Why is the study
of government
important?
We all have opinions on
everything…..

What are your opinions on the following:







Gun laws
Federally funded /mandated health care
Prayer in school
Welfare
Gay marriage
Abortion
Federally funded college education
So, yes, we can all
have opinions on
issues.
But what does this have
to do with
understanding how
government works or
functions?
Write down and explain the
meaning of one of these
quotes:
 “Too often we enjoy the
comfort of opinion without
the discomfort of thought.”
--John F. Kennedy
 “Everyone is entitled to their
own opinion, but not to their
own facts.”
--Daniel Patrick Moynihan
 “Opinion is the exercise of
the human will which helps
us to make a decision
without information.”
--John Erskine
What’s the difference
between an informed and
uninformed opinion?
 Which is easier to argue
against?
 Has someone ever
successfully changed your
opinion about a subject?
How?
This is one of the more
important classes you’ll take
in high school!
Why?
 "No one is born a good citizen;
no nation is born a democracy.
Rather, both are processes
that continue to evolve over a
lifetime. Young people must be
included from birth. A society
that cuts off from its youth
severs its lifeline." --Kofi
Annan
Politics & Government does affect you!
 “A government big
enough to give you
everything you want, is
strong enough to take
everything you have.”
—Thomas Jefferson
 “Just because you do not
take an interest in politics
doesn’t mean politics
won’t take an interest in
you.”
—Pericles, 430 BC
In this 21st century age of
information….
 We need to be able to effectively
share our opinions.
 But we must be educated about
the topics.
 The purpose of this class is to
teach you HOW government
works and WHY your
involvement matters.
If we fail to teach you this, here is the
consequence:
“The best argument
against democracy is a
five-minute
conversation with the
average voter.”
Winston Churchill
What does that mean?
And yet:
“ It has been said that
democracy is the worst
form of government
except all the others
that have been tried.”
--Winston Churchill
 What does THIS mean?
The purpose of this class:
Teach you about the various forms of
government in the world, with a
particular focus on understanding our
own.
To help you understand what it means to
be a “citizen” of a state & nation.
To learn about the politics, or process,
involved in government and how the
making of POLICY affects us all.
UNIT #1 ESSENTIAL
QUESTION:
 How do people around the
world form governments
to
 Establish order
 Provide security
 & accomplish common
goals?
What is
PUBLIC POLICY?
THIS IS A TERM THAT WE WILL REFER TO OFTEN
IN THIS CLASS.
PUBLIC POLICY

WHAT GOVERNMENT DOES OR DOES
NOT DO TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE OR
PROBLEM (think about the list of issues
we just gave our opinions on)
 Policy might take the form of
a law or regulation
 Policy is directed toward a
goal or desired solution
 Policymaking is part of an
ongoing process; it's often
revisited or revised
PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES:

TAXATION

DEFENSE

EDUCATION

CRIME

HEALTHCARE

TRANSPORTATION

ENVIRONMENT

CIVIL RIGHTS

WORKING CONDITIONS