

Government is the institution through

which a society makes and enforces

its public policies.

Public Policy

Public policy is all the things that the government decides to do:

taxation, defense, education, crime, health care, transportation, environment

Governmental Power

Governments need power in order to

carry out public policies

Three basic types of power:

Legislative

Executive

Judicial

The State

Population A state must have people, the number of which does not directly relate to its existence.

Territory A state must be comprised of land—territory with known and recognized boundaries.

Sovereignty Every state is sovereign. It has supreme and absolute power within its own territory and decides its own foreign and domestic policies.

Government Every state has a government — that is, it is politically organized.

The state can be defined as having these four

characteristics:

Origins of the State

The Force Theory

The force theory states that one person or a small group took control of an area and forced all within it to submit to that person’s or group’s rule.

The Evolutionary Theory

The evolutionary theory argues that the state evolved naturally out of the early family.

The Divine Right Theory

The theory of divine right holds that God created the state and that God gives those of royal birth a “divine right” to rule.

The Social Contract Theory

The social contract theory argues that the state arose out of a voluntary act of free people.

The Purpose of Government

The main purposes of government are described in the Preamble

of the Constitution of the United States:

“We the People of the United States, in Order

to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice,

insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the

common defense, 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.”

Classifying Governments

Governments can be classified by three different

standards:

(1) Who can participate in the governing process.

(2) The geographic distribution of the governmental

power within the state.

(3) The relationship between the legislative (lawmaking)

and the executive (law-executing) branches of the

government.

Classification:

By Who Can Participate

Democracy

In a democracy, supreme political authority rests with the

people.

A direct democracy exists where the will of the people is

translated into law directly by the people themselves.

In an indirect democracy, a small group of persons, chosen

by the people to act as their representatives, expresses

the popular will.

In a republic, is a group in which there is equality

among its members – ex. the States are equals among

the group that comprises the Federal government.

So What is the U.S.?

The original definition of republic is focused on

equality among its members.

However, a modern definition of republic, however,

is pretty much identical to a "representative

democracy" - "a state in which supreme power is

held by the people and their elected

representatives, and which has an elected or

nominated president rather than a monarch.“

That’s us!

Classification:

By Who Can Participate

A dictatorship exists where those who rule

cannot be held responsible to the will of the

people.

An autocracy (authoritarian) is a government in

which a single person holds unlimited political

power.

An oligarchy is a government in which the

power to rule is held by a small, usually self-

appointed elite.

Classification: By the Relationship Between

Legislative and Executive Branches

Classification by Geographic

Distribution of Power

Unitary Government

A unitary governmenthas all powers held by a single, central agency.

Confederate Government

• A confederation is an alliance of independent states.

Federal Government

• A federal government is one in which the powers of government are divided between a central government and several localgovernments.

Geographic Distribution of Power

Type of Government Geographic Distribution of Power

Unitary • Centralized

• All powers held centrally (not dispersed to localities)

• Not the same as a dictatorship!

• Example: Great Britain

Federal • Power is divided by central and local governments

• Both sets of government work with the people on their own

sets of laws, representation and government agencies

• Examples: U.S., Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Germany,

India

Confederate • An alliance of independent states

• The confederate government only handles matters that have

been specifically assigned to it by member states

• Confederate government does NOT have the right to make

laws that directly affect the people

• Example: European Union (best one available)

Forms of Government

Review Questions

1. A government is

(a) the institution through which a society makes and enforces its

public policies.

(b) a collection of people.

(c) always democratic.

(d) the organization representing farms and industries.

2. A state has the following four characteristics:

(a) population, territory, sovereignty, and government.

(b) sovereignty, a perfect union, welfare, and territory.

(c) people, places, force, and divine right.

(d) justice, defense, liberty, and domestic tranquility.

Chapter 1, Section 1

Tuesday, October 24th

Computer Lab

Nearpod Lesson Session Code: WDSNI

Georgia Standard of Excellence

SSCG2 Demonstrate knowledge of the political philosophies that shaped the development of United States constitutional government.

a. Analyze key ideas of limited government and the rule of law as seen in the Magna Carta, the Petition of Right, and the English Bill of Rights.

b. Analyze the impact of the writings of Hobbes (Leviathan), Locke (Second Treatise on Government), Rousseau (The Social Contract), and Montesquieu (The Spirit of the Laws) on our concept of government.

c. Analyze the ways in which the philosophies listed in element 2b influenced the Declaration of Independence.

