Class Starter
 Look at your Unit I Plan
 Using a highlighter, identify the target(s) or “I
can” statements that we cover.
 “I can” statements will be your test!
“The State”
What are the four characteristics of a
state?
 Nations, countries, and states all refer
to the same thing!
 In order to be a “state”, you must have
four things:
 Territory
 Population
 Sovereignty (ability to make own laws)
 Government
What are the four theories of the
Origin of the State?
 Major Political Ideas (Origin of
the State)
 Force Theory: 1 person/group forces
power and submission of other people
 Evolutionary Theory: State developed
naturally out of the “Family.”
 Head of Family  Head of
Government
 Divine Right Theory: Ordained by God
 God gave them the right to rule
 Social Contract Theory: State exists to
serve the will of the people
 People are the source of power – free
to give or withhold power
Traditional Forms of Government
 Feudalism: People are bound to a King (loyal)
and in return King provides protection
 Absolute Monarchy: King/Queen has
total control of military and government
 Authoritarianism: unlimited
amount of power, no restraints on
power of government
 Despotism: absolute power/tyrannical rule
(tyrant)
 Liberal Democracy: Protects
individual rights; consent of the
governed
 Totalitarianism: controls all facets of life
Democracy
 Of the people, for the people
(People are source of power)
 Equal rights (protection of rights)
 Representative government
Dictatorship
 Not responsible for policies
 Autocracy/Oligarchy
 Authoritarian – absolute power
 One leader (Despot)
 Governs without consent of the
people
Unitary
 Centralized government (one unit)
 Limited local government
 One legislature (created by
constitution)
Federal
 Division of powers
 Central & Local Governments
(National, State, and Local
Government)
 Each have own set of powers
 Separation of Powers (3 branches)
Confederate
 Limited powers – only handles
matters that member states assign
to it
 Central organization – alliance of
individual states
 No power to make laws that apply
to individual states
 Come together for a common cause
Presidential
 Two branches are equal and
separate
 Executive Branch led by President
 Executive & Legislative branches
are popularly elected
Parliamentary
 Executive and Legislative branch
are combined
 Executive must answer to
Parliament (Legislature)
 Executive (Prime Minister) is
elected by Parliament (Legislature)
Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Wonder
Woman, George Washington, Benjamin
Franklin, John Adams, James Madison
 English Colonists brought
ordered, limited, and
representative government
 Ordered: Justice of the Peace,
Sheriff, Counties, etc.
 Limited: Restricted power and
individual rights
 Representative: Government
serves the will of the people
 Influential Documents
 Magna Carta (1215): granted
Englishmen certain rights (trial by
jury, protection of property, etc.)
 Power of the monarchy was not absolute
 The Petition of Right (1628):
limited kings power
 The English Bill of Rights (1689):
written to prevent abuses by the
King/Queen (right to a fair trial, no
excessive bail, no cruel and unusual
punishment)
 Natural Rights:
John Locke
rights inherent in
human beings
(life, liberty &
property)
 Consent of the
Governed:
government gets
its authority
from the people
 Limited
Government:
restrictions
should be placed
on the
government to
protect the
natural rights of
the people
Comparisons –Natural Rights
 “The state of
nature has a law
to govern it”
 “Laws of Nature
and Nature’s
God”
 “Life, Liberty and
 “Life, Liberty and
property”
John Locke
the pursuit of
happiness”
Thomas Jefferson –
Declaration of
Independence
2.4 – CREATING A
CONSTITUTION
 Need for a Stronger Government
 Philadelphia Convention, May,




1787
Delegates agreed to create a new
government
55/74 delegates attended, 12/13
States attended
Framers (all had distinguished
backgrounds and most had
education)
Independence Hall – Sworn to
Secrecy – Extremely HOT!
Virginia Plan
 3 Branches (Legislative,
Executive, & Judicial)
 Legislative: Bicameral,
decided by population &
monetary contributions,
House – popular election,
Senate – House elected
New Jersey Plan
 3 Branches (Legislative,
Executive, & Judicial)
 Legislative: Unicameral,
Each state has equal
representation
How should the States be
represented in Congress?
 Connecticut Compromise
 Bicameral Legislature: House –
Population, Senate – equal
representation
 Sources of the Constitution
 British tradition, State
Governments, and John Locke’s
Two Treatises of Government
Date Finished: September 17, 1787
 Federalists
vs.
 Favored
ratification
 Madison &
Hamilton
 Federalist
Papers
Anti-Federalists
 Opposed
ratification
 Jefferson
 Believed National
Government was
too powerful
 Wanted Bill of
Rights
 September 13, 1788:
11/13 States ratified the
Constitution
 New York City – Capital,
Congress located on Wall
Street
 April 30, 1789: George
Washington took the oath
of office