Pop Quiz: Absolutely no talking Part I: Name all three Kardashian sisters. Who is the starting center for the LA LAkers? Who is Jay-Z married to? Who sang the hit song “Friday Night TGIF”? Who won the Super Bowl last season?

Warm Up: Pop Quiz Part II: Name the two Senators from California. Who is the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? Who is the current Secretary of State? Who is the mayor of Los Angeles? What is the name of the governor of California?

Compare Results Part I vs. Part II Which group do you think has a greater influence over your life?

Warm Up: Describe what your life would have been like if, from an early age, you would have been free to do what ever you want without parental oversight?

Chapter 1 Section 1

Why should you study government? Government affects your life every day.

What would your life be like without government? Who would protect you? Who would protect the environment? Who would respond to disasters? Who would protect consumers and property owners? Who would protect your rights?

What is government? Government is the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies. Public Policies- all the things a government decides to do.

Seating Chart

Warm Up: What makes up a nation?

Power Governments must have power to carry out public policy. Power is the ability to command or prevent action, the ability to achieve a goal.

Types of Power Legislative- the power to make law and create public policies. Executive- the power to execute, enforce and administer law. Judicial- the power to interpret laws, determine their meaning and settle disputes.

How a government uses its power is often outlined in a constitution. A constitution establishes the basic laws, principles, structures and process of government.

Types of Government Dictatorship- Power is held by a single person or a small group of people. Democracy- Power is held by a majority of the people.

The State A group of people living within a defined territory organized with a government with the power to make and enforce law, without the consent of a higher authority.

Four Characteristics of a State Population = People Territory = Land Sovereignty = supreme power within its own territory Government= political organization

Why are governments created?

Read: Second Treatise on Government, pg 11 Answer Questions #1-4

Other theories of why people form governments

Force Theory One person or a small group claimed control over an area and forced all people in that area to submit to that person or groups rule.

Evolution Theory State developed naturally based on family structure. One person was head of the family, this was the first stage of political development. Family groups developed clans. Clans developed into larger tribes. Tribes developed agriculture, and became tied to the land. The State was born.

Divine Right Theory God created the state and gave those with royal birth the “divine right” to rule. People obeyed ruler as if they would God.

Social Contract Theory “State of Nature” – No government. Anything you could take by force belonged to you. No authority existed to protect one person from another. Survival of the fittest. Social Contact- To overcome state of nature, people agreed with one another to create a government. People give up power to the state to promote the safety and well being of all. The state developed as a voluntary act of free people.

Which theory of government do you think is most accurate? Explain why?