Forms of Governments
Sponge #42
How do you think you performed on the
History test?
Is there anything you are still confused
about pertaining to the History
standards? If so, what?
Quick Test Review
Let’s discuss some of the questions on
the History test before we proceed to
Government standards!!!!
Activator:
Hmmm…Why do we need governments anyways?...
Hmmm…Why do we need governments
anyways?...
Discuss with your elbow
partner.
(2 mins)
Why Do We Have
Governments?
All countries require governments to
function.
Governments provide laws, structure,
public services, and national defense.
There are different types of
governments:
What Are We About to Learn?
SS6CG4: The student will compare and
contrast various forms of government.
What Will You Be Able To Do?
Describe the ways government
systems distribute power: unitary,
confederation, and federal.
To study governments, geographers
look at the following:
Systems – How the power is
distributed.
Types – Who rules and who
participates.
Systems of Government are based
on one question: How is the
power distributed?
There are three ways governments
distribute power:
Unitary
 Confederation
 Federal

Unitary
One central government controls
everything.
Power is not shared between states,
counties or provinces.
Examples : United Kingdom, France,
the Netherlands, and Spain
Unitary
Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority
Central
Authority
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority
Confederation
A voluntary association of independent
states that agrees to follow a powerful central
government.
Nations can choose to follow or not follow the
lead of the weak central government.
Examples: Confederate States of America
( 1861-1865), Russian Federation.
Confederation
Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional
Regional
Authority
Authority
Central
Authority
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority
Federal
Power is shared by a powerful central
government.
States or provinces are given
considerable self rule, usually through
their own legislatures.
Examples: United States, Germany
Federation / Federal
Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority
Central
Authority
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority
Ways Government Distributes
Power
All key powers
are held by the
central
government
Unitary
Strong central
government
State/regional
authorities
hold most of
the power
Federal
Confederation
Weaker central
government
Warm Up
Let’s See What You Remember
Identify the government system.
WRITE THE STATEMENTS!!!!
1.) ______ voluntary association of independent
states that agrees to follow a powerful central
government.
2.) _____ power is shared by a powerful central
government.
3.) _____ one central government controls
everything.
Before We Move On….
Systems of Government are based on
one question which is????????
Draw the Following Diagram
Unitary
Confederation
Federal
Sponge # 44
Read pages 134-135 in CRCT
workbook.
5 mins.
Hot Seat
I placed sticky notes under some desks,
please check to see whether you have a
sticky note under your desk.
If you have a sticky note under your
desk, please raise your hand. You have
to read and answer the question aloud.
Types of Government are based on
one key question: Who governs
(leader) and what is the citizen
participation?
There are three types of governments:

Autocracy, Oligarchy, and Democracy
Autocracy
Government in which the power to
govern is held by one person.
Generally the power to rule is inherited
or by military force.
Autocracy
--Has a single ruler with unlimited power
--Citizens have no ability to participate in the
selection of the ruler or in the creation of laws
--One benefit of this type of government is that
decisions for a country can be made quickly
However, the needs of the people may be ignored
or unheard
--The leader may make poor or selfish
decisions that hurt the people
There are three
forms of Autocracy.
Autocracy
Dictatorship
Absolute
Monarchy
Constitutional
Monarchy
#1 Dictatorship
The leader has not been
elected and uses force
to control all aspects of
social and economic life.
Examples: Adolf Hitler in
Germany and Joseph
Stalin in the Soviet
Union
#2 Absolute
Monarchy
A monarchy has a king, queen, emperor
or empress.
The power is usually inherited or
passed down from family members.
The monarch has absolute power
meaning they can make all decisions
without consulting anyone.
#3 Constitutional Monarchy
Kings, queens or emperors share power
with elected legislatures.
Generally the Kings are nothing more
than figureheads.
The government is a democratic one
that limits the monarchs power.
Example: Great Britain
*Figurehead-A person who is head of a group in name only,
having no authority or responsibility.
Oligarchy
--“rule by a few” = country is ruled by a
small group of people
A government in which a few people
such as a dominant clan or clique have
power.
The group gets their power from either
military, wealth or social status.
Elections may be held but offer
only one candidate.
Examples: Greek city states
Oligarchy
Elections may be held but offer
only one candidate.
Citizens do not participate in the
government
Examples: Greek city states
Democracy
In a democracy, the government is
“Rule by the people.”
There are two forms of democracy
Direct Democracy – People vote on all the
issues.
 Representative Democracy – People elect
representatives and give them the power to
vote on issues.


Example: United States
In a democracy….
Individual freedom and equality is
valued.
Free elections are held.
Decisions are based on majority rule.
All candidates can express their views
freely.
Citizens vote by secret ballot.
Democratic Governments
There are two major forms of
democratic governments:
Parliamentary
 Presidential

Parliamentary Democracy
Voters elect members to the Parliament
(legislature)
Parliament has two Houses:


House of Commons: The Political Party with the
most votes in the House of Commons chooses the
Prime Minister, the government’s leader with no
set length of term.
House of Lords: Little power with most members
being nobles having inherited their titles
Parliamentary Democracy
–
Citizens vote for members of the legislative branch, and then
the legislature chooses the leader
• The citizens DO NOT get to directly choose the leader
–
They have to vote on members of legislature first, and then
those representatives choose the leader
–
Head of government and head of state are TWO different
people
Examples: United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Australia
Presidential Democracy
Voters elect legislators
Voters elect (indirectly) the president.

Therefore, in the presidential system voters
have a more direct say about those who
serve in two branches of the government :
Legislative
 Executive

•
Examples: U.S.A., Russia, Mexico
Presidential Democracy
Unique thing about this type: there’s a
separation of powers between the
branches of government
The leader is constitutionally
independent of the legislature
Example: the leader does not make the
laws, the legislature does.
 Examples: U.S.A., Russia, Mexico

Parliamentary
System
Presidential System
Executive
Executive
Select
Legislative
Elect
Legislative
Citizens
Citizens
Low or No Participation
Autocratic
Low or No Participation
Oligarchic
Citizen Participation
Government Power
General Citizens’
Participation
Select Citizens’
Participation
Government Power
Citizen Participation
Government Power
How Governments Determine
High Participation
High Participation
Citizen Participation
Low or No Participation
Democratic
Putting it all together….
The United Kingdom is an autocratic
constitutional monarchy with a
parliamentary democracy and a unitary
system.
The United States is a presidential
democracy with a federal system.
What do those statements mean?
What do you remember?
What are the three types of
governments?
What are the three systems of
government?
Low or No Participation
Autocratic
Low or No Participation
Oligarchic
Citizen Participation
Government Power
General Citizens’
Participation
Select Citizens’
Participation
Government Power
Citizen Participation
Government Power
How Governments Determine
High Participation
High Participation
Citizen Participation
Low or No Participation
Democratic
Ways Government Distributes
Power
All key powers
are held by the
central
government
Unitary
Strong central
government
State/regional
authorities
hold most of
the power
Federal
Confederation
Weaker central
government