British Roots of American Government

The American colonists had been ruled by the British

government for over 150 years before the

American Revolution.

As a result, Americans knew quite a bit about the

British government. The men who wrote our

Constitution were greatly influenced by their

experiences with the British government.

How It All Started - Feudal System

Under the feudal system, the people in England belonged to one of the following three groups.

1. Royalty ‐ This group included the monarch (king or queen) and his or her family

2. Nobility ‐ This group included the “lords” and “ladies” who held titles such as earl, duke, duchess, and baron.

3. Commoners ‐ This group included such people as knights (soldiers of the king), merchants, and peasants (people who worked the land). The peasants were not free and could not leave the area in which they worked.

Feudal System

England’s land all belonged to the king or

queen. There was too much land for a king or queen

to rule alone. So, they gave some of the responsibility

for governing the kingdom to the nobility.

Under the feudal system, the nobles were allowed to

control parts of the land and the people who lived

there. In exchange, they pledged their loyalty to the

king and fought for him.

Magna Carta

Under the feudal system, it became a custom or tradition for the royalty to share some of its powers with the nobility.

As a result, the nobles became used to having certain rights and powers.

When King John tried to take back some of these rights, the nobles rebelled.

The nobles were powerful enough to force the king to sign an agreement with them in 1215.

This agreement became known as the Magna Carta or Great Charter.

It said that the nobles would obey the king only as long as he protected their rights.

Impact of the Magna Carta

The Magna Carta contained two very important ideas:

1. Governments are based on an agreement or contract

between the ruler and the people to be ruled. A

government by contract also includes the idea that if

either side breaks the contract it is no longer valid.

2. The Magna Carta also includes the idea of rule of

law. This means that both the government and the

governed must obey the law. The law limits the power

of the government.

Beginning a new way of thinking…

The early English customs, traditions and Magna

Carta protected certain basic rights. These rights

were not given to all people of England.

Men who owned property were given far more rights

than other people. Men without property, and women

and children had fewer rights.

However the Magna Carta was an important step in

protecting the rights of the people and limiting the

power of the government.

Our British Roots

Parliament – In 1258, the nobles forced King Henry III to create a new council called Parliament to advise the monarch.

Parliament was made up of two houses which represented the most powerful groups in the kingdom.

The House of Lords represented the nobles.

The House of Commons represented the people who owned large amounts of land but were not members of the nobility.

For hundreds of years after the creation of Parliament, the royalty, nobility, and commons struggled for power. No one group was able to control all the power for very long.

Our British Roots

The struggle became so intense during the 17th

century that a civil war resulted.

The nobles won and in 1649, Parliament ordered

the execution of the king.

By the time of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the

balance of power had shifted in favor of

Parliament.

Parliament became England’s chief lawmaking

body.

Petition of Rights

1628 - The Petition of Right is a major English

constitutional document that sets out specific liberties

of the subject that the king is prohibited from

infringing.

English Bill of Rights

In 1689, Parliament passed an important law, the

English Bill of Rights.

This law gave certain rights to Englishmen and

further limited the powers of the monarch.

The Bill of Rights gave Parliament the balance of

power in the English government.

English Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights guaranteed that:

elections to Parliament must be free and that the people have the right to keep and carry weapons.

Kings and queens were not allowed to:

collect taxes without the consent of Parliament

interfere with free speech and debate that went on in Parliament

maintain an army in times of peace (since it might be used to take over the government)

require excessive bail or administer cruel punishment for those accused or convicted of crimes, or

declare that laws made by Parliament should not be obeyed.

By the end of the 17th century, the British government became increasingly limited in what it could do.

During this same period, the government was establishing colonies in North America. The colonists brought with them the English system of constitutional government.

Influential Documents

Together, these three British documents:

Magna Carta

Petition of Right

The English Bill of Rights

contained the basic principles of limited government that would come to influence the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights.

They established that the very purpose of government is not to rule but to protect those rights.

Influential Philosophers

The Enlightenment was a movement that emphasized

reason and science as the paths to knowledge.

It began in Europe but it had far‐reaching effects

on the colonies.

