Post on 27-Dec-2015
transcript
Why Government Exists
Why do we have governments?
•With a partner, make a list of reasons as to why government exists.
Types of Governments• Democratic
▫ Direct Democracy: all voters meet and decide course of action
▫ Representative Democracy: we elect officials to make decisions for us (REPUBLIC)
• Non-Democratic▫ Monarchy: king or queen▫ Dictator: one ruler of
absolute power▫ Oligarchy: small number
of the very wealthy lead the nation
▫ Theocracy (could be democratic…but does not go by wishes of people): leader of the government is the leader of the state religion
Systems of Government
Organizer for your notesSYSTEM DESCRIPTION STRENGTHS WEAKNESSE
SEXAMPLES
Three Main Systems
Federal
Confederate
Unitary
Unitary System•Central government
holds all the power
•Gives directives to lower governments
•Allocates power as they choose
•Example: Great Britain during Revolution
Confederate System•Local governments hold
the power•Weak central
government•Promotes cooperation
between states•Often has voluntary
membership and states can leave
•Treaties often used to define relationships between the states
Federal System•Central and local
governments share power
•Often times, a document outlines which powers each shares (CONSTITUTION)
•May have powerful central government, but it may not dissolve states
Think-Pair-Share• Think
▫ Individually, write out the pros and cons of each system of government
▫Which do you think is best? Why?• Pair
▫With a partner, discuss the systems and come to a consensus on the best system.
▫Why is this system better than the others?
• Share▫Class Discussion
Declaration of Independence
•Read the Declaration of Independence with a partner and come up with a list of the five key points Jefferson was trying to make in this document.
•Discuss the reasons as to why Jefferson worded the document the way he did and what goals he was trying to accomplish.
Review: Key points of Declaration•Make a list of the key points of the
Declaration of Independence▫(Try to get about 5)
•It is important to know the main concepts for your test!
Declaration of Independence•Have a right to become separate and equal
states• It is necessary to explain why they are leaving
GB•Government can’t take away certain rights
(life, liberty, pursuit of happiness)•Governments need the consent of the people•List of grievances against King•Declaration: absolved from allegiance to British
crown▫Free and independent states
Video overview
Articles of Confederation• First written constitution of the US
▫A plan of government▫Set up a “friendship” among the 13 states▫Government was a confederation
• Didn’t want 1 strong central government• Congress served as the last resort on appeal of
disputes▫Congress given the authority to make treaties and
alliances, maintain armed forces and coin money• Wanted to preserve individual state’s powers
▫Remained sovereign and independent
Articles of ConfederationSTRENGTHS: • To declare war and make peace• To coin and borrow money at state level• To detail with foreign countries and sign treaties• To operate post offices
WEAKNESSES:• The national government could not force the states to obey its laws• It did not have the power to tax• It did not have the power to enforce laws• Congress lacked strong and steady leadership• There was no national army or navy• There was no system of national courts• There was no strong executive branch• Each state could put tariffs on trade between states (A tariff is a tax on
goods coming in from another state or country.)
Constitutional Convention
•Delegates from each state wrote a new plan for government
•The constitution + amendments describe the relationship between the government and citizens
•James Madison is considered the founding father of the constitution
Ideology behind Constitution• Social Contract Theory
▫Major Theorists: Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau
▫Relationship between individuals and their governments need mutual consent
▫ Important historical role in the emergence of the idea that political authority must be derived from the consent of the governed
▫Citizens give up some rights
Ideology behind Constitution•Popular Sovereignty
▫Legitimate states must have consent of the people
▫People have all the political power
Explain:How does this work in the
US?
Key Vocabulary•Limited Government
▫Government with specific restrictions on power▫Constitution did this by clarifying what
government can and cannot legally do to the citizens
•Majority Rule▫Everyone will accept the decision of the
majority▫Minority Rights: Provisions to protect minority
views on issues
The Constitution•Why was it created?
▫Originally to fix the Articles…then just replaced them
▫Created the new laws of the land based on a FEDERAL system
•What are some key ideas outlined within the Constitution?
•Explain the structure of our government system
The Constitution• Why was it created?
▫Originally to fix the Articles…then just replaced them
▫Created the new laws of the land based on a FEDERAL system
• What are some key ideas outlined within the Constitution?▫Federalism, Checks/Balances
• Explain the structure of our government system▫Multiple layers…State/Federal, 3 Branches
Approving the Constitution
•Signed by 39 out of 42 framers•Then had to be sent to states for
ratification (approval)▫Had to be ratified by 9 out of 13▫Supporters: Federalists- needed a strong
national gov to keep country united (Jay, Hamilton, Madison)
▫Opposition: Anti-federalists- didn’t think states’ power would be protected
•Eventually, federalists gained support•NC and RI only approved constitution
after it went into effect•Washington sworn in as first president
Constitution review
Weaknesses of the Articles
•Most power held by states
•One branch of government
•No executive branch•No judicial system•No checks and
balances
Strengths of the Constitution
• Most power held by national gov- distributed to states
• Three branches of government
• Executive branch led by a president
• Judicial system has an equal branch
• Firm system of checks and balances
SEPARATION OF POWERS
Creates the system of
“checks and balances”
3 Branches of Government
Amending the Constitution
The Amendment Process• Outlined in Article V of the Constitution
• Amendment Proposal:▫2/3 vote in both houses of Congress ▫Legislatures in 2/3 of the states (34 of 50) can
ask Congress to call for a national convention
• Ratification of Amendments (making it official)▫¾ of the states must approve (38 of 50)▫Approved by state legislatures or state
conventions
Amendments
•Constitution amended a total of 27 times
•If people do not like results of an amendment, they may repeal it▫Example: 1933, 21st amendment repealed
the 18th amendment (Prohibition)
Amending the Constitution
Constitutional changes without Amendments•Constitution is a broad outline for the
governing
•Changes can be made through tradition▫Example: Presidential cabinet in executive
branch
•“Unwritten Constitution”
Interpreting the Constitution
•Congressional laws▫Example: Minimum Wage
Congress can control trade between states Goods made by workers travel amongst
states Thus, Congress has power to pass laws about
working conditions nationally▫Always able to be overturned by Judicial
Review Congress can rewrite the law using the
court’s objections as guidance
Document Review: Declaration