Standard 1
 SSCG1 The student will demonstrate knowledge of
the political philosophies that shaped the
development of the US constitutional government.
 Analyze the writings of Hobbes (Leviathan), Locke
(Second Treatise on Government), and Montesquieu
(The Sprit of Laws) as they affect our concept of
government.
Day 1: Government & The State
 Warm Up:
 Make a list of at least 5 things (services)
that the government provides for its
citizens.
 Discuss these services as a class.
What is Government?
(Or, What would your life be like without
government?)
 Who would protect you?
 Who would provide education?
 Who would pave the streets?
 Who would punish criminals?
 Who would care for the elderly & poor?
 Who would respond to fires and natural disasters?
The Definition of a state (i.e. a country)
(4 Characteristics)
1. Population
Examples
 A nation MUST have people.
 The Vatican has the world’s
The number of people has
nothing to do with its status
as a nation.
 The population can be either
homogeneous or
heterogeneous.
smallest population, 880,
while China has the world’s
largest population, 1.3 billion.
 South Korea’s ethnicity is
99.9% Korean, while Canada
has no dominant ethnic
group.
The Definition of a state
(4 Characteristics)
2. Territory
Examples
 A nation must have land.
 Russia, the largest nation, is
 A nation has known and
6,592,800 square miles; the
smallest, Vatican City, has
108.7 acres.
 A border dispute between
Russia and China east of
Mongolia puts the
boundaries of these countries
in flux.
recognized boundaries, that
are defined by international
law and must be respected;
these boundaries can change.
The Definition of a state
(4 Characteristics)
3. Sovereignty
Examples
 A nation has supreme and
 Citizens of Saudi Arabia must
absolute power within its own
territory.
 A nation decides its own
foreign and domestic policy.
 A nation defines its own
government and forms its
own economic systems.
adhere to strict Islamic dress
codes in public.
 In 1958, Cuba chose a
communist form of economy
and government.
The Definition of a state
(4 Characteristics)
4. Government
Examples
 Government is the institution
 The 104th Congress struggled
through which a society
makes and enforces public
policies.
to draft a federal budget that
would reduce the nation’s
deficit.
 The U.S. has many levels of
government: national, state
and local.
 Every nation is politically
organized, even though forms
of government vary.
 Public policies are all the
things a government decides
to do.
 Taxation, defense, health care
are all examples of public
policies.
Day 1 & 2 Vocabulary
Quiz Friday!
 Government
 Legislative Power
 Judicial Power
 Dictatorship
 State
 Sovereign
*Public Policy
*Executive Power
*Constitution
*Democracy
GOVERNMENT
The institution through which a
society makes and enforces its
public policies.
Public Policy
 All of the things a government decides to do
– taxes, education, crime control, health
care, etc.
Legislative Power
The power to make a law and to frame
public policies.
Congress
Executive Power
 The power to execute, enforce and
administer laws.
 President, VP and Cabinet
Judicial Power
 The power to interpret laws, to
determine their meaning, and to settle
disputes within the society.
 Courts
 Supreme Court
Constitution
 The body of fundamental laws setting
out the principles, structures and
processes of a government.
Dictatorship
 A form of government in which the
leader has absolute power and
authority.
Democracy
 A form of government in which the supreme authority
rests with the people.
 VOTE
State
 A body of people living within a
defined territory (means the country).
who have a government with the power
to make and enforce laws.
Sovereign
 Having supreme power within its own
territory.
Day 2: Important Political Theorists
Warm-Up
1) Those with the divine
right were generally of
royal birth. These
individuals would then
be succeeded by their
children. How does
this cartoon illustrate
that concept?
2) How does the position
of the king give him a
God-like presence?
3) Is the cartoonist in
favor of or against the
Divine Right? How do
you know?
Greek Origins of the Study of
Government
 Plato and Aristotle were the first Western philosophers
to evaluate the nature of man as a “political animal”
and the rightful shape of the government. Many
elements of their thinking survive today, including the
importance of the common good and the rule of law.
Greek Philosophers
Plato (428-347BCE)
Aristotle (384-322BCE
 Raised in a distinguished
 Greek philosopher
family in Athens.
 Wrote The Republic
 Analyzed the relationship
between politics & society
 Question:

