United States Government

7th Grade Civics

What is Government?

• The organization people set up to protect the community and enforce its rules

Powers of Government

• Legislative: Power to make laws

• Executive: Power to carry out laws

• Judicial: Power to interpret laws

What is a Law?

• Official rules and regulations, generally found in the constitution

• Used to govern a society and control the behavior of its members

Kinds of Government

• Monarchy: kings and queens are rulers– King George III

• Dictatorship: government with one ruler– Cuba

• Democracy: people have power– U.S. Government

• Political system• Rule by the people• People have basic

freedom• Representative

Democracy

Democracy

The Mayflower Compact

• Mayflower carried Pilgrims from England to Massachusetts

• Before they left the ship, the passengers wrote a document called the Mayflower Compact

• Promised to pass only laws that were fair to everyone and good for the whole community

The Declaration of Independence

• British raised colonists taxes

• Colonist protested• Fighting began• Committee chosen to write

the document – Benjamin Franklin

– John Adams

– Thomas Jefferson

• Laid the foundation

for the nation’s future system of government

• Approved on July 4, 1776

• 56 people signed• John Hancock signed

first

Articles of Confederation

• First Constitution of the United States

• Adopted November 15, 1777• A preamble and 13 articles• State governments had most

of the power • Little power given to the

central government

The Constitution of the United States

• Document that tells basic rules and explain rights of a US citizen

• Written 200 years ago• Written to unite all the

13 colonies

Constitution

• 57 men helped write it in 1787

• Ratified by the states in 1788

• It has 7 sections called Articles telling how the government works

Three Separate Branches

• Each branch has power to check the others

• Legislative: Power to make laws

• Executive: Power to carry out laws

• Judicial: Power to interpret laws

The Bill of Rights• First 10 amendments• It guaranteed certain

freedoms and rights• Added after the

Constitution• Freedom of Speech• Freedom of Religion• Freedom to Assemble

Amendments

• Amendments change the Constitution

• 2/3 of both the Senate and House of Representative must approve

• 3/4 of all states must approve

Federal Government

• Federal government deals with matters that affect the whole country– Defense

– Transportation

– Postal Delivery

– Federal Taxes

Federal GovernmentExecutive Branch

• Executive Branch carries out national laws• The President is head of the Executive Branch • Commander in Chief of nation’s army • Elected to a four year term• Approves the laws that

congress makes• Proposed national budget• Can veto a bill

Federal GovernmentLegislative Branch

• Legislative branch makes laws for the nation

• Two parts of the Legislative Branch– U.S. Senate

– U.S. House of Representatives

Federal GovernmentLegislative Branch

House of Representative• Number according to

size of state’s population

• Representative must live in the state they represent

• 25 years or older• US Citizen for 7 years• Elected to 2 year term

Senate• Each state has 2• Senators must live in

the state they represent

• 30 years or older• Citizen of the U.S.

for 9 years• Elected to 6 year

term

Federal Government Judicial Branch

• Judicial Branch interprets and applies national laws• Make up of the court system• Highest is the Supreme Court

- appointed for life terms• Lowest levels are

Justice of Peace • Gets its powers from

Article III of the Constitution

Provide Public Service

Protect the Safety of their

Citizens

Provide a System of

Justice

Protect the Rights of

Individuals

Promote the Well Being of their Citizens

Purpose of State & Local Governments

Establish local fire

departments

Patrol state highways

Build Roads

Sanitation facilities

Provide state funds for schools

Maintain state prison system

Pass local fair housing laws

What is a Citizen?• Two kinds of citizens• Native-born citizens

– Born here

– Children of American citizens born while visiting other countries

• Naturalized citizens– Have to be at least 18

– From other countries

– Lived here 5 years to qualify

– 3 years if they’re married to an American citizen

Citizen’s Rights• Countries protect their citizens and

give them rights • Naturalized and Native-born citizens

have the same rights, except one• Naturalized citizens can’t run for

president• Citizens can vote• Freedom of Religion• Freedom of Speech• Freedom of the Press

Citizen’s Responsibilities

• Duty to obey the law• Vote in elections• To pay taxes• If the country is at

war, citizens may be called to serve in the armed forces

• Serve on a jury if called

Patrick Henry

• Born May 29, 1736 in Hanover County, Va.

• Storekeeper and farmer• Member of the

revolutionary convention of Va.

• Died on June 6, 1799• “Give me Liberty or

Give me Death”

Thomas Jefferson• Third President of the

United States in 1801-1809

• Member of the second Continental Congress

• Drafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776

• Politician, Educator and an Architect

Alexander Hamilton

• Helped secure New York's ratification of the Constitution

• First Secretary of the Treasury

• Shot and killed in a duel with former U.S. vice-president Aaron Burr, a long-time political rival

John Jay

• Continental Congress • Commissioner Treaty of

Paris Continental Congress 1774-1775

• First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

• Helped negotiate peace with Great Britain

• Governor of N.Y.

Thomas Paine

• Wrote Common Sense, which called for American independence from Great Britain

• Born in Thetford, England • 1774-Moved to Philadelphia• Influenced fighters in the

Revolutionary War• Buried in New Rochelle, NY

George Washington

• Born February 22, 1732• General in the French and

Indian War • General in Revolutionary

War• President of the

Constitutional Convention• First President of the

United States

Sam Adams

• Adams was born in Boston on September 27, 1722.

• After college was a success law student.

• Adams was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress

• also subsequently

James Madison

• From Virginia • Founding Father • Wrote Bill of Rights• Signed the Constitution • Married Dolly Madison • Congressman • 4th President of the

United States

Francis Scott Key

• Watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry, in Baltimore Harbor by the British in September 1814

• The fort withstood the attack, and the sight of the American flag at dawn inspired Key's verses, set to a popular English drinking tune

National Anthem

• “O say can you see...”• Hymn of loyalty to our country

• Designation as national anthem by executive order in 1916 was confirmed by an act of Congress in 1931

• Written by Francis Scott Key, a Washington D.C. lawyer

American Flag

• Symbol of our nation• Original had 13

alternating red & white stripes and 13 stars-one for each colony

• Now one star for each state (50)

• Legend is that Betsy Ross sewed 1st flag for George Washington

Pledge of Allegiance

• I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.