G OVERNMENT What is government’s purpose and how does it work to create ordered societies?

W HAT I S G OVERNMENT ? Government is the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies.

T HE S TATE The state can be defined as having these four characteristics:

T HE P URPOSE OF G OVERNMENT The main purposes of government are described in the Preamble of the Constitution of the United States: “ 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.”

P REAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION

C LASSIFICATION BY W HO C AN P ARTICIPATE Democracy In a democracy, supreme political authority rests with the people. Dictatorship A dictatorship exists where those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people. An autocracy is a government in which a single person holds unlimited political power. An oligarchy is a government in which the power to rule is held by a small, usually self- appointed elite.

C LASSIFICATION BY G EOGRAPHIC D ISTRIBUTION OF P OWER Unitary Government A unitary government has all powers held by a single, central agency. Confederate Government A confederation is an alliance of independent states. Federal Government A federal government is one in which the powers of government are divided between a central government and several local governments. An authority superior to both the central and local governments makes this division of power on a geographic basis.

O THER T YPES OF GOVERNMENT A monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch, usually a single person, is the head of state.form of governmenthead of state In most monarchies, the monarch holds control and their position for life There are currently 31 monarchs reigning over 45 extant sovereign monarchies in the world

O THER TYPES OF GOVERNMENTS Theocracy is a form of government in which a God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler. Totalitarianism is state regulation of nearly every aspect of public and private behavior.state

O THER TYPES OF GOVERNMENTS Timocracy is state where only property owners may participate in government; or based on family and personal statusstategovernment

E CONOMIC SYSTEMS C OMMUNISM Is often called a collectivist ideology, which calls for the collective, or state, ownership of land and other productive property Karl Marx’s theory Usually utilizes a command economy

C APITALISM Economic system where the factors of production are controlled by the people who own and operate the businesses within the capitalistic economy United States has a capitalistic economy

S OCIALISM An economic and political philosophy based on the idea that the benefits of economic activity- wealth- should be equitably distributed throughout society Socialist countries can be democracies – there is public ownership of important parts of the economy No emphasis on competition instead emphasize cooperation and social responsibility

C ONSTITUTION Lesson Essential Questions: What are the basic principles of the Constitution? How does the Constitution ensure the rights of Americans?

A MERICAN I NDEPENDENCE On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Between 1776 and 1777, most of the States adopted constitutions instead of charters.

T HE A RTICLES OF C ONFEDERATION The Articles of Confederation established “a firm league of friendship” among the States. Powers Congress was given the power to declare war, deal with national finance issues, and settle disputes among the States. Obligations The States promised to obey Congress, and to respect the laws of the other States. Most other powers were retained by each State.

W EAKNESSES OF THE A RTICLES OF C ONFEDERATION No Power to Tax No Power to regulate trade No Executive or Judicial Branch

S OLUTION ? FEDERALISM Compromise (“The Great”) allowed all states to share sovereignty with national government National government took supremacy over many matters including commerce, defense, civil liberties, etc. State governments took supremacy over issues of great local importance including education, etc. Federalism in America is a combination of confederal (unitary) and federal theories:

B ASIC P RINCIPLES OF THE C ONSTITUTION 1. Representative Government 2. Federalism 3. Separation of Powers 4. Checks and Balances

R EPRESENTATIVE G OVERNMENT Selection of representatives in “free” and scheduled elections Governance by the “consent of the governed”

F EDERALISM – T HE A MERICAN V ERSION Division of power between national, state, and municipal governments Compromise between dictatorial national government and independence of the states Historically, the national government continues to gain power: Expressed Powers: “enumerated” in the Constitution Implied Powers: “suggested” in the Constitution Inherent Powers: certain powers which all independent nations have; i.e. foreign policy matters

D UTIES OF THE N ATIONAL G OVERNMENT Guarantee territorial integrity of the states Guarantee a republican form of government Protect each state from invasion (army) Protect against domestic violence within states 1894 Pullman Strike 1957 Little Rock Crisis 1962 University of Mississippi 1963 University of Alabama 1992 L.A. Riots Assist with natural disasters Congress chooses to admit new states

P OWERS DENIED TO THE S TATES No coining or printing of money No tariffs No troops in peacetime No signing of treaties with other nations without Congressional consent No slavery (13 th Am.) No depriving of life, liberty, property without due process (14 th Am.) No denial of vote on basis of race (15 th Am.) No denial of vote on basis of gender (19 th Am.) No power to destroy the federal system (Civil War?) No “NULLIFICATION”

P OWERS AND R ESPONSIBILITIES OF THE S TATES NO ENUMERATED POWERS IN THE CONSTITUTION (10 th Am – “powers not given to national government are reserved to the states”) Education Marriage Voting Property Laws Public Safety Laws Welfare Establishment of local governments State taxes

S EPARATION OF P OWERS Insures against any one branch from gaining too much power Different constituencies for different branches of government Different terms of office for different branches of government

B RANCHES Lesson Essential Questions: What are the powers of each branch and where are they located in the constitution? How do the Checks and Balances system limit the powers of each branch?

B RANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

P OWERS OF EACH BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT hemes/government/3branches.htm

E LECTORAL COLLEGE

C RITICISMS Under the Electoral College (based on 300 million votes): A candidate can receive 86.1 million votes This is the equivalent to 28.2% of the vote The loser would get million votes This is the equivalent to 71.8% of vote

E LECTORAL COLLEGE The Electoral College system was established in Article II of the Constitution and amended by the 12th Amendment Each state gets a number of electors equal to its number of members in the U.S.