Is it always better
to be just than
unjust?
 Wrote the Athenian
Constitution: Earliest know
constitution
 Stated, “Man is by nature a
political animal.”
6 IMPORTANT European
Philosophers
1. Niccolo Machiavelli (14691527CE)
 Italian – Florence writer
& statesman
 Wrote The Prince
 Posed the question:
 “As a ruler, is it better to
be feared or loved?”
 What do you think?
2. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679CE)
 English philosopher
 Wrote the Leviathan
 Stated, “We should give
our obedience to an
unaccountable sovereign.
Otherwise what awaits us
is a ‘state of nature’ that
closely resembles civil
war.”
3. Baron de Montesquieu
(1689-1755 CE)
 French philosophe
 Wrote The Spirit of
Laws
 Developed the theory
of Separation of
Powers
4. John Locke (1632-1704 CE)
 English philosopher
 Wrote Second Treatise of
Government: Basis for the
Declaration of
Independence
 3 unalienable Rights: Life,
Liberty, and Property
5. Jean Jacques Rousseau
(1712-1778CE)
 French philosophe
 Wrote Social Contract
 “Republic” – states that
are governed by laws; not
a Monarch.
 Ruler rule according to
the “General Will”
6. VOLTAIRE
1694-1778
 François Marie Arouet
 French
 Tolerance
 Freedom of Religion
 Freedom of Speech
 “I do not agree with a
word you say but will
defend to the death your
right to say it”
Day 3: Forms of Gov’t & Basic
Concepts of Democracy
Warm-Up: Answer 1-6 on
your daily warm-up
sheet.
Social Contract Theory
 Humans live in a “state of nature” in which no
government existed and no one had superior power.
Anything a person acquired was done so by force and a
person was only as safe as his or her own personal
strength. Humans voluntarily gave up their freedom
to the state in exchange for protection and security.
Social Contract Theorists
 John Locke
 English
 Everyone has
unalienable rights
 Rulers must rule
according to the rights
of everyone
 Jean Jacques Rousseau
 French
 Everyone has rights
 Rules must respect the
rights of the minority,
but rule according to
majority opinion
Standard 2
 SSCG The student will analyze the natural rights
philosophy and the nature of government expressed in
the Declaration of Independence.
 A. Compare & Contrast the Declaration of Independence
and the Social Contract Theory.
 B. Evaluate the Declaration of Independence as a
persuasive argument.
3 Questions to ask about how to Classify a
Government:
 Who can participate in the governing process?
 Who holds the power?
 What is the relationship between the legislative and
the executive branches of government?
Categories of Government According to the
Number of Rulers
 In their writings, Plato and Aristotle described and
analyzed the state in terms of autocracy, oligarchy
and democracy – the rule of one, several and
many. Both Plato and Aristotle advocated this
type of government that was ruled by the educated
elite, that is, an aristocracy; however, throughout
the city-states of Greece they observed all forms of
government. Still used today, governments will
fall into the following three categories.
Categories of Government According to the
Number of Rulers
Autocracy
 The power and authority to
rule are in the hands of a
single individual.
Sovereignty is in the hands
of one –the king, queen,
emperor, tsar, dictator, etc.
 A dictatorship is the most