It began as scientists discovered natural laws

governing the universe. Isaac Newton, for example,

explained the law of gravity.

But other Enlightenment thinkers applied the idea of

natural law to human societies

Thomas Hobbes1588-1679

A.D.Thomas Hobbes was an English

political philosopher who published

the book Leviathan in 1651.

This work would influence other

philosophers for many years.

Hobbes makes a case for a

powerful sovereign, or executive.

Hobbes believed it was the

sovereign who should be the one

to control civil and military power.

John Locke

1632-1704

A.D.

John Locke was an English doctor and

philosopher who wrote extensively

about natural law.

• His most famous work is Two

Treatises of Civil Government, which

was published in 1690.

• Locke believed all men were born

with basic rights. These rights

included the rights to life, liberty, and

property.

• If these words sound somewhat

familiar, it is because Thomas

Jefferson studied Locke’s work and

included them in the Declaration of

Independence. Jefferson would

change the word “property” to “the

pursuit of happiness.”

John Locke

John Locke was a famous English Enlightenment philosopher. He lived from 1632 to 1704.

He had written a book called Two Treatises of Civil Government (1690). In that book he wrote about natural rights.

The idea of natural rights means that all persons have these rights just because they are human beings. Sometimes these are called basic rights or fundamental rights.

Everyone is born with these rights and they should not be taken away without a person’s agreement.

Locke & The Social Contract Theory

Locke argued that people should agree to give up some of their freedom in exchanged for protection and security. They would consent to follow laws in exchange for the protection that these laws would give them.

This agreement is called a social compact or social contract. A social contract is an agreement people make among themselves to create a government to rule them and protect their natural rights.

This concept inspired Rousseau’s most important work The Social Contract.

In this agreement the people consent to obey the laws created by that government.

John Locke

John Locke said that the main purpose of government should be to protect the people’s natural rights.

He also said that the kings should not have absolute power, that is, power without limits. They should not be able to deprive people of their natural rights.

Many Americans had read Locke’s book, and they agreed with what it said about government. Those who had not actually read Locke’s book knew his ideas from newspapers, political pamphlets, church sermons, and discussions.

You will see later how the Founders included these ideas in the Declaration of Independence.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

1712-1778 A.D.Rousseau was a philosopher born in

Switzerland who lived much of his life in

France..

• Rousseau’s most important work is The

Social Contract, which was published in

1762. The phrase “social contract”

refers to an agreement between the

people and their government.

• In this agreement the people agree to

relinquish some of their rights in

exchange for security.

• Rousseau also argued that government

had a responsibility to the people. His

writings in this area are considered the

foundations for socialism.

Charles de Montesquieu

1689-1755 A.D.

Montesquieu was a famous French political

philosopher who published The Spirit of Laws

in 1748.

• In his book Montesquieu holds up the

English form of government as the best

because it had a separation of powers

among the different branches of

government.

• Montesquieu believed that separating the

government would prevent it from becoming

too powerful and depriving the people of

their rights.

• Separate branches could also watch over

each other to ensure no other branches

overstepped their bounds.

• Montesquieu’s work would inspire James

Madison, the Father of the Constitution.

Declaration of Independence

There are many Enlightenment ideals in the Declaration of Independence.

One is the idea that all people are entitled to certain rights just by virtue of being human.

Another is the belief that a government’s legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed .

Finally, the Declaration of Independence incorporates the Enlightenment idea that a government’s main purpose is to protect the rights of the people.

Wednesday, October 25th

Good afternoon!

As you come in, please:

Come in calmly and quietly

Sit in your assigned seat

Front table – pick up a ‘Break-up Letter’ paper and

begin reading it

Have You Ever Had a Bad Breakup?

How did you find out?

What’s the worst?

https://www.google.com/search?q=too+late+to+apologize+declaration&oq=too

+late+to+apologize+de&gs_l=psy-

ab.1.0.0l4j0i22i30k1j0i22i10i30k1j0i22i30k1l4.8462.9127.0.11226.3.3.0.0.0.0.1

37.258.2j1.3.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.3.258...0i67k1.0.Drt4iiZbjw0

What Have We Learned So Far?

Types of Government

Power distribution, geographic distribution, relationship

between executive and legislative

Is america a democracy?

