Transcript Slide 1

Foundations of Government
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Section 1: Why Americans Have
Governments
The Main Idea
Government plays an essential role in every country. A
country's government affects the lives of its people. Often,
it affects people around the world.
Reading Focus
• What are two main types of government?
• What are the purposes of government?
• How does the U.S. government guarantee freedom to
its citizens?
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Section 1: Why Americans Have Governments
Governments are influenced by:
• The people's beliefs and the country's history
• Dictators or absolute monarchs with authoritarian power
• Ceremonial monarchs with separate governing bodies
• The "rule of the people" in a democracy
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Section 1: Why Americans Have Governments
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Section 1: Why Americans Have Governments
Democracies
• There is no absolute ruler or absolute ruling body
• The people rule directly (direct democracy) or through
elected officials (representative democracy or republic).
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Section 1: Why Americans Have Governments
Roles of Government
• Provides a means for cooperation and unity among
people
• Enables groups of people to achieve large goals
• Provides protection, security, transportation, monetary
assistance, education, and health related services
• Provides laws and a Constitution
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Section 1: Why Americans Have Governments
Question: How do a democracy, an absolute
monarchy, and a dictatorship differ?
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Section 1: Why Americans Have Governments
Question: How do a democracy, an absolute
monarchy, and a dictatorship differ?
Democracy
In a democracy, all voters make decisions together and
people elect representatives.
Absolute Monarchy
In an absolute monarchy, a king or queen rules with total
control.
Dictatorship
In a dictatorship, a person or small group has absolute
power and does not answer to the people.
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Section 2: The First U.S. Government
The Main Idea
The American ideals that people should rule themselves
and that government should protect human rights are
clearly set forth in the Declaration of Independence.
Reading Focus
• Why is the Declaration of Independence so important?
• What were the Articles of Confederation, and what
were their weaknesses?
• What was the effect of a weak national government on
the United States?
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Section 2: The First U.S. Government
The Declaration of Independence
• Upholds the philosophy on which the United States is
based
• Is a statement of the American ideals
• Declares that the purpose of government is to protect
human rights
• Stresses equality among individuals
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Section 2: The First U.S. Government
Limitations of the Articles of the Confederation:
• Congress had difficulty passing important measures.
• There was no executive branch to ensure that new laws
would be carried out.
• There were no national courts to interpret the laws and
uphold them.
• A unanimous vote was required to make changes to the
Articles of the Confederation.
• There was no money to pay for expenses or services.
• Each state regulated its own trade and had its own
currency.
• Conflicts between the states and Congress developed.
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Section 2: The First U.S. Government
Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
• difficult to change Articles because unanimous vote was
needed
• no executive branch to enforce laws
• difficult to pass laws because 9 out of 13 states'
approval was needed
• no means to regulate trade with foreign countries
• lacked power to collect taxes
• no judicial branch to interpret laws
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Section 2: The First U.S. Government
Effects of a weak national government:
• Had no power to operate effectively or settle disputes
• The country lacked a national identity.
• The states quarreled over boundary lines and trade.
• The country looked weak to other nations.
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Section 2: The First U.S. Government
Question: What are the effects of a weak
national government?
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Section 2: The First U.S. Government
Question: What are the effects of a weak
national government?
Effects of a weak national government:
• Cannot operate effectively
• Difficulty settling disputes
• Lack of national identity
• States quarrel over boundary lines and trade
• Country appears weak to other nations
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Section 3: A New Constitution
The Main Idea
The framers of the U.S. Constitution drew upon a history
of democratic ideals while developing a document that
would establish a new, stronger federal government.
Reading Focus
• What historical principles of government influenced
delegates of the Constitutional Convention?
• How did the U.S. government become stronger under
the Constitution?
• How did the viewpoints of Federalists and
Antifederalists differ, and how were these differences
resolved?
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Section 3: A New Constitution
Principles of Great Britain's government that
influenced delegates:
• Magna Carta—free people cannot be arrested without a
trial by jury of their peers; Parliament's rights are
protected; English citizens only judged by English laws
• English Bill of Rights—right to petition a change of laws;
right to a fair punishment
• Parliamentary government—a bicameral body; a prime
minister administers the government and can be
replaced by a majority vote
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Section 3: A New Constitution
The U.S. government became stronger
under the Constitution.
• A federal system was established.
• Powers included the coining and printing of money,
raising armed forces, trade regulations, and levying
taxes.
• Provisions for an executive and a judicial branch were
established.
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Section 3: A New Constitution
Differences among Federalists and Antifederalists:
• Federalists—strong national government would keep the
country united
• Antifederalists—strong national government would not
protect the people's freedoms and would take power
from the states
• A bill of rights was proposed to outline the rights of the
people under the Constitution.
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Section 3: A New Constitution
Question: In what ways did the U.S. government
strengthen under the Constitution?
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Section 3: A New Constitution
Question: In what ways did the U.S. government
strengthen under the Constitution?
How the Constitution strengthened the U.S.
government:
• Established a federal system
• Established an executive and a judicial branch of
government
• Introduced the powers of levying taxes, coining and
printing money, regulating trade, and raising armed
forces
• Established a firm system of checks and balances
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Chapter 2 Wrap-Up
Wrap-Up
• What are two of the major factors that shape a country's
government?
• How are a democracy and other types of governments
different?
• What were the key purposes of the Declaration of
Independence?
• What were some of the problems the country faced after
independence was declared?
• In what ways did the colonists' English political heritage
influence American ideas about government and
individual rights?
• What was the outcome of the Constitutional Convention?
• What were the arguments of the Federalists and
Antifederalists?
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