Study Guide: Unit 1 - Political and Economic Structures
LSN Government - McConnell
Directions:
● Answer all of the questions highlighted in yellow.
● Read the text to review the topics.
● Review the slides and other resources as needed.
● The test may include items NOT on this study guide.
● The vocabulary for Unit 1 can be found here.
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Lesson 1 - Purposes of Government (slides)
Government is the public institutions that make decisions and implement policies for a society.
All governments serve the same basic purposes. The essential role of government is to solve problems that
cannot be solved by individuals or the market (business).
1. What are the three main purposes all governments serve (according to our class)?
a. Maintain order
b. Provide a national defense.
c. Promote general welfare
2. The police and law enforcement are an example of WHICH purpose of government?
Maintain order
a.
3. Free public education (schools) is an example of WHICH purpose of government?
a. Promote general welfare
Constitutional government
A constitution is:
● The supreme (most powerful) law of a country.
○ No other law can violate it.
● It establishes the basic structure (organization) of a government and defines the government's powers
and duties.
○ The “rulebook” for how the government is set up and run.
The Preamble to the US Constitution (1787):
“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty
to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
4. According to the Preamble (above), WHO is ordaining and establishing (creating) the US Constitution?
a. We the people
5. In the Preamble, what do the red highlighted parts of the text show? (What are they?)
a. These can be seen as the purpose of our government
The social contract.
6. Who is the social contract made between?
a. The social contract is made between the government and a contract between society and the
government
According to Thomas Hobbes, people gave up some of their rights to the government and in return received
order, safety, and protection.
According to John Locke, people gave up some of their power to the government and received protection of
their natural rights (life, liberty, and property). Natural rights CANNOT be taken away. Everyone has them.
7. Where do natural rights come from?
a. From birth
Lesson 2 - Forms of Government (slides)
Unitary, Confederate, and Federal Systems:
You should review how power is held in a unitary, confederate, and federal system. Vocab sheet here.
Type of Govt
Who holds the
power?
Unitary
National government
Confederate
State governments
Federal
Both national and state
governments
8. In which types of government (unitary, confederate, or federal) is power most concentrated (held in a
small area)?
a. Unitary governement
9. In a confederate system, all major government power is held by whom?
a. The state
Study the definition of each type of government:
● Absolute Monarchy
● Constitutional Monarchy
● Dictatorship
● Representative Democracy (republic)
● Direct Democracy
● Oligarchy
Limited vs. Unlimited Government:
Limited government is constitutional government. A government whose power is controlled by a constitution
is a limited government.
10. What is the difference between an absolute monarchy and a constitutional monarchy?
a. In an absolute monarchy, the power of the king or queen is unlimited
b. In a constitutional monarchy, the power of the king or queen is limited through a country’s
constitution
11. When we say that a government’s power is “limited,” what is it limited by?
a. The government’s power is limited by the constitution
Democracy vs. Authoritarianism:
Review the advantages and disadvantages of democracy (link).
Review the advantages and disadvantages of authoritarianism.
12. There are advantages and disadvantages to democracy and authoritarianism. Fill in this chart
Advantages
Disadvantages
Democracy
Respect of human rights
Slow decision-making
Authoritarianism
Quick decision-making
Do not respect human rights
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Direct Democracy vs. Representative Democracy:
Direct Democracy:
- People debate and vote directly on laws.
-
Representative Democracy (also called a “republic”):
- Voters elect others to create laws and run the government on their behalf.
Lesson 3 - Federalism (slides)
Federalism: A system of government in which the authority of government is shared by and divided between
national and state governments.
13. How does this chart (above) relate to the concept of federalism? Explain your thinking. (1-2
sentences).
a. The chart shows how power is distributed among the state and national government and it
also shows some of the power’s both state and national government share together
b. This relates to federalism because federalism is a form of government where authority and
power is being shared and divided among the national and state government.
Some Powers Granted by the Constitution…
To the National Government
To Both the National AND
State Governments
To the State Governments
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Coin Money
Conduct Foreign Relations
Regulate commerce with
foreign nations and among
states
Provide an army and navy
Declare war
Establish courts inferior to the
Supreme Court
Establish Post offices
Make laws necessary and
proper to carry out the
forgoing powers.
