Government

Unit 1: The Role of Government

Think About it!

• What is government and why do we have one?

• What are the signs of government around you everyday?

• How would our lives be different if the U.S. had a king instead of a president?

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Important Concepts

• • • Sovereignty to the govt.

—”authority to rule.” In the US, the people grant sovereignty Law —set of rules enforced by govt.

Natural Rights being human.

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John Locke —rights not given by govt. (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness). These rights come from believed that it is a govt’s job to protect citizens’ natural rights.

Philosophers and Philosophies

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Divine Right of Kings —God grants a king or queen the power to rule.

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Thomas Hobbes —Believed people entered into a “ Social Contract ,” where people give up individual sovereignty to govt in exchange for peace and order.

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John Locke —believed that the only “legitimate” govt is one in which power (sovereignty) is granted by the people.

Functions of Governments

Maintain order Providing services

Functions of Government

Resolving conflict Promoting values

This is all for the Public Good

4 Functions of Government

1. Maintain Order: Police, Fire Departments, Laws, Traffic signs, National Guard 1. How does the government maintain order?

2. What services does the govt. provide people?

3. How do conflicts between people get peacefully resolved?

4. What “values” exist in the United States?

The “Public Good”

• Good govt. pursues policies that serve the public interest.

How do we know what policies serve the public good?

• Public Good is determined by deciding which policies serve the “many” instead of the “few.”

Quiz

1. What are examples of natural rights.

2. Who wrote about a “Social Contract?” 3. How does government maintain order?

4. What are the other three functions of government (other than maintain order?)

Allowing choice

5 Benefits of Democracy

Recognizing individual rights Democracy Promoting respect for the law Protecting minority rights Promoting the public good

Sources of authority Monarchy Republic Dictatorship

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Head of state is a hereditary position Constitutional Monarchy King or Queen only ceremonial People are the source of the authority Gov’t made up of representatives elected by people Power among levels of government Advantages

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Political and/or military power, wealth or social position are source of leaders’ authority Disadvantages

Federal: power shared by National, State, & local govt Confederal: each state is represented Each level has to create its own laws, elect officials Weak central government Unitary: Central Government holds all power No local power

Presidential vs. Parliamentary System

Presidential Job of Chief Executive: Carries out laws—does not make laws Not part of legislature Parliamentary Part of law-making body— the “legislature” Head of State: President King Title of Chief Executive: President Prime Minister or Premier

Representative vs. Direct Democracy

•Representative: (Ex. U.S.) Citizens vote on politicians who make the laws, they don’t vote on the laws directly •Direct: (Ancient Greece) Citizens vote directly on laws

Sources of Authority

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What is the most effective form of Government?

Monarchy, Dictatorship or Republic

Describe 2 British ideals that influenced North American colonists as they began to set up their governments

Limited Government Representative Government Few limits on English government before 1200 Roots in English council of nobles, which evolved into a bicameral Parliament Magna Carta limited govt by establishing rule of law; laid foundation for govt for the people Members of Parliament represented the people and passed laws to limit rulers’ power.

Virginia & New Jersey plans and the compromise

Virginia Plan Strong Executive Bicameral legislation Judiciary elected by legislature New Jersey Plan Executive chosen by state electors in accordance with popular votes Bicameral legislature: one house has 2 representatives per state & the other by population Weak Executive Unicameral legislation Each state represented by 1 vote

Give 2 examples of reactions taken by American colonists to changes in British colonial policy after 1760 Cause British Policies: Increased Trade Restrictions Higher Taxes Effect Colonial Reactions: Publicly denounced the new policies Organized boycotts Participated in violent protests

The causes that led the Federalists to promise the first Congress would pass a Bill of Rights Causes Effect

Anti-federalists argued absence of BoR would be dangerous afraid no BoR would cancel previous laws protecting individual rights Some believed no BoR would create a powerful National government Some states would not ratify the Constitution unless there was a BoR

Bill of Rights

1. What was the 1 st constitution called?

Articles of Confederation Ch. 2 Warm up #2 (p.31 - 34) 2. How was the power distributed?

Confederal System 3. What were some of the limits of the National Gov’t under the 1 st Constitution (list at least 3)?

No president or executive branch, no national court, no officials to enforce laws, no power to tax, no trade regulation etc… 4. How did Shay’s Rebellion highlight the need for a stronger national gov’t?

People felt frustrated they could not maintain order & protect and promote the public good of citizens

Limitations of The Articles of Confederation

• No President or Executive Branch • No National Court System • No officials to enforce laws • No power to raise an army

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Obstacles to Unity

Cultural Economic Religion

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Each colony preferred there own church Ancestry English, German, French & Swedish

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- Rural South Used slave labor for economic reasons Urban North Mostly opposed slavery on moral and legal levels Fear that one would unite over the others South feared national opposition would limit there economy

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Another Obstacle

Geographic Isolation Size and location would make it difficult to unite and trade with each other as well as European nation.

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

Federalist Anti-Federalist

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- James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, & John Jay Stronger Central Government Each gov’t branch would check the others

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Patrick Henry Wanted the states to have more power Feared a large gov’t would use force for unity Claimed any powers not given to national gov’t.

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Believed in individual rights of the people would be granted to the states The Result: The Constitution was passed with the Bill of Rights, and the 10 th Amendment giving all non expressed right to the states or the people

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A Salute to High Treason

George Washington “Father of Our Country.” Commander of the Continental Army, first President under The Constitution.

Benjamin Franklin Inventor, Ambassador, Strong Abolitionist, Only person to sign all 4 founding documents: Declaration of Independence, Treaty of Paris, Treaty of Alliance with France, & The Constitution Thomas Jefferson Wrote the Declaration of Independence, driving force of the “Empire of Liberty,” promoted republicanism, supported separation of church and state, our 3 rd President.