American Government – Introduction (2014)
Aug. 18/19
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15-20 min. Policies/Textbooks – Need Composition Books
20 min. SIX purposes of government – Worksheet and Find a headline (CE) that goes along with the 6 purposes
o Go to CNN/Fox News and find headlines
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20 min What is Democracy? Brainstorm what Democracy looks like
Aug. 20/21
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Review CEs policy/Political Cartoon policy
Go over 6 concepts of Democracy
Small Groups – collaborate – take THREE of the six concepts of Democracy and explain a situation in which it
failed!
o For example: Necessity of Compromise – Affordable Care Act a.k.a. Obamacare - In the Senate, 60%
Democrats voted yes, 39% Republicans voted no – this reflects lack bipartisanship
Aug. 22/25
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Review Democracy and 6 concepts
20 min. Notes – what led to Declaration of Independence, go through the actual document
Worksheet – Declaration of Independence
20 min. Articles of Confederation –
Aug. 26/27
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Review AoC
Discussion Constitutional Convention and Constitution
*if time allows – Founders’ Social Network “profile” worksheet
Aug. 28/29
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Review Preamble to Constitution
Other concepts/principles of government
2 worksheets – Checks & Balances/Federalism
Finish – wrap-up notes – video “crash course – constitution, federalism, ....
Homework (composition books)
American Government – Introduction (2014)
Chpt 1: pg. 24 #1-10, #15. 17, 21, 23, 24
Chpt 2: pg. 60 #1-10, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24-29, 34, 35
Chpt 3: pg. 84 #1-10, 12, 14, 16, 19, 20
Chpt 4: pg. 110 #6-10, 12, 14, 15
Chapter 1; Sec. 1
Government
Public Policies
Democracy
Sovereignty
Explain Divine Right Theory
Explain Social Contract Theory
The six purposes of government outline in the Preamble of the Constitution:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common defense,[1] promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our
Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Establish Justice “equal justice for all”
“Injustice anywhere” said Martin Luther King Jr, “is a threat to justice everywhere”
Insure Domestic Tranquility
Law and order, keeping the peace
Provide for Common Defense
Security, time of war, foreign policies
Promote General Welfare
Provide services, clean air, health care, FEMA
Secure Blessings of Liberty
Liberty cannot be absolute, limitations
Sec. 2
Explain Democracy – see table at end of handout
Sec. 3
Basic Concepts of Democracy
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Worth of Individual
Equality of all Persons
Majority Rule, Minority Rights
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Necessity of Compromise
Individual Freedom
Free Enterprise
Chapter 2; Sec. 2
Gaining Independence
Continental Congress
Declaration of Independence (separate handout)
How does the Declaration of Independence relate to the Social Contract Theory? (go back to Sec. 1)
Writing of the Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson
John Locke
July 4, 1776 Declaration of Independence was adopted
Declaration of Independence (pp.40)
“We hold these truths to be self-evident…”
Four Parts
1. Preamble
2. Declaration of Natural Rights
3. List of Grievances
4. Resolution of Independence
Things to know/understanding w/in the document
 Unalienable rights
 words written
“course of human events” “dissolve political bands” “Nature’s God entitle them” “causes which
impel them to separation” “we hold these truths to be self evident” “all men created equal” “unalienable rights”
“life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness” “government instituted among men” “deriving powers from consent of the
governed” “form of government become destructive it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it”
Sec. 3
Critical Period – Articles of Confederation (separate handout)
Sec. 4
Constitutional Convention
Sec. 5
Ratifying the Constitution
7 Articles
Article 1
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Legislative Branch (enumerated powers, implied powers, “elastic clause”, duties, qualifications, how a
bill becomes a law)
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Executive Branch (qualifications, presidential powers, duties, impeachment)
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Judicial Branch (court system, powers and jurisdiction of federal cts)
Article 2
Article 3
Article 4
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State Powers (records, citizenship, admission of new states, governing of states)
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Amendment Process (changes or additions to constitution)
1st 10 Amendments Bill of Rights
two ways to amend the Constitution
o 2/3 of both Senate and House agree
o 2/3 of all state legislatures propose new amendments, ¾ of states must agree
Article 5
Article 6
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Article 7
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“Supremacy Clause” Constitution is the supreme law of the land
Ratification of the Constitution
9/13 needed (1790 all states ratified)
Chapter 3; Sec. 1
Basic Principles of Constitution
1. Popular Sovereignty
 People are sovereign, they are the only source for any and all power
 Gov’t can only govern w/ consent of the governed
 “We the People”
2. Limited Government
 Constitutionalism = government must be conducted according to constitution
 Rule of Law = government and its officers are always subject to and never above the law
3. Separation of Powers
 Basic powers of government are distributed or separated among the 3 branches of government
4. Checks and Balances
 Each branch is subject to a number of constitutional check (restraints) by the other branches
 Each branch has certain powers which it can check the operations of the other two
 Chart pp. 68
5. Judicial Review
 Power of the courts to determine whether what government does is in accord with the Constitution
 Declare unconstitutional, illegal, null, or void
 Est. in landmark supreme court case of Marbury v. Madison 1803 (John Marshall)
6. Federalism
 Division of power among the central government and state governments
7. Supremacy Clause (Chpt 4)
 Constitution supreme law of the land
Sec. 2
Amendments #1-10, #11-27
Chapter 4; Sec. 1
What is Federalism?
Delegated Powers
Expressed Powers
Implied Powers
Reserved Powers
Concurrent Powers
Supremacy Clause
Should Sates be required to enforce Federal Laws? (pg. 109) Printz v. United States
Federalism: Delegated v. Reserved Powers
Delegated Powers = only those powers delegated (granted) to the Federal Government as stated in the Constitution.
3 Types; Expressed, Implied, and Inherent
Expressed Powers
 Powers directly delegated to Nat’l Gov’t; also called “enumerated powers”
 Article I, Section 8, 18 clauses, Constitution expressly gives 27 powers to Congress
 Article II, Section 2 powers to the President
Implied Powers
 NOT directly stated in the Constitution, but “suggested”, implied
 Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 gives Congress the “necessary and proper clause” (convenient
and useful clause)
 Also known as Elastic Clause, over the years, it has been stretched to cover so many
situations
Reserved Powers = powers granted to the States under the 10 Amendment
Concurrent Powers = powers shared both by the Federal Gov’t and State Gov’t
TimeLine
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1607 First permanent settlement
1689 English Bill of Rights
1763 French and Indian War ended (Treaty of Paris)
1775 First shots of Revolutionary War
1776 Declaration of Independence adopted
1777 Articles of Confederation (1st form of gov’t)
1783 Revolutionary War ended (Treaty of Paris)
1787 Constitutional Convention
1789 Constitution ratified
1791 Bill of Rights ratified
Six Basic Concepts of
Democracy
Worth of Individual
Examples
Six Basic Concepts of the
Constitution
Limited Government
Equality of all Persons
Republicanism/Popular
Sovereignty
Majority Rule, Minority
Rights
Checks and Balances
Necessity of Compromise
Federalism
Individual Freedom
Separation of Powers
Free Enterprise
Supreme Law of the Land
Judicial Review
Examples