1. NY State Learning Standards 2
Unit 1 Lesson #6 Government Aim: Which type of government is the most effective?
Do Now: Your teachers won the lottery and are taking you on vacation! Unfortunately, we just crash landed on a deserted island. Your teachers did not survive, but you and your classmates are alive and alone. Will you work together and create a new society? Or will you form gangs, kill each other, and live in chaos?
NY State Learning Standards 2
Common Core RS 1, 2, 6, WS 1, LS 1, 3, 4

2. Mini-lesson I What is Government?
Government is an organized system that controls and makes decisions for a society.
A society without government is in a state of anarchy.
Somali Pirates

3. Mini-lesson II Types of Government
There are 8 types of government we will learn about and discuss. Then you will decide which one you think is best.
Types of Government
A) Democracy
B) Republic
C) Communism
D) Theocracy
E) Oligarchy
F) Monarchy
G) Feudalism
H) Totalitarianism

4. Mini-lesson II Types of Government
Democracy
Citizens have the right to vote.
First democracy was founded in Athens, 6th century BCE. It was a direct democracy; the most votes wins!
Disadvantage: It takes more time to make decisions

5. Mini-Lesson Types of Government
B) Republic
A Republic is a type of democracy. Citizens vote for people to represent them in the government.
The first Republic was founded in Rome, 509 BCE
The United States is a Democratic-Republic; we vote for Congressmen and Senators to represent us in our government.
Can you name these New York Senators?

6. Mini-Lesson Types of Government
C) Communism 1. All citizens are equal, with an equal distribution of wealth. 2. Based on Karl Marx and Frederic Engels’ book The Communist Manifesto 3. The first Communist government was created in Russia in 1917.

7. Types of Government Continued…
D) Theocracy
A theocracy is controlled by religious leaders.
In Ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh was a King as well as the religious leader. Today, while Iran has a president, its religious leaders have more power.
Today Ayatollah Khamenei is Iran’s most powerful religious leader

8. Turn & Talk Communism is more effective than Democracy
Do you agree or disagree with statement?
Reflect
Turn & Talk

9. Types of Government Continued…
E) Oligarchy
1. An oligarchy is a small group of wealthy and powerful people who control an entire government (often in secret).
2. Ancient Sparta , an ancient Greek city-state was an oligarchy.
Only 28 men, along with 2 kings, made all decisions for Sparta!

10. Types of Government Continued…
F) Monarchy
1. A monarchy is a government ruled by a king or queen.
2. Queen Elizabeth II is the monarch of Great Britain. Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy; her power is limited by the constitution. This is different from an absolute monarch, who has complete power.

11. Types of Government Continued…
G) Feudalism
1. Feudalism is a government based on a system of reciprocity (exchange). A king or lord (powerful landowner) will provide land to a knight (warrior) in exchange for loyalty and protection.
2. Feudalism was the main system of government in medieval Western Europe.

12. Types of Government Continued…
H) Totalitarianism
A totalitarian government has complete control over all aspects of the lives of its people.
Often headed by a dictator (one person with complete power)
Fascism is a type of totalitarian government. The interests of the state are more important than individual rights.
In Nazi Germany, all blond and blue eyed German children were forced to join the Hitler Youth. You did not have a choice. This photo is from 1933.

13. Work Period – Group Activity
1. Create a chart that lists the strengths and weaknesses:
government, anarchy, democracy, republic, communism, monarchy, feudalism, oligarchy, totalitarianism
2. Which system of government do you think is the most effective? Why
3. Which system of government do you think is the least effective? Why?
Bonus Question: Read the quotes below. Which quote do you most agree with and why? Also, which government system do you think they would most support and why?
Thomas Hobbes
“The condition of man [in the state of nature] is a condition of war of everyone against everyone.”
John Locke
“Man in the state of nature is naturally good. However, with no law to organize & regulate the society, there will be chaos.”

14. Turn & Talk A Monarchy is more effective than Oligarchy Monarchy
Feudalism
Totalitarianism

15. Key Vocabulary Anarchy Karl Marx Communism Monarchy Democracy
Oligarchy
Dictator
Republic
Fascism
Theocracy
Feudalism
Thomas Hobbes
Frederic Engels
Totalitarianism
Government
John Locke