Break up into small groups (3 or 4)
and:
 Develop a definition for government
 answer the Essential Question – is
government necessary? ( explain and
defend your position)
 Read the quote on page 3 (The Federalists
No. 51) and reflect on what James
Madison thinks is the great difficulty
when creating a government.
Section 1 – Government and the State
 Guiding Question: What is government and what is its
purpose?
 Student Objectives:
 Define government and the basic powers every
government holds.
 Describe the four defining characteristics of a state.
 Identify four theories that attempt to explain the
origin of the state.
 Understand the purpose of government in the
United States and other countries.
Definition of Government
 Institution through which society
makes and enforces public policies
 Legislative, judicial and executive
power (every government has these in
some way)
 Dictatorship – power held by a person
or small group
 Democracy – power held by the people
Characteristics of a State
 Population
 Territory – land with known and
recognized boundaries
 Sovereignty – supreme power within
its territory
 Government – agency through which
the state exerts its will and works
towards its goals
Origin of the State
 Force Theory – An individual or group claimed control
over a territory and forced the population to submit.
 Evolution Theory – A population formed out of
primitive families. The heads of these families became
the government.
 Divine Right Theory – God created the state, making it
sovereign. The government is made up of those chosen
by God to rule a certain territory.
 Social Contract Theory – A population in a given place
gave up as much power to a government as needed to
promote the well being of all.
Purposes of Government
 Form a more perfect union
 Establish justice
 Ensure domestic tranquility
 Provide for the common defense
 Promote the general welfare
 Secure the blessings of liberty
The Preamble
 Break into small groups and examine the five
purposes (skip Form a More Perfect Union) of our
government, as outlined in the Preamble to the
Constitution.
 As you read and reflect on these purposes,
identify ways the government succeeds in
achieving these goals and identify ways the
government fails to live up to these goals. Be as
specific as you can be with your examples. (See
Chart)
Purposes of
Government
Establish justice
Insure domestic
tranquility
Provide for the common
defense
Promote the general
welfare
Secure the blessings of
liberty
Successes
Failures
Section 1 Review – Student Objectives
 Define government and the basic powers every government
holds.
 Institution through which society makes and enforces public policies
 Legislative, Judicial and Executive power (every government has these in
some way)
 Dictatorship – power held by a person or small group
 Democracy – power held by the people
 Describe the four defining characteristics of a state.
 Population, Territory, Sovereignty, Government
 Identify four theories that attempt to explain the origin of the
state.
 Force, Evolution, Divine Right, Social Contract
 Understand the purpose of government in the United States
and other countries.
 More perfect union, establish justice, domestic tranquility, common
defense, promote general welfare, secure the blessings of liberty
Section 2 – Forms of Government
 Guiding Question: What are some forms of government
in the world today?
 Student Objectives:
 Classify governments according to three sets of
characteristics.
 Define systems of government based on who can
participate.
 Identify different ways that power can be distributed,
geographically within a state.
 Describe a government by the distribution of power
between the executive branch and the legislative
branch.
Forms of Government
Democracy
 Political authority rests with the people.
 Direct or indirect democracy
Dictatorship
 Rulers not responsible to the
people
 Federal – power is shared by local and
national government
 Government not accountable for
policies or how they are carried
out
 Confederate – power centered in local
governments
 Autocracy – one person rules
 Unitary – power centered in national
government
 Presidential – powers separated into
executive and legislative branch
 Parliamentary – executive branch is part
of legislature
 Oligarchy – small group rules
 All are authoritarian
 Most are totalitarian
 Militaristic
Break into small groups and answer the following
questions. ( you may need to refer to your text)
 Many dictatorships endure for a decade or longer. What
characteristics of this form of government contribute to the
longevity of dictators?
 In the parliamentary governments of some countries, the prime
minister remains in office only a short time. What characteristics of
this form of government contribute to the short duration of some
prime ministers?
 Why do you think that the majority of governmental systems today
are parliamentary?
 Would a parliamentary system of government be good for the
United States? Why or why not?
Break into small groups
and:
Complete the Predictions side
of the Forms of Government
Core Worksheet for all three
scenarios, for both
democracies and dictatorships
(six predictions in all)
Scenarios
Food shortage
caused by drought
Recycling and
alternative energy
programs
Constitutional
amendment on
term limits
Democracies
Dictatorships
Section 3 – Basic Concepts of
Democracy
 Guiding Question – What are the basic
concepts of democracy?
 Student Objectives:
 Understand the foundations of democracy.
 Analyze the connections between
democracy and the free enterprise system.
Majority rule,
minority
rights
Individual
worth
Compromise
Democracy
Equality
Individual
freedom
Democracy
Reflecting Ideal
Falling Short
Majority Rule,
Minority Rights
Public space used
for the common
good
1st Amendment
Rights
Segregation
Compromise
When Congress
works
When Congress
doesn’t work
Individual Worth
Jobs training
programs for
unemployed
Access for disabled
Homeless living on
the street
Individual Freedom
Equality
Patriot Act
Wage disparity
between men and
Duties and Responsibilities of
Citizenship
Duties
Responsibilities
 Serving on a jury
 Voting
 Serving as a witness when
called
 Volunteering
 Attending school
 Participating in civic life
 Paying taxes
 Understanding the
workings of our
government
 Registering for the draft
 Obeying the laws
 Respecting the rights of
others
Voting is crucial
in any democratic government.
Break into small groups and discuss:
Should citizens be required by law to vote?
Should voting eligibility be restricted?
List some benefits and drawbacks to this idea.
Chose someone to share your groups thoughts on
the idea.
Democracy and the Free Enterprise
System (aka Capitalism)
 Private ownership of capital goods
 investments made by private decision, not government
directive
 Success or failure determined by competition in the
marketplace
 Four fundamental factors
 Private ownership
 Individual initiative
 Profit
 Competition
Chapter 22, Section 1
The Origins of the Modern State
 Ancient Foundations
 Athens: The Birthplace of Democracy
 Roman Republic – The origins of representative government
 Feudalism- system of loose alliances between lords and
vassals in medieval Europe
 Legitimacy
 People believe government has the right to make public
policy
 Established by tradition, power of personality, or rule of law
 Divine right of kings-traditional belief that God granted
monarchs authority to rule
Chapter 1 Review
 Democracy / Dictatorship
* Free Enterprise
 Legislative Power
* Autocracy
 Executive Power
* Oligarchy
 Judicial Power
* Divine Right Theory
 Federal Government
* Evolutionary Theory
 Confederate Government
* Force Theory
 Unitary Government
* Social Contract Theory
 Presidential Government
* Citizen
 Parliamentary Government
* Politics
Chapter 1 Review Continued
 Concepts of Democracy: Majority Rule/Minority Rights,
Individual Worth, Equality, Individual Freedom,
Compromise
 Purposes of Government:






Form a more perfect union
Establish justice
Ensure domestic tranquility
Provide for the common defense
Promote the general welfare
Secure the blessings of liberty
Be able to discuss the importance of compromise in government.
Be able to discuss the connection between democracy and the free
enterprise system.
Answer the Essential Question: Is government necessary?