1. Characteristics and Origins of the State

2. SOL.GOVT 2-The student will demonstrate knowledge of the political philosophies that shaped the development of the United States constitutional governments by a. Describing the development of Athenian democracy and the Roman republic b. Explaining the influence of the Magna Carta, the English Petition of Rights, and the English Bill of Rights c. Examining the writings of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and Montesquieu.

3. d. Explaining the guarantee of the rights
d. Explaining the guarantee of the rights of Englishmen set forth in the charters of the Virginia Company of London. e. Analyzing the natural rights philosophies expressed in the Declaration of Independence. f. Examining George Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights, Thomas Jeffeson’s Virginia Statute Religious Freedom, and James Madison’s leadership role in securing adoption of the Bill of Rights by the First Congress .

4. Principles of Government
The State: a body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically, and having the power to make and enforce laws without the consent of a higher authority.

5. 4 Characteristics of a “State”
Population: there must be people! Can be many or a few
Biggest:
China : billion (19%)
India: billion (18%)
USA : ,474,000 (5%)
Smallest:
Vatican City has a population of 770
San Marino has 32,020 residents.
St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City, the world's smallest country

6. 4 Characteristics of a “State”
Territory: there must be land with known and recognized borders
San Marino
Smallest:
Vatican City: 0.2 square miles; world's smallest state
San Marino: 24 square miles
p. 65
Mesopotamia-Present Day Iraq…through Middle East, Egypt, and remained in Southern Israel.
-covenant-would be “father of many nations”. Eventually, grandchildren settled in Israel and Jewish nation established there.
Vatican City

7. 4 Characteristics of a “State”: Largest
2-Canada
3.85 million square miles
1-Russia
6.6 million square miles
4-United States
3.53 million square miles
3-China
3.74 million square miles

8. 4 Characteristics of a “State”
Sovereignty: the absolute power within its territory of a state to decide domestic, economic, and foreign policy
U.S. States are not “states” in the international sense, since they don’t have sovereignty. Why not?

9. 4 Characteristics of a “State”
Government: must have a politically organized institution which makes Public Policy: courses of action taken by a gov’t in response to the problems it faces and goals it sets.

10. Afghan game of Buzkashi
Origins of the State
The Force Theory: the state was born in force when one person or a small group claimed control over an area and forced all within it to submit to that person's or group's rule.
Bullying; the biggest dominate the rest “survival of the fittest”; how did early humans fight? Hand-to-hand combat with sharp and heavy things! (Braveheart); Genghis Khan and effect of horseborn soldiers; goat chase; Lord of the Rings TwoTowers: gandalf’s charge of the orcs to save the day (closeup of their faces-FEAR) Horse was a game-changer! Mobile weapons platform
Afghan game of Buzkashi
(“Goat Killing”)

11. Origins of the State
Evolutionary Theory: developed from the early family, to clan, to tribe. With farming, they had land and now were a state.
*Small, separate family units or clans cooperate or "team-up" with each other to better their chances of survival.
My family allies with yours to protect ourselves from the families on the other side of the mountain;

12. Origins of the State
Divine Right Theory: God created the state and gave those of royal birth the “divine right” to rule. (Kings & Queens of the Royal family)
*Democratic ideals sprang from rebellion against this theory

13. Social Contract Theory one of the foundations of the American political system.
Origins of the State
The state only exists to serve the will of the people, and they are the source of all political power enjoyed by the state. The people can choose to give or withhold this power.

14. Limited Government
According to Thomas Hobbes: Early humans lived in “state of nature” where life is “nasty, brutish, and short”!
So people agreed to create a state with limited power for the well-being of all
“Society is a mile wide and an inch deep”-without the police, it would probably be The Purge everyday…

15. Influence on American Government
Many important American documents incorporate democratic ideals drawn from the words of European political writers Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean- Jacques Rosseau
The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, justified the American Revolution by saying King George had violated the contract that England had with the American Colonies