Chapter I, Section 2 Review

1. In a democracy, (a) independent states form an alliance.

(b) supreme political authority rests with the people.

(c) those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people.

(d) the rule by a few, select individuals regulates the will of the people.

2. The United States government has the following

characteristics: (a) confederate, parliamentary, and dictatorship.

(b) unitary, presidential, and democracy.

(c) federal, presidential, and democracy.

(d) unitary, parliamentary, and dictatorship.

Georgia Standard of Excellence

SSCG3 Demonstrate knowledge of the framing and structure of the United States Constitution.

a. Analyze debates during the drafting of the Constitution, including the Three-Fifths Compromise, the Great Compromise, and the Commerce Clause.

b. Analyze how the Constitution addresses the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

c. Explain the fundamental principles of the United States Constitution, including limited government, the rule of law, federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and popular sovereignty.

d. Explain the key ideas in the debate over ratification made by the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.

Wanted –

Looking For a Perfect Government!

How does your graphic organizer look?

A Quick Recap

History of Government

1780 BC The Code of Hammurabi

First written code of law

1290 BC Mosiac Code (from Moses)

Stressed moral principles

10 Commandments

400’s BC Athens became the most successful

democracy of Ancient Greece

1215 AD Magna Carta

English document granting rights to citizens other than the king. It became a model for

those wanted democratic governments

A Quick Recap

History of Government

1620 AD Mayflower Compact

1st agreement for self-government in America

1651 AD Thomas Hobbes published Leviathan

Supported a sovereign leader who was more

caring for their people

1689 AD English Bill of Rights

Signed by King William & Queen Mary to

protect the civil rights of the English people.

1690 AD John Locke published Two Treatises of Civil Government

Believed all people born with basic rights

(natural law)

A Quick Recap

History of Government

1748 AD Charles de Montesquieu published

The Spirit of Laws

Believed in different branches of government, separation of powers, checks & balances

1762 AD John-Jacques Rousseu published

The Social Contract

An agreement between the people and their government. The people would give up certain rights in exchange for protection.

1775 AD Second Continental Congress

Americans requested the King to address their

concerns. The King ignored their request.

A Quick Recap

History of Government

1776 AD January - Thomas Paine published

Common Sense

Booklet that attacked the concept of monarchy

& made a powerful case for independence

1776 AD July 4th – Declaration of Independence

Americans declared their independence from

England. Written by Thomas Jefferson.

Edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams

An English Political Heritage

English colonists came to America with a heritage of

freedom and principles of government that helped

shape the development of the United States.

Most important to the colonists was to have a

government which limited the monarch’s power and

represented the will of the people.

Three documents that limited the power of the King

1. Magna Carta

2. Petition of Right

3. English Bill of Rights

Magna Carta

AKA the “Great Charter”

1215 – signed by King John of England

Limited Government – the king did not have all the

power

Established the rule of law, meaning that everyone

had to follow the law.

Protect life, liberty and property

Petition of Right

1628

King Charles I, and monarchs to follow, could not:

Collect taxes without consent of Parliament.

Imprison people without just cause.

House troops in private homes.

Declare martial law.

English Bill of Rights

1689 – Signed by King William & Queen Mary

Monarchs rule with the consent of the people

Parliament must agree to suspend laws, levy taxes, or maintain an army

Monarch cannot interfere in Parliament elections

Right to petition the government

Fair and speedy trials

No cruel or unusual punishment

Representative Government

Followed the model of Parliament, which was a

bicameral, or two chamber, legislature:

House of Lords

House of Commons

Principles of Colonial Government

Colonial governments under British control usually had these elements:

1. Written constitution

Ex. Mayflower Compact – 1st written constitution in America.

2. Legislature of elected representatives

Ex. VA House of Burgesses – first legislative body.

3. Separation of powers

In a nutshell…

The American colonies were founded by the British

The colonies were a source of raw materials and a market for British goods

Britain was 3000 miles away

Colonial government handled most business with some guidance from Parliament and the king.

The colonists did not have representation in Parliament

Why did things change?

French and Indian War 1754-1763, allowed the

British to solidify control over the North American

continent.

King George III came to power in 1760 with a

different idea of how to rule the colonies.

Colonies on their own…

Although Britain had been allowing the colonies limited self-government.