●
●
●
●
●
Tax
Borrow Money
Establish courts
Make and enforce laws
Spend money on the
general welfare
●
Regulate commerce
(business) within a
state.
Conduct elections
Ratify amendments to
the US Constitution
Exert powers the
Constitution does NOT
delegate to the national
government or prohibit
the states from using.
●
●
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Some Powers Denied by the Constitution…
To the National Govt
●
●
●
Tax articles exported
from one state to
another
Violate the Bill of Rights
Change state
boundaries
To Both the National AND State
Governments
●
●
●
●
Grant titles of nobility
Permit Slavery (13th
Amendment)
Deny Citizens the right to
vote based on race, color, or
previous servitude (15th
Amendment)
Deny citizens the right to vote
based on gender and/or sex
(19th Amendment).
To the State Governments
●
●
●
●
Tax imports or exports
Coin money
Enter into treaties with
foreign countries
Abridge the privileges or
immunities of citizens or
deny due process and/or
equal protection (14th
amendment).
14. According to the charts above, in the United States, which part of the government has the power to tax?
a. Both part of the governmenthas the power to tax
15. There are advantages and disadvantages to federalism. Fill in this chart (below):
Advantages
Disadvantages
Federal System:
power shared
between national
and state govts
Makes everyone participate in the
decision-making process to urther
better the country/ economy
Hard to coordinate response to issues
(example COVID response in the US).
Unitary System:
power held only by
national govt
Easy to coordinate
Singular decision-making authority
Detached from local needs
Confederate
System: power held
Local decision-making.
Hard to coordinate
by states
●
Review the federalism video.
●
Federalism Cartoon:
○ Be prepared to explain what this cartoon is saying.
16. According to this cartoon, what do the states WANT from federalism?
a. The states want federal benefits
17. According to this cartoon, what do the states NOT accept from federalism?
a. The states reject federal authority
Lesson 4 - Economic Systems and Principles (slides)
● Review the vocabulary sheet (Click the link)
Four Types of Economies
Traditional Economy:
An economy based on historic customs (practices).
Mostly subsistence farming = you produce just enough to survive.
What you produce is primarily used for you and your family, not sold to others.
Market Economy (Free
market):
an economic system where buyers and sellers determine supply, demand, and
prices.
Command Economy:
an economic system where the government controls what is produced and in
what quantity (supply) and controls or sets prices.
Mixed-Market Economy:
An economic system where the free market mostly determines supply, demand,
and prices but the government creates rules and regulations and may get
involved in certain industries (like power).
Market Economy
Command Economy
Mixed Market Economy
What determines prices?
Supply and Demand
Government policy
Mostly supply and demand.
Government can for certain
issues.
Who sets prices?
Buyers and Sellers
The government
Mostly buyers and sellers.
Government may control
certain prices. (For example,
healthcare).
Who decides WHAT to
produce?
Producers
(individuals,
businesses).
The government
Mostly producers. The
government may produce
certain things or require
businesses to produce certain
things at times (such as
during war).
Who owns the means of
production (land, energy
grid, natural resources,
factories)?
Private individuals or
companies
The government
Most things are private. But
the government may get
involved in some areas (ex.
electric grid, water, public
housing).
18. Which type of economy has the MOST government control? Which type of government has the
LEAST government control?
a. The type of economy with the MOST government control is command economy
b. The type of economy with the LEAST government control is market economy
19. How is a market economy different from a command economy?
a. In a market economy, SUPPLY and Prices are determined by supply and demand
b. In a command economy, SUPPLY and PRICES are determined by the government
Opportunity Cost:
● Opportunity cost is the value of the next-best alternative when a decision is made.
● The benefit you give up by choosing to do one thing instead of another.
● Example: If you only have 3 hours before you need to go to bed and you spend the 3 hours playing
video games instead of studying, you gave up the opportunity to study.
○ The opportunity cost of playing video games was 3 hours of study time.
● Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-hYzRncxTc
20. If a local government decides to spend $1 million on hiring more police officers, what is a possible
opportunity cost of this decision?
a. They could use that money to help further develop the economy. Thye could like build
schools, give home for homeless, build more orphanages, more hospitals and other facilities
we need in the community.