Second Grade, Mrs. Johna Bequette Click on Uncle Sam to begin learning about the US government

Why do we have a government? A government is a group of people who work together to bring order to a community, state, or nation. To keep order, the government makes laws to keep people safe and to help people live together. The government also makes sure that we have the things we need such as roads, schools and parks. Click Uncle Sam to move on

How do we choose our government? Most of the time, people vote to choose their government leaders. An election is a time when people vote to choose a leader they think will make fair laws and make good choices. Click Uncle Sam to move on

Levels of Government There are three levels of government in our country: The Local Government The State Government The National Government Click Uncle Sam to move on

Local Government The city or town you live in has a government. In Ste. Genevieve, we have a mayor. A group of people called the city council help the mayor to make decisions about our town and choose leaders such as the chief of police. Let’s meet the government of Ste. Genevieve. Click Uncle Sam to move on

Ste. Genevieve’s Government Ste. Geneveive Fire Fighters Richard Greminger Mayor Richard Herbel City Administrator Ste. Geneveive Police Dept. Click Uncle Sam to move on

State Government The state government makes important decisions for our state. The leader of the state is called a governor. The governor and people elected from each city in the state work together to make important decisions and laws for our state. Let’s meet Missouri’s government. Click Uncle Sam to move on

Missouri’s Government The governor and the other leaders of Missouri work in the capitol of Jefferson City. Governor Matt Blunt Missouri State Capitol Building Click Uncle Sam to move on

National Government Over 200 years ago, American leaders met in the city of Philadelphia to plan a new government for our new country. The plan they wrote is called the Constitution of the United States. It tells how our government will work and lists many important laws and freedoms. Click Uncle Sam to move on

The Constitution The Constitution gives people in the United States certain rights, or freedoms. These freedoms include the right to vote, to pray as we choose, and to say what we think. The Constitution also makes sure that all laws are fair and equal. Click Uncle Sam to move on

Parts of National Government The Constitution says that the United States government has three equal parts that work together. These parts are: The President The Congress The Supreme Court Click Uncle Sam to move on

The President The President of the United States is the leader of the country. He works in our national capitol of Washington D.C. in the White House. He chooses people to help him run parts of the government. President George W. Bush The White House Click Uncle Sam to move on

The Congress The Congress makes laws for the United States and is made up of two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The members of Congress are chosen by people from each state. They work in the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The Capitol Building Click Uncle Sam to move on

The Supreme Court The Supreme Court makes sure that all the laws in the country follow the Constitution and are fair. It has nine judges. A judge is a person who makes important decisions in a court of law. The Supreme Court Building Click Uncle Sam to move on

Being a Good Citizen A citizen is a person who belongs to a community, state or country. You are a citizen of your town or city, your state, and your country. People who are not born in the USA may become a citizen by asking permission from our government and passing a test about the United States. Click Uncle Sam to move on

Responsibilities of Citizens Citizens say “The Pledge of Allegiance” to promise to be loyal to our country. As a citizen, you have certain responsibilities. A responsibility is something you should do. As a child, you can promise to obey laws, keep our country clean, and learn about our government. When you turn 18, you should be responsible and vote. Click Uncle Sam to move on

Our Nation’s Symbols In the United States, we have many symbols that show that we are a proud nation. Some of these symbols may be monuments. A monument is a building or statue that is built to remember heroes or important events in our history. Let’s look at some important national symbols. Click Uncle Sam to move on

The Bald Eagle The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States. The bald eagle was chosen because it reminds people of strength and courage. Click Uncle Sam to move on

The Liberty Bell The Liberty Bell rang out in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The bell is a symbol of our country’s freedom from Great Britain. Click Uncle Sam to move on

Uncle Sam Uncle Sam is not a real person. He is a symbol of the United States government. He has the same initials as the United States: U.S. Click Uncle Sam to move on

Links and Resources Thank you for touring the United States government with me. If you want to learn more, you may follow these links: Ben’s Guide to Government White House for Kids Missouri Governor’s Mansion President for a Day Be a Good Citizen by Recycling with Jimmy Neutron Most of the text and layout for this presentation was taken from Houghton Mifflin’s second grade Social Studies text, Work Together, which was published in 2003.