1. Government Basics

2. Sponge #1: Gov’t
Name ONE thing that you think the government should do AND ONE thing you think should NOT be something government should do.

3. Question:
Who has the power?

4. Ways Governments Distribute Power
Unitary
Confederation
Federal

5. Federal
Power is divided between one central authority and several regional authorities
Example: United States has federal government that meets in Washington DC and state governments in each state
Federal Government – Power to declare war
State Government – Power to set speed limit
Countries in Middle East: Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Iraq (new government)

6. Ways Government Distributes Power
Federation / Federal
Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional Authority
Regional Authority
Central Authority
Regional Authority
Regional Authority

7. Unitary Power is held by ONE central authority
Regional authorities do NOT have power
Examples in Middle East: Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Syria, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen

8. Unitary Central Authority Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional Authority
Regional Authority
Central Authority
Regional Authority
Regional Authority

9. Confederation
Voluntary association of states that often only give a few powers to the central authority
States generally have great deal of independence and are more important than the central government
Example: OPEC – Member nations (regional authority) only give OPEC (central authority) right to decide amount and price of barrel of oil

10. Ways Government Distributes Power
Confederation
Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional Authority
Regional Authority
Central Authority
Regional Authority
Regional Authority

11. Do the citizens (people) of the nation have a say in their government?
Question:
Do the citizens (people) of the nation have a say in their government?

12. Governments and Citizen Participation: Autocracy
Autocratic – one person possesses unlimited power; citizens have limited if any role in government
Forms of Autocratic Governments:
Absolute or Totalitarian Dictatorships
Absolute Monarchies

13. Government and Citizen Participation: Oligarchy
Government by the FEW; citizens have very limited role in government
Government run by small group that gets power from military, social status, wealth, religion, or a combination of these
Examples:
Communist countries like China – leaders in political party and military control government
Afghanistan under the Taliban

14. Government and Citizen Participation: Democracy
Citizens influence the government by voting; citizen participation is highest in this form of government
Two basic types of democratic governments:
Parliamentary Democracy
Presidential Democracy

15. Parliamentary Democracy
Citizens vote on members of legislative branch
Cabinet (made up of members of the legislative branch) has executive power
Legislative branch sometimes elects a Prime Minister
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH has most power
Example: Israel

16. Presidential Democracy
People vote on legislative branch AND leader of executive branch (President)
Government where the president has executive power and is independent of the legislative branch
Power is generally shared among the branches of government
Example: United States

17. How Governments Determine Citizen Participation
High Participation
High Participation
Select Citizens’ Participation
General Citizens’ Participation
Government Power
Citizen Participation
Government Power
Government Power
Citizen Participation
Low or No Participation
Low or No Participation
Low or No Participation
Autocratic
Oligarchic
Democracy

18. Sample Test Question
In Nigeria’s government, power is divided between Central and regional authorities. This is an example of which government type?
A. Unitary
B. Confederation
C. Federal
D. Parliamentary
Corresponds to
SS6- CG1a, CG4a, CG6a
SS7- CG1a , CG4a, CG6a

19. OAS Database Question - Corresponds to
Sample Test Question
What is a basic way citizens of a democratic nation can influence the government?
A. voting
B. working
C. obeying laws
D. consuming goods
OAS Database Question - Corresponds to
SS6- CG1b, CG4b, CG6b
SS7- CG1b , CG4b, CG6b

20. OAS Database Question - Corresponds to
Sample Test Question
In which system of government does the legislature elect the executive leader of the government?
A. democratic
B. communist
C. parliamentary
D. totalitarian
OAS Database Question - Corresponds to
SS6- CG1c, CG4c, CG6c
SS7- CG1c , CG4c, CG6c

21. OAS Database Question - Corresponds to
Sample Test Question
In most democratic countries, the government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. In Canada, the legislative branch is the
A. Parliament
B. prime minister
C. Supreme Court
D. governor general
OAS Database Question - Corresponds to
SS6- CG1b, CG4b, CG6b
SS&- CG1b , CG4b, CG6b