Unit 4: Foundations of
Government in Georgia
SS8CG1: The student will
describe the role of citizens
under Georgia’s constitution.
Georgia’s Constitution
GA was one of the original 13
colonies and became a state after the
American Revolution.
 Georgia adopted its first constitution
in 1777.
 In 1983, Georgians approved the
state’s tenth constitution.

Georgia’s constitution states:
1) Any power the government has is
given to it by the citizens and is for
the good of everyone.
 2) Georgia’s gov’t is meant to serve
people and the constitution allows the
people to change the gov’t when it
fails to serve their needs.

GA’s constitution continued:

There are 11 articles in the 1983
constitution. The first article consists
of a bill of rights, twenty-eight
paragraphs that set out the rights of
Georgia citizens.
Separation of Powers
The Georgia constitution, like the U.S.
constitution, divides the
responsibilities of government among
the three branches in what is known
as a separation of powers.
 Separating government powers
creates a “limited government.”

3 Branches of Government
3 branches of gov’t continued:

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The executive branch can veto bills passed
by the legislative branch and can call
special sessions of the legislature.
The legislative branch can impeach officials
in the executive or judicial branches. It can
override a governor’s veto of bills to make
them into laws. It can propose a
constitutional change.
It must also confirm appointments made by
the governor.
3 branches continued…


The judicial branch determines
whether or not laws are
constitutional.
Each branch of government is
responsive to the citizens of Georgia
because most officials in each branch
are directly elected by the voters.
Checks and Balances
Each branch of government was
given some power to control or
prevent some actions of the other
two branches. This process is known
as a system of checks and
balances.
 The checks and balances ensure that
no one branch becomes too powerful.

Rights and Responsibilities of
Citizens
-Sovereignty- the concept that
power and authority rest with the
citizens.
-Federalism- a system where the
national, state, and local
governments share authority over
the same land and the same
people
The status of citizenship
If your parents are U.S. citizens or if
you were born in the United States,
then you are a U.S. citizen.
 You are entitled to all of the protections
and rights afforded by the federal and
state constitutions.
 These rights include free speech, the
right to bear arms, freedom of religion,
and the right to a speedy and fair trial.

The status of citizenship
continued…

Naturalized citizens are foreign
nationals (those who were born in
other countries) who chose to
become American citizens and
give up their citizenship in those
other countries.
The status of citizenship
continued…


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People who are 18
years of age
who have lived in
this country for at
least five years,
and who entered
the country legally
can apply for
citizenship

They must meet
certain
requirements- an
ability to read and
speak English; a
knowledge and
understanding of
U.S. history; good
moral character; &
a belief of the
principles of the
U.S. Constitution
Rights and Responsibilities of
Citizens
 Voting, while a right, is also the
most basic responsibility of
citizens, enabling them to
participate in government.
 Another responsibility of citizens
is to pay federal, state, and local
taxes to fund the services those
governments provide.
Rights and Responsibilities of
Citizens continued…
 Another responsibility is upholding
the laws of the nation.
 Also, defending the nation against
its enemies.
 (All young men are required to
register with the Selective Service
Board when they turn eighteen).
Voting Qualifications
 To
register to vote in Georgia, a
person must be at least 18 years
old and a citizen of the United
States.
 An individual must also be a legal
resident of Georgia and the county
in which he or she registers.
Elections
A
general election is held in
November in at least every evennumbered year. This is when
major federal and state officials
are selected.
 Other elections are held as
needed to select public officials.
Elections continued
 Voters
select the most important
state officials.
 These officials, in turn, appoint
others who work for and with
them.
Political Parties
 Political
Parties are organized
groups of people who share
common ideals and who seek to
influence government policies and
decisions by electing members of
their party to government offices.
Political Parties continued..

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Today, America has
two major political
parties:
The Republican Party
and the Democratic
Party
Members of these
groups share
common beliefs
about government’s
role in American life
Political Parties continued..
 People
who are not members of
these two major parties are
usually referred to as
independents.
The General Assembly
There are 180 members of the house of
representatives and 56 members of the
senate.
 Members of the legislature are elected
by popular vote to two-year terms of
office.
 There is no limit to the number of terms
a representative or senator can serve.

The General Assembly
continued…
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Members of the Senate
must be:
25 years of age
Citizens of the U.S.
Citizens of Georgia for at
least two years
They must have been
legal residents of the
district from which they
were elected for at least
one year


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Members of the House
must be:
21 years of age
Citizens of the U.S.
Citizens of Georgia for at
least two years They
must have been legal
residents of the district
from which they were
elected for at least one
year
The General Assembly
continued…
The General Assembly is bicameral:
(has two houses/chambers).
 One is the house of representatives and
the second is the senate.
 The lieutenant governor presides over
the senate.
 Members of the House elect a speaker.


Casey Cagle- GA’s
lieutenant governor

The lieutenant
governor does not
have a vote in the
senate, but the
speaker of the
house votes when
it is necessary to
break a tie.
Committee System
 Members
of the Georgia house
and senate are organized into
committees.
 All bills must be reviewed by a
house or senate committee before
they can be brought to either the
whole house or sent for a vote.
Committee System
continued..
 Some
committees are permanent,
lasting from one session to the
next. They are called standing
committees.
Some of the standing committees
include:

The Ways and Means Committee which
handles bills involving taxes

The Appropriations Committee which works
on the budget


The Judiciary Committee which deals with
bills concerning the state’s laws and court
system.
(Other committees are organized for a
special task and last only until their work is
complete).