1. The Nature of Power, Politics, and Government
Chapter 1
The Nature of Power, Politics, and Government
Why should you care about power, politics, and government? 1 1

2. Preview Follow these steps to complete a “personal power assessment.”
Make a list of all the individuals, institutions, and circumstances that have power over you. For each item, briefly describe how it has power over you.
Now make a list of all the individuals, institutions, and circumstances in which you have power. For each item, briefly describe how you have power.
Create a simple illustration that represents you and how you feel about power in your life.
Below your illustration, summarize how you feel about power in your life.
Once you have completed the Preview, share your responses with a partner or with the class. 2 2

3. Preview
The assessments you created in the Preview reveal some of your personal assumptions about power.
In the chapter, you will learn why you should care about power and how it connects with the study of politics and government.
Throughout this course, you will learn about power in the American system of politics and government as well as the power you have to influence and participate in that system. 3 3

4. Reading
Be sure you understand the Speaking of Politics terms for this chapter. Use them in your answers as you complete the Reading Notes.
authority
government
power
legitimacy
public good
nation-state
sovereignty
politics
institution 4 4

5. Reading Consider possible answers to the Essential Question:
Why should you care about power, politics, and government? 5 5

6. Reading Read Section 1.1. Then, respond to these questions:
What viewpoint did many colonial Americans hold about government?
Does this attitude continue to be held by contemporary Americans?
Why do you think there is a mistrust of government?
Is government a “necessary evil” or even necessary at all? 6 6

7. Notes to teacher: [Do not project this slide.]
In this Experiential Exercise, students are going to play the Chip game.
In this game, students trade colored chips.
After each round of the game, the student with the highest point value is allowed to make a rule to govern the next round.
Typically, this student will make a rule to stay in power so he or she can continue making the rules in future rounds.
After two or more rounds, other students will likely pool their chips together to “overthrow” this student so they can make the rules. 7

8. Notes to teacher: [Do not project this slide.]
To prepare for the Chip game, do the following:
Prepare the “chips” by cutting 5 pink, 10 yellow, 20 blue, and 25 white index cards in half. If you have more or fewer than 32 students, increase or reduce the number of each color of chip by one for every student.
Mix up the “chips” in a large container or bag.
Cut the six hint cards from Student Handout 1: Hint Cards. 8

9. The Chip Game
You will be playing a game in which you trade colored chips. Follow these rules to play:
For each round, you will have two minutes to trade your chips. All trades—including those in progress—must stop when the time is up.
After trading, the student with the most points will be asked to make a rule for the next round. That rule will apply only to the next round.
Your teacher will randomly give you some chips of differing colors to play the chip game. 9 9

10. Notes to teacher: [Do not project this slide.]
Randomly distribute the chips to students so that the distribution is uneven in both color and amount. To make sure that only one student will have the most points at the end of the first round of trading, give three or four pink chips to one student.
Once the trading begins, expect some confusion as students do not know the point values of the chips and have not been given any guidance on how to trade. Encourage them to move around and trade with one another in whatever way they think makes sense.
When you reveal the point values after the first round of trading, expect students to be surprised and frustrated when they realize the point values of their chips.
Very important - As soon as you determine which student has the most points at the end of Round 1, quietly give them Hint Card 1 and have them quickly read it. 10

11. The Chip Game: Round 1
You may begin trading. 11 11

12. 100 Points 50 Points 25 Points 10 Points
The Chip Game: Round 1
All trades must stop now!
Use these points to calculate the point value of your chips:
White = 10 points
Blue = 25 points
Yellow = 50 points
Pink = 100 points
Who has the most points?
Now the student with the most points will make a rule for the next round. The new rule cannot end all trading and will apply only to the next round of trading.
The teