unit 1: the role of government government. think about it! what is government and why do we have...
TRANSCRIPT
Unit 1: The Role of Government
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?
VS
Important Concepts
• Sovereignty—”authority to rule.” In the US, the people grant sovereignty to the govt.
• Law—set of rules enforced by govt.
• Natural Rights—rights not given by govt. (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness). These rights come from being human.−John Locke believed that it is a govt’s
job to protect citizens’ natural rights.
Philosophers and Philosophies• Divine Right of Kings—God grants a
king or queen the power to rule.
• Thomas Hobbes—Believed people entered into a “Social Contract,” where people give up individual sovereignty to govt in exchange for peace and order.
• 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
Resolving conflict Promoting values
Functions ofGovernment
This is all for the Public Good
4 Functions of Government
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?
Answer the following questions on your notes.
You will be called on to share your answer.1. Maintain Order: Police, Fire Departments,
Laws, Traffic signs, National Guard
2. Provide Services: Street cleaning, Homeless shelters,Hurricane
evacuation assistance, US Postal Service3. Resolve Conflict: The US court system can
peacefully resolve disputes.
Promote Values: Public safety, Individualrights, Equality, Helping the needy
The “Public Good”
• Good govt. pursues policies that serve the public interest.
How do we know what policies serve thepublic good?
• Public Good is determined by deciding which policies serve the “many” instead of the “few.”
Quiz1. 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?)
Democracy
Allowing choice
Recognizing individual rights
Promoting respect for
the law
Protecting minority rights
Promoting the public good
5 Benefits of Democracy
Advantages Disadvantages
Federal: power shared by
National, State, & local govt
Confederal: each state is represented
Unitary: Central Government holds all power
Each level has to create its own
laws, elect officials
Weak central government
No local power
Power among levels of government
Monarchy Republic Dictatorship
Sources of authority
•Political and/or military power, wealth or social position are source of leaders’ authority
•Head of state is a hereditary positionConstitutional Monarchy•King or Queen only ceremonial
People are the source of the authority
Gov’t made up of representatives elected by people
Presidential vs. Parliamentary System
PresidentialJob of Chief Executive: Carries out laws—does not make laws
Not part of legislature
Part of law-making body—the “legislature”
Head of State:
President
King
Title of Chief Executive:
President
Prime Minister or Premier
Parliamentary
•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
Representative vs. Direct Democracy
Sources of Authority
•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
Magna Carta limited govt by establishing rule of law; laid foundation for govt for the people
Roots in English council of nobles, which evolved into a bicameral Parliament
Members of Parliament represented the people and passed laws to limit rulers’ power.
Virginia & New Jersey plans and the compromise
Strong Executive
Bicameral legislation
Judiciary elected by legislature
Weak Executive
Unicameral legislation
Each state represented by 1 vote
Executive chosen by state electors in
accordance with popular votes
Bicameral legislature: one house has 2
representatives per state & the other by
population
Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan
Cause
British Policies:
Increased Trade Restrictions
Higher Taxes
Effect
Colonial Reactions:Publicly denounced the new policiesOrganized boycottsParticipated in violent protests
Give 2 examples of reactions taken by American colonists to changes in British colonial policy after
1760
The causes that led the Federalists to promise the first Congress would pass a Bill of Rights
EffectCauses
Bill of Rights
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
Ch. 2 Warm up #2 (p.31 - 34)
1. What was the 1st constitution called?
2. How was the power distributed?
3. What were some of the limits of the National Gov’t under the 1st Constitution (list at least 3)?
4. How did Shay’s Rebellion highlight the need for a stronger national gov’t?
Articles of Confederation
Confederal System
No president or executive branch, no national court, no officials to enforce laws, no power to tax, no trade regulation etc…
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
Obstacles to UnityCultural
- Religion- Each colony preferred there own church
- Ancestry- English, German, French & Swedish
Fear that one would unite over the others
Economic- Rural South- Used slave
labor for economic reasons
- Urban North- Mostly opposed slavery on moral and legal levels
South feared national opposition would limit there economy
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
- James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, & John Jay
- Stronger Central Government
- Each gov’t branch would check the others
- Claimed any powers not given to national gov’t. would be granted to the states
Anti-Federalist
- Patrick Henry
- Wanted the states to have more power
- Feared a large gov’t would use force for unity
- Believed in individual rights of the people
The Result:
The Constitution was passed with the Bill of Rights, and the 10th Amendment giving all non-expressed
right to the states or the people
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 3rd President.