GOVERNMENT ON A TUESDAY UNIT 1: FOUNDATIONS OF GOVERNMENT We’ll get our own tea, thank you very much

THE STATE State-a political community occupying territory with an organized government with power to make and enforce laws without approval from a higher authority Nation-group of people united by common bonds of language, custom, race, religion, culture, etc. Nation-state-combines the nation and the state: U.S. would be a nation-state

FEATURES OF A STATE Population Territory Sovereignty-supreme and absolute authority within its boundaries Government-institution through which the state maintains order

THEORIES OF THE ORIGIN OF THE STATE Force-developed when all people were brought under the authority of a person or group

Evolutionary-developed out of the family into what it is today

Divine right -notion that a god or gods chose certain people to rule

Social contract -people surrender to the state the power needed to maintain order and the state, in turn, agrees to protect the citizens

PURPOSES OF GOVERNMENT Maintaining social order Providing public services Providing national security Making economic decisions

GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS Unitary-all key powers belong to the national government Example: United Kingdom Federal-powers are divided between national and state governments Example: America Confederacy-a loose union of independent states Example: Confederate States of America

Presidential system-a government in which the president leads the executive branch

Parliamentary system-a government in which executive and legislative functions both reside in an elected assembly David Cameron, Former British Prime Minister

TYPES OF GOVERNMENT Autocracy-power to rule is in the hands of a single individual Totalitarian dictatorship Absolute monarchy Constitutional monarchy Oligarchy-a small group holds power Democracy-rule by the people Direct-all citizens vote Representative-people vote for others who in turn vote for them

Constitutional Monarch Queen Elizabeth II (United Kingdom)

Absolute Monarch-King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia-he’s the one on the right

TOTALITARIAN DICTATORS Mussolini Stalin Hitler

CHARACTERISTICS OF DEMOCRACY Individual liberty Majority rule with minority rights Free elections Competing political parties Active participation Educated public Social consensus

OUR ENGLISH POLITICAL HERITAGE Documents that shaped American ideas Magna Carta (1215) Placed limits on the monarch’s power Petition of Right (1628) King could not levy taxes without the consent of the Parliament English Bill of Rights (1688) Enhanced the power of Parliament Promoted speedy trials, other freedoms The documents above, the Enlightenment, and the growth of Parliament led to a belief in representative government; the colonists brought these ideas to America

SETTLEMENT OF AMERICA The British founded 13 colonies in America from 1607-1733 Democracy grew widely here but many were excluded Colonies developed written constitutions, court systems, elected legislatures, and separated powers between the legislature and the governor The British still expected allegiance to the king

REASONS TO SEEK INDEPENDENCE British Parliament claimed right to control the affairs of the colonies The colonists claimed there should be “no taxation without representation” Colonists opposed rules and regulations about where they could settle Stamp Act-direct tax on the colonists for newspapers, legal documents, etc. “Boston Massacre”

Colonists set up 1st and later 2nd Continental Congress with representation Revolutionary War between Britain and the colonies begins Declaration of Independence written by Jefferson, approved July 1776

THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION Was the first written government of the US Was replaced by the Constitution

Articles of Confederation STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT Congress was the only branch Unicameral legislature President was chosen by the legislature

Articles of Confederation POWERS OF CONGRESS Make war/peace Receive ambassadors Borrow money Build army/navy Settle state disputes

Articles of Confederation OBLIGATIONS OF THE STATES Obey the Articles Provide funds for troops Surrender fugitives Allow open travel

Articles of Confederation WEAKNESSES No power to tax Had to borrow Couldn’t regulate trade Couldn’t force states to obey Unanimous vote needed to make an amendment