The British government tightened its control over the colonies after the French and Indian wars.

King George III and his ministers made the colonies help pay for the war by levying new taxes on the colonists.

Taxes and Colonial Response

Stamp Act – The first direct tax on the colonists. It

required a stamp tax on legal documents, pamphlets,

newspapers, dice and playing cards. To pay for the

French and Indian war.

Stamp Act Congress – first meeting organized by the

colonies to protest the king’s actions. They sent the

Declaration of Rights and Grievances, which stated,

“no taxation with out representation.”

Taxes and Colonial Response

The colonists protested and boycotted until the

Stamp Act was repealed.

Committees of Correspondence – Groups that

formed so that information about British actions

could be more easily spread throughout the

colonies.

The Townshend Acts – taxed many products that

were needed daily, including tea.

Taxes and Colonial Response

The tax on tea and further British control resulted in the

Boston Tea Party.

The British responded to the tea party with punishments

and tightening of control of Boston.

Intolerable Acts – a set of acts passed after the Boston

Tea Party that was designed to punish the people of

Boston. They closed the harbor, placed Massachusetts

under martial law, and allowed British troops to be

quartered/housed in people’s homes.

Colonial Unity

Harsh British policies and taxes helped unite the colonies.

To protest British policies, the colonists sent petitionsto the king.

The First Continental Congress held in Philadelphia in 1774 debated what the colonies should do about their relationship with Britain.

They imposed an embargo and said that if Britain used force, so would they.

First Shots Fired

April 19, 1775 – Battle of Lexington and Concord.

First shots and beginning of the American

Revolutionary War.

The Second Continental Congress met in 1775, it

organized a military and appointed George

Washington as commander. Served as acting

government throughout the war.

Independence

Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense. This

persuasive booklet strengthened the

independence movement. It said King

George III was a tyrant and the colonies

were destined to be free.

The Declaration of Independence in 1776,

which set forth the principles for the new

nation.

Independence (cont.)

The Declaration had three parts:

1. Statement of purpose, describing basic human

rights;

2. List of specific complaints against King George

III;

3. Statement of determination to separate from

Great Britain.

1. What symbol represents the colonies in this 1779 political cartoon?

Interpreting Political Cartoons Activity

The bucking horse represents the colonies.

The Signing

John Hancock of Massachusetts, the president of the Continental Congress, was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia.

When he did, he wrote his name in very large letters, declaring, “There, I guess King George will be able to read that!”

Even today, Americans often refer to a person’s signature as a “John Hancock.”

Independence! Now what?

We all know that the United States achieved

independence from Great Britain after the

American Revolution, but winning a war was not the

only concern. Colonists also had to come up with a

new form of government.

Articles of Confederation

First attempt at a unified government of all 13

former colonies.

Proposed in 1777.

Ratified by all 13 independent states by 1781.

Key Features of the Articles

Weak national government

One branch of government – Legislative

Unicameral

One vote per state – all were equal.

Weaknesses of the Articles

The Congress had to depend on the states for money and had no power to tax, regulate trade, or enforce laws.

Amending the Articles required the approval of allthe states.

No president or executive branch.

No system of national courts; state courts enforced and interpreted national laws.

Weaknesses of the Articles (cont.)

1) They could borrow or request money from states.

2) Weak, they gave little power to government

3) They could wage war and make treaties and alliances

with other nations

Now It’s Your Turn!

Write Your Own ‘Break Up’ letter!

Due: Monday, October 30th

Same day as signed syllabus!

Foundations

The American concept of democracy rests on these

basic notions:

(1) A recognition of the fundamental worth and dignity of every

person;

(2) A respect for the equality of all persons;

(3) A faith in majority rule and an insistence upon minority rights;

(4) An acceptance of the necessity of compromise; and

(5) An insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual

freedom.

Section 3 Review

1. All of the following are basic notions found in the American concept of democracy EXCEPT

(a) a recognition of of the fundamental worth and dignity of every person.

(b) a respect for the equality of all persons.

(c) the rule of government by a single individual.

(d) an acceptance of the necessity of compromise.

2. In a free enterprise system, the means of capital are owned

(a) by private and corporate entities.

(b) by government agencies.

(c) by only the agricultural sector.

(d) equally by the collective citizenry.

Chapter 1, Section 3