UNIT ONE:
FOUNDATIONS OF
GOVERNMENT
PACKET
Topic: Intro to Government Vocab Chart
Word
Legislative Power
Exectuive Power
Judicial Power
State
Government
Definition:
Example or
Illustration
Student Handout
Decoding the Preamble Puzzle
~ Preamble by Mike Wilkins
Directions:
The picture above is an artistic version of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. Look carefully and then
translate this picture to determine the actual words of the Preamble.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
The Preamble outlines six (6) functions of the U.S. government created by the Constitution. What are they?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What Does Government Do?
The Preamble to the Constitution
“We the People of the United States, in Order to…
Establish justice
examples:
Insure domestic tranquility
examples:
Provide for the common defense
examples:
Promote the general welfare
examples:
Secure the blessings of liberty to
ourselves and our posterity
examples:
…do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Chapter 1 Notes:
Introducing Government
I. ______________________ = institution that makes authoritative decisions for a group of
people
II. Functions of Government
A. Maintain __________________ (military or the treaties governments sign to end wars)
B. Provide ___________________ (roads, parks, Medicare, etc.)
C. _______________ (make laws, settle disputes, etc.)
D. Make ____________________________________________ (power to tax, set
interest rates, establish free trade or tariffs or blockades/embargoes
III. Purposes of American government are outlined in the
_________________________________________________________
IV. Politics = who we select as our leaders & what policies they pursue to promote public
interest
V. _____________________________________ = how government responds to the people; a
set of institutions and activities that link together political ideas and public policy
VI. People express their desires to linkage institutions
EXAMPLES:
_______________________________________________________
VII. Linkage institutions influence policy agenda of policymaking institutions (the 3 branches
of government & bureaucracies)
VIII. Democracy = means of selecting and organizing government officials
A. Direct/participatory:
_____________________________________________________
B. Indirect/representative democracy:
__________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
___
IX. Robert Dahl: Traditional Democratic Theory = certain criteria are essential for an "ideal
democratic process"
A. _______________ in voting
B. Effective ___________________________
C. Enlightened __________________ (free speech, free press)
D. Citizens control agenda (power to be involved)
E. _______________________: citizenship must be available to all
X. American democracy focuses on the worth of an individual, equality of all persons,
compromise and individual freedom = political culture is shared by most people living in the
country
XI. Distribution of power in government structure
A. Unitary = central government makes decisions for ALL regions or territories (those
other lower level governments that do exist merely carry out the laws of the central
government; they don't craft any NEW law)
Example: __________________________________________________
B. Federal = central government shares some powers with regional (state) government; a
constitution outlines the powers of lower level government (10th Amendment)
Example: __________________________________________________
C. Confederate = regional government hold the power and behave autonomously
(independently)
Example: __________________________________________________
XII. Distribution of Power Among Branches of Government
A. Parliamentary system = Prime Minister is the executive, who is also a member of the
legislature; the majority party elects this person who will serve in BOTH branches - fusion
of power
B. Presidential system = President is the head of the executive branch and does NOT
serve in the legislative branch; they often "check" each other and rely on each other to get
certain jobs done
Example: President signs bills into law that the legislature designed
FEDERAL SYSTEM
UNITARY SYSTEM
PRESIDENTIAL
SYSTEM
PARLIAMENTARY
SYSTEM
Founders & Framers Notes
Name of Framer/Founder: Notes:
Name: ________________________________
Illustration:
Name: ________________________________
Illustration:
Name: ________________________________
Illustration:
Name: ________________________________
Illustration:
Type of Government AND
DEFINITION:
Monarchy =
Dictatorship =
Theocracy =
Single Party State =
Direct Democracy =
Parliamentary Democracy =
Presidential Democracy =
Illustration
Federalists
Anti-Federalists
Definition:
Definition:
Individuals/examples:
Individuals/examples:
Federalism
Checks & Balances
Individual Rights/Liberties
Judicial Review
Limited Government
Popular Sovereignty
1. Why did the founding father use these principles as a guiding measure for the new government?
2. Give an example of how EACH principle applies to daily, political life or government in some
way.
Positives:
Articles of Confederation
Negatives:
Shay’s Rebellion: What happened? Who was involved? Why did it happen? How
did it end? What did it demonstrate about the government
The Debate Over Representation
VIRGINIA PLAN
NEW JERSEY PLAN
GREAT COMPROMISE OR CONNECTICUT
COMPROMISE
CH. 3 NOTES: GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE US CONSTITUTION
1. Ratified in 1788 with assurance that a _______________________ would be added
(___________________________________________________)
2. Congressional elections and presidential election held in _______; Bill of Rights
ratified in ______
3. Collective political values (political culture) are represented in the document
4. __________________________________________________________
1. People and government must follow a system of laws
1. States have certain protocols (procedures) toward one another--for
example: ________________________________________
___________________________________________________
2. Constitution is __________________________________________
3. Abuse of power is punishable through impeachment process and court systems
What does "Limited Government" mean?
The national government:
o
_____________________________________________________________________
___
o
_____________________________________________________________________
___
o
_____________________________________________________________________
___
o
_____________________________________________________________________
___
A state government:
o
_____________________________________________________________________
___
o
___
_____________________________________________________________________
o
_____________________________________________________________________
___
o
_____________________________________________________________________
___
5. POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY/REPUBLIC
a. Power resides with the ____________________________________ who are granted
the right to vote for representatives (republicanism)
b. States must have republican form of government too (______________
___________________________________________________)
c. In short: The government derives its power from the people; a
______________________________________ between the gov. and the people exists and
____________________________________ ___________ must uphold the commitment to
protect and serve the citizens
6. SEPARATION OF POWER = __________________________________________
a. 3 separate branches of gov. limits the ability of one branch to dominate the others
b. Branches rely on others to complete certain responsibilities (i.e. Congress
__________
______________, but President can ______________________________; President
appoints judges, but _____________________ must approve or reject, etc.)
7. FEDERALISM
a. __________________ government and _____________ government share some
power
b. Delegated powers are given to the federal gov. in US Constitution (i.e. coin money,
declare war, regulate interstate trade)
c. Reserved powers are those held by the states and protected in the
_________________
(powers not given to the federal gov., or denied to the states, are reserved for the
states)-- i.e. education, health and family law, licensing
d. _______________________ -- shared by both governments (taxation, court
systems, law enforcement)
8. INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY
a. In ____________________________, judges serve for life and have a secure salary- this ensures they will make decisions they believe are best according to the laws, rather than
according to politicians, interest groups, or someone who can fire them or reduce their salary- _______________________________________________________________!
9. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS
a.
_____________________________________________________________________
b. Freedom of __________________________________________________
c. Treason is not ______________ of the government-- it is direct acts of war against
the government or the aiding of foreign countries against the government
THE CONSTITUTION AND THE AMENDMENT PROCESS
Methods of Ratification
Methods of Proposal
Method 1
Usual Method
Method 1
Or
Method 2
Or
Method 2
Questions for Discussion
1. What is a constitutional amendment?
2. Why do you think the Founders built in the amendment process into the Constitution?
3. Since the Constitution’s ratification in 1788, there have only been twenty-seven amendments added
to the original document. Why is it so difficult to change the Constitution?