common form of autocracy
King Abdullah from Saudi Arabia is
an example of an autocratic leader.
Categories of Government According to the
Number of Rulers
Oligarchy
 A small group holds the
power to govern. The
power is derived from
wealth, military power,
social position, education,
or some combination of
these. Sovereignty is in the
hands of a few.
 A modern example is
South Africa.
Categories of Government According to the
Number of Rulers
Democracy
 A government in which
the people hold the
power to rule, either
directly or through
elected officials.
Sovereignty is in the
hands of the people.
 The US is an example.
2 Types of Democracies
Direct Democracy
Indirect Democracy
 Also called a pure
 Also called a
democracy
 The people make law
directly in mass
meetings
 All citizens have a
chance to participate
 EX. Ancient Athens
representative democracy
 The people elect
representatives and give
them the power to
govern
 EX. U.S.
Categories of Government According to
Division of Power
 Unitary or Centralized Government – All
powers belong to a single central agency.
 Example: France, UK, governments of the 50 states of
the U.S.
 Federal Government – Power is divided between
a central and several local governments
 Example: United States of America, Canada
 Confederate Government – An alliance of
independent states forms under a common cause,
such as defense or economic cooperation.
 Example: European Union or Confederate States of
America
Standard 2
 SSCG The student will analyze the natural rights
philosophy and the nature of government expressed in
the Declaration of Independence.
 A. Compare & Contrast the Declaration of Independence
and the Social Contract Theory.
 B. Evaluate the Declaration of Independence as a
persuasive argument.
Test 1 Day 4:
1/12/15
Our Political Beginnings
 Warm-Up: Read the Magna Carta on Pg. 33 of your
textbook.
 Answer the following questions on your own sheet of paper.
 What basic American right has its origins in Article 39
of the Magna Carta?
 Which article provides the basis for the Fifth
Amendment to the Constitution, which states that no
person can “be deprived of life, liberty, or property,
without due process of law?”
 What limits does Article 12 place on the king’s power to
tax?
3 Documents from England
1215
Magna Carta - signed by King John
Codified (made laws) rights of:
1.
Trial By Jury
2.
Due Process – government must act fairly and
in accord with established rules in all that it
does
Importance:
1. Protected against the taking of life, liberty, or
property without due process of law
2. Established that the kings power was not absolute
English Petition of Rights - signed by King Charles I
1628
1689
No one may be imprisoned unless found guilty by a jury
of their peers
Outlawed rule by the military in time of peace (Martial
Law)
No quartering of troops without consent
No tax without consent of Parliament
Importance:
Declared that even the king must obey the law
English Bill of Rights - signed by William & Mary
Prohibited a standing army in peacetime
Guaranteed free election
Freedom to petition the king
Guaranteed fair trial
Freedom from Excessive Bail
Freedom from Cruel & Unusual Punishment
Importance
Forms the basis of our Bill of Rights
3 Governmental Ideas from
England

