Study of Government

 Government vs. Politics Government  An institution Politics  A process

  Population  Territory  Government  Sovereignty 4 features of a state

  The state exists to serve the will of the people Purpose of the “state” under the Social Contract Theory

  Form a more perfect union  Establish justice  Provide for the common defense  Promote the general welfare  Insure domestic tranquility  Secure the blessings of liberty 6 Purposes of Government in the Preamble

  The will of the majority cannot be used to deprive the rights to a member of a minority group. Majority Rule vs. Minority Rights

  Complaints of the wrongs done to the colonists Major content of the Declaration of Independence

  Only a legislative branch, consisting of a unicameral Congress Branches of government under the Articles of Confederation

  Decided to draft a new constitution What resulted from the Philadelphia Convention

  New Jersey Plan: unicameral Congress with each state represented equally, a federal executive  Virginia Plan: 3 branches, with a bicameral Congress  Connecticut Plan: Congress would have 2 Houses; smaller Senate and a larger House Convention Plans

  Made it possible for smaller states to support the creation of a strong central government Smaller states favor Connecticut Compromise

  Federalists: favored ratification of the Constitution  Anti-Federalists: feared that the new government would have too much power and the people too little. Federalists vs. Anti- Federalists

  Legislative branch  Judicial branch  Executive branch Power separation in the Constitution

  Congress: senate approves the President’s nominee for Supreme Court justice  President: can veto an Act of Congress  Courts: Supreme Court declares a law unconstitutional Checks and balances examples

  “We the People”  Popular sovereignty 1 st three words of the Constitution and its principle

  Has built-in provisions or accommodating change Constitution has lasted 200+ years…

  Bill of Rights ratified in 1791  An amendment may only be changed by another amendment Ratification of the Bill of Rights and beyond

  Divides power between a National Government and State Governments Purpose of Federalism

  Summary: Refusal of McCulloch from paying taxes  Ruling: McCulloch won due to the Supremacy Clause McCulloch v. Maryland

  States must honor the legality of one another’s civil laws Full Faith and Credit Clause

  Who has power within a federal system of government?  How is power divided within this system? 19. Political Cartoon (88- 89)

  Discuss the 6 purposes of government as outlined in the Preamble. (p. 8-9)  Explain or justify the Social Contract Theory of government. (8)  Describe the system of checks and balances created by the Constitution. (67) 20. Essay Brainstorm