4 Theories…
Social Contract Theory
• By SOCIAL CONTRACT – people within
a given area agreed to give up
(voluntarily) to the state as much power as
was needed to promote the safety and
well-being of all
Force
Theory
Force
Theory
State was born of
force
One person/small
group claimed
control over an
area and forced
ALL within it to
submit to the
person’s/group’s
rule
When rule was
established, all the
basic elements of the
state were present
Evolutionary
Theory
State developed
NATURALLY out of the
early family
Primitive family (one person
was the head - “government”)
Over years, the primitive
family became a network of
related families [a clan]
Evolutionary
Theory The 8 – 20 clans to a tribe
Tribe first turned to
agriculture and gave
up its nomadic ways
(tied to the
land)…state
Divine
Right
Theory
From 15th – 18th century, this
was widely accepted in much
of Western World
God or a god/gods created
the state and God/god(s) had
given those of royal birth a
“divine
right” to rule
The people were bound
to obey their ruler as
they would their
God/god(s)
Divine Right
Theory
Opposition to “the
divine right of kings”
was both treason
and mortal sin
Which theory?
What happened?
A name given to the forced relocation
of Native American nations from
southeastern parts of the United
States following the Indian Removal
Act of 1830.
The removal included many members
of the following tribes, who did not
wish to assimilate: Cherokee,
Muscogee, Seminole, Chickasaw, and
Choctaw nations, among others, from
their homelands to Indian Territory
west of the Mississippi River.
The Native Americans who chose to
stay and assimilate were allowed to
become citizens in their states and of
the U.S.
Which theory?
What happened?
Between 1570 and 1600
5 tribes (later a 6th added) came together mainly by
their desire to stand together against invasion, and
advance “peace, civil authority, righteousness, and the
great law”
*The tribes united in a common council composed of clan and village chiefs
- Each tribe had one vote, and unanimity was required for decisions.
• The joint jurisdiction of 50 peace chiefs (sachems) embraced all civil affairs at the
intertribal level.
The Iroquois Confederacy differed from other American Indian confederacies in the
northeastern woodlands primarily in being better organized, more consciously defined, and
more effective.
Which theory?
Which Theory?
What happened?
As with many early small
communities generally, villages of the
Peruvian coastal valleys tended to
grow in size. These autonomous
(self-sufficient) smaller villages are
likely to join as they grow (crossmarriages, for example) , as long as
land is available for the
settlement. This increase in the
number of larger villages occupying a
valley probably continued, without
giving rise to significant changes in
subsistence practices, until all the
readily arable land in the valley was
being farmed
Features
of a
state
Features
of a
state
Population
Territory
Sovereignty
Government
When we are talking about the state…
• Not Texas, Oregon, Vermont (States) . . . Those
are states, but “a state” is something more
than that.
– Def: is a body of people, living in a defined space,
with the power to make and enforce laws, and
with an organization to do this.
does not have to check with any higher
authority in order to make and enforce laws.
Its own organization, or government, is its highest
authority.
The state –Defined by 4 Things
(1) Population
Def: the group of people who
are the members or citizens of
a state.
*Can be large or small
Ex: China has a population
of more than 1.3 billion
people, while the island state
of Fiji has just over 860,000.
The state –Defined by 4 Things
(1) Population
The population of a state also has a
variety of features.
*might be mainly rural or mostly urban.
*A state’s economic situation might mean most
people are very poor, with little access to electricity
or even water. Or the people might be generally
wealthy, enjoying modern homes, running water, and
the latest technology.
- Often this is connected to the level of education
most people within the population have achieved.
*Populations also have their own cultural traditions,
and they usually speak a common language.
The state –Defined by 4 Things
(2) Territory
Def: the area in which a state’s rule
applies.
*A state must have set boundaries.
- However, countries do not always
agree on what each other’s boundaries
are.
The state –Defined by 4 Things
(2) Territory
**Boundaries can change over time.
- Sometimes they change after a war, when the
states involved agree on new boundaries. - When
there is a dispute, states might also negotiate
with each other to decide what the actual
boundaries should be.
- States can purchase territory from other states,
although this is less common today than it was in
the past.
Ex: In 1867, the U.S. bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million.
The state –Defined by 4 Things
(3) Sovereignty
Def: the ability to rule absolutely within a
territory.
- all states are considered equal to each other
**no state may interfere in the affairs of
another state.
The state –Defined by 4 Things
(3) Sovereignty con’t
In our world today, the world’s states have created a
higher authority, called the United Nations.
States agree to follow the UN’s rules for dealing with each
other — but they don’t have to follow them.
**Sovereign states are free to set their own foreign policy,
meaning the kind of relationships they will have with other
states.
**States also have the power to decide how things will operate
inside their own boundaries. Today, though, if a state is unable
to keep its population safe and many people are being killed—
perhaps even by the government—the UN allows other states
to use military force to protect the population.
The state –Defined by 4 Things
(4) Government
Def: the organization inside a state that controls the actions and
policies of the state.
A government (such as United States, specifically) has 6 Main Purposes
Is THAT a STATE?
Is the United
States just one
big state?
 Does it have a population?
YES
NO
 Does it have a territory?
YES
NO
 Does it have sovereignty?
YES
NO
 Does it have government?
YES
NO
Is THAT
sTATE?
The 50 a
states
can’t
make laws that go
What about
“states”
like
against
the U.S.
Pennsylvania
or Ohio?
Constitution…
Are they a state?
They have a
higher
authority
NO
 Do they have a population? YES
above them!
 Do they have a territory?
YES
NO
 Do they have government?
YES
NO
 Do they have sovereignty?
YES
NO
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.
~ Preamble to the Constitution
We the People of the United States…
in Order to form a more perfect Union,
Background
– Article
Confederation
(1781)
establish
Justice,
insureofdomestic
Tranquility,
(firm
league ofdefense,
friendship)
provide for the
common
Government was powerless ; intense rivalries and
promote the general
and
jealousiesWelfare,
among States
secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and
our Posterity, do ordain and establish this
Link the States
andUnited
the American
more
Constitution
for the
StatesPeople
of America.
closely together
~ Preamble to the Constitution
IN UNION THERE IS STRENGTH
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,
T.J. – providing
justiceWelfare,
is “the most
promote
the general
and sacred of the
duties ofofgovernment”
secure the Blessings
Liberty to ourselves and
our Posterity, do ordain and establish this
THE LAW
(ITSUnited
CONTENT
AND
ITS
Constitution
for the
States
of America.
ADMINSTRATION)
~ Preamble to the Constitution
MUST BE REASONABLE, FAIR, IMPARTIAL
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
general
Welfare,
andof any society
Order isthe
essential
to the
well-being
Keeping
at home
has always
been a prime
secure
thepeace
Blessings
of Liberty
to ourselves
and
of government
our Posterity, function
do ordain
and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America.
Imagine life with no government, law, or order (anarchy)
~ Preamble to the Constitution
If men were angels (quote)…
If men were angels, no government would be necessary.
If men were angels - that is, if men were wholly good and wholly
reasonable - there would be no need for government, because every
man would behave morally and would respect the rights of others
without government or law.
But men are not angels. In addition to his reason, man possesses selfish
passions, and sometimes men will follow their passions and hurt
other men. Thus there is a need for some way to restrain those
selfish passions.
The answer is government. The need for government stems from human
nature itself, by the fact that humans by nature are not wholly good,
but capable of both good and evil.
The purpose of government is to encourage the good tendencies of human nature,
and discourage or regulate the bad.
James Madison, Federalist 51
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
Defending
the nation
enemies
secure
the Blessings
ofagainst
Libertyforeign
to ourselves
and–
major
responsibility
our Posterity, do
ordain
and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America.
The world is a dangerous place…must maintain
~ Preamble to the Constitution
its vigilance and its armed strength
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
Government
acts as
servantto
of ourselves
its citizens and
secure
the Blessings
of aLiberty
our Posterity, do ordain and establish this
Ex: Public School
Constitution
for the
States
America.
Quality
of airUnited
and water
andof
food
~ Preamble to the Constitution
The services that government provides are those that
benefit all or most people
We the People of the United States…
“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety” ~ Ben Franklin
Liberty is NOT ABSOLUTE – no one can be free to do whatever he or
she pleases  would interfere with the freedom of others
in
Order
to
form
a
more
perfect
Union,
Many guarantees of rights and liberties in this country BUT does
establish
insureare
domestic
Tranquility,
not
mean that Justice,
those guarantees
so firmly established
that they
exist
forever…Each
must
learn and understand them
provide
for thegeneration
common
defense,
and willing to stand up for them when necessary
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.
~ Preamble to the Constitution
THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?
A state can’t have less than
30,000 people.
THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?
THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?
The boundaries of a territory
can change.
THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?
• War
• Negotiation with
other countries
• Purchasing land from
other countries
THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?
Sovereignty means that you
have to check with someone
above you.
THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?
THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?
Government only exists to
keep order and provide
security.
THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?
The 50 states that make up the
USA are not considered
independent “states.”
THUMBS UP or THUMBS DOWN?
Blessings
of
Liberty
6 Roles of Government
Union
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s/COURSES/Honors%20Government/What%2
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What is Government and
Origins of the State
“If all men were angels, no government would be
necessary”
Federalist 51