Ordered Government – a system of
structured local government

Limited Government – Government is
restricted in what it may do & each individual
has certain rights that the government can
not take away

Representative Government – government
that serves the will of the people
1. VIRGINIA – 1607
2. Massachusetts – 1620
3. New Hampshire – 1623
4. New Jersey – 1623
5. New York – 1624
6. Maryland -1633
7. Rhode Island – 1636
8. Connecticut – 1636
9. Delaware – 1638
10. North Carolina – 1653
11. South Carolina – 1663
12. Pennsylvania – 1682
13. Georgia - 1732
Colonial Governments & the 13
Colonies
 As the colonies were established, they set up
governments through which everyday life could be
organized. The types of governments that were
established were largely based on the circumstances
under which they left England and their relationship
with the English Crown. The next 2 slides will detail 4
types of colonies.
Colonial Governments & the 13
Colonies
1.
2.
3.
Royal Colonies – Subject to the
direct control of the crown

Governments usually
bicameral legislature – 2
houses

Example: Virginia & Georgia
Proprietary Colonies –
Organized by a person whom the
king had made a grant of land

Example Maryland &
Pennsylvania (William
Penn)

Pennsylvania government
was unicameral – 1 house
Charter Colonies – Based on
charters granted to the colonists

Example: Connecticut &
Rhode Island
4. Buffer Colony – established
to create a buffer (a separation)
between two areas. Example –
Georgia a buffer colony
between NC, SC and Spanish
Florida.
All Colonies Shared the following
characteristics:
Natural Rights: Colonial
governments protected
people’s rights to life,
liberty & property.
Higher Law: Colonial
governments could not
violate English law.
Checks & Balances: Each
branch of government
was subject to approval
or monitoring by the
other branches.
Separation of Powers:
Colonial governments
had separate branches –
executive, legislative &
sometimes judicial.
Representative
Government: At least
one house in each
legislature was composed
of members elected by
male landowners.
Week Two Vocabulary
 Sovereign
 Compromise
 Autocracy
 Free Enterprise System
 Oligarchy
 Law of Supply and
 Unitary Government
Demand
 Mixed Economy
 Articles of
Confederation
 Ratification
 Quorum
 Framers
 Federal Government
 Division of Powers
 Confederation
 Presidential Government
 Parliamentary
Government
Tuesday
1/13/15
Day 5: The Coming of Independence
 Warm-Up:
 John Adams Boston Massacre Scene:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sqykgL9lUk
 John Adams Boston Massacre Trial:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iyrv5emDC1Y
 Discuss your thoughts about each of these after
viewing.
Steps to Independence
1754-1763
1765
French & Indian
War - English
Army and
Colonists defeat
French.
Stamp Act- a tax
on a legal
documents,
newspapers,
decks of cards,
and dice.
1764
Sugar Act –
British
Parliament puts
a tax on sugar &
molasses
1770- Boston
Massacre
.
Steps to Independence
1773
1775
Boston Tea Party –
colonists dump tea
in Boston harbor in
protest of the tea
tax
Battles of
Lexington &
Concord – troops
begin the war for
independence
1774
May 1775
First Continental
Congress – 12 of the
13 colonies send
representatives to
Philadelphia; 56
delegate…colonists
begin to UNITE!
Second Continental Congress
– this meeting convenes in
response to the escalating
conflict with the King
Steps to Independence
1783
Treaty of Paris officially
ends the American
Revolution; Britain
recognizes the
independence of the United
States.
July 4, 1776
The Declaration of
Independence is adopted.
1777
The Articles of
Confederation are adopted
by Congress. It establishes a
confederate government
with a limited central
government.
The Declaration Of Independence
 Reading of the Declaration of Independence
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETroXvRFoKY
 After the reading, use your textbook on pages 40-43 to answer
the following questions on your own paper.
 1. Which truths in the second paragraph of the Declaration of




Independence are “self-evident?”
2. Name the 3 unalienable rights listed in the Declaration.
3. From what source do governments derive their “just powers?
4. In the series of paragraphs beginning, “He has refused his Assent,
“to whom does the word “He” refer?
5. According to the Declaration, what powers belong to the United
States “as Free and Independent States?”


And for a little fun……
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZfRaWAtBVg
Headings Chapter 2 (15) put in
box when finished.
No More Kings!
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-9pDZMRCpQ
Day 6: The Critical Period
Warm-Up
1. What historical figures
are shown here?
2. What are they trying to
do?
3. Why do you think they
are looking at so many
flags?
4. What do you think
makes their decision so
difficult?
Articles of Confederation
 November 15, 1777
 Established “A firm
league of friendship”
Governmental Structure Under
the Articles of Confederation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Unicameral Legislature
Legislature chosen annually
1 state = 1 vote
No Executive or Judicial Branches, both were part of
Congress
Presiding Officer chosen each year by members
Powers of Congress Under the AoC
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Make war & peace
Send & receive ambassadors
Make treaties
Borrow money & set up a money system
Settle disputes among States
Raise an army by asking troops from States
State Obligations Under the AoC
1.
2.
3.
Provide funds & troops requested by Congress
Treat citizens from other States fairly and equally
Allow open travel and trade between States
Weaknesses of the AoC
1.
2.
3.
4.
No centralized government
No power to tax
Can not regulate trade
Make States obey the Article of Confederation
Shays’ Rebellion
 1786
 Daniel Shays led a revolt
of debtors, who
organized to shut down
the courts
 Importance:
 Representation of
economic depression
 Showed the weakness of
the Articles of
Confederation
 http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=3ImIEcsTEVo
Framers
 The group of delegates who attended the Philadelphia
Constitutional Convention May- September, 1787.
 Key Delegates: G. Washington, J. Madison & A.
Hamilton
 Madison became known as “Father
of the Constitution” for his
contributions to its writing.
Key Concepts
The following sources were used to support some of the key concepts used by the
framers in drafting the Constitution.

The Spirit of
the Law by
Montesquieu
Social
Contract by
Rousseau
Two Treatises
of Gov’t by
Locke
Popular Sovereignty
Limited Government
Popular Sovereignty
Limited Government
Popular Sovereignty
Judicial Review
Thur
Day 7: Creating The U.S.
Constitution
8/19/13 Warm-Up:
1) List at least 5 powers granted to Congress under the Articles of
Confederation.
2) What obligations did States have to citizens?
3) What obligations did States have to each other?
4)What powers did Congress have?
5) What gov’t action took place in response to Shay’s Rebellion?
6) Do you believe the Articles proved weak? Why do you think our
Founding Fathers ended up calling for the Constitutional
Convention?
• Proposed by
William Patterson
• Legislative –
Unicameral (each
state to be equally
represented as in
the Articles of
Confederation
• Executive –
“Plural Executive”
to be chosen by
Congress;
Executive has the
power to appoint
federal officials
• Judicial – to
consist of a single
supreme court
The Great Compromise
The New Jersey Plan
The Virginia Plan
• Proposed by
Edmund
Randolph
• Legislative- A
bicameral (2
house) legislature
based on state
population
• Executive – A
national executive
would have a
“general authority
to execute the
national laws”
• Judicial –
Consisting of one
or more “supreme
courts and of
inferior courts”
• Proposed on July
5, 1787 by Roger
Sherman
• Known as the
“Great
Compromise”
• Legislative –
Congress to be
bicameral; lower
house to be based
on population
and upper house
equal
• Three separate
but equal
branches
More Compromises
 3/5ths Compromise – Compromise settling the issue
of population & representation relating to slaves
 “All free persons” should be counted and “3/5ths of all
other persons”.
 Commerce & Slave Trade Compromise – Congress
can’t tax the export of goods from any state
 Congress can’t act on the slave trade for at least 20 years
– until 1808
Powers & Functions Overview
The power to
interpret laws, to
determine their
meaning and settle
disputes
The power to
make laws &
public policies
The power to
execute, enforce
and administer laws
Federalist v. Anti-Federalist
Federalist
Anti-federalist
Leaders: Alexander Hamilton & James
Madison
Leaders: Thomas Jefferson, Patrick
Henry, John Hancock
Support strong Federal government
Support Strong States’ rights
Support the U. S. constitution
Do not support the U.S. Constitution
Federalist will write the Federalist
Papers to gain support for the
ratification of the U.S. Constitution in
the state of New York.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=Vy7FJJ_ud84
Importance: Once Federalists agreed to the Bill of
Rights (first 10 amendments to the Constitution,
which guarantee individual rights such as freedom of
speech, press and right to assemble), the AntiFederalist ratified the U. S. Constitution in 1781.
Purpose of the American Government
Outlined in the Preamble of the Constitution
Form a More Perfect Union – Make a better state
Establish Justice – Equality for all
Insure Domestic Tranquility – Keeping the peace
Provide for the Common Defense – Defending the
nation against local and foreign enemies
5. Promote the General Welfare - Serve all the nation
•
Example: Public schools, safe drinking water
6. Secure the Blessings of Liberty – Guarantee rights and
liberties for all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHp7sMqPL0g
1.
2.
3.
4.
5 Basic Principles of American Democracy


Worth of the Individual
Equality of All Persons



2 Types of Equality – Equality of Opportunity & Equality Before the
Law
Majority Rule & Minority Rights
Necessity of Compromise

Compromise - The process of blending and adjusting competing
views and interests.

Individual Freedom

Assignment: Taking each of these Principles of
American Democracy, write at least 1 paragraph (4
sentence min.) about how each of these in relation in
being a teen in a high school. (i.e. you are all individuals,
you must respect each other, some of your rights are
limited, etc. Describe this and detail your thoughts and
feelings)
Day 8: Ratifying the Constitution
 Fri – 1/16/15
Warm-Up:
Using the chart titled, “Selected Framers of the
Constitution” on pg. 49, discuss:
-What similarities and differences can you see in the
Framers’ backgrounds? Do you think their personal
experiences helped or hurt their ability to draft the
Constitution?
FYI: our first President was a planter and a soldier—NOT
a politician!
Vocabulary
Articles of Confederation
Ratification
Presiding Officer
Framers
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
Connecticut Compromise
Three-Fifths Compromise
Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
Federalists
Anti-Federalists
Quorum
Day 5 & 6 Vocabulary















Limited Government
Representative Government
Magna Carta
Petition of Right
English Bill of Rights
Charter
Bicameral
Proprietary
Unicameral
Confederation
Albany Plan of Government
Delegate
Boycott
Repeal
Popular Sovereignty
Three Ring Government
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS2wD6ahGZQ&li
st=PL5E230B9A1732C6D0&index=5&feature=plpp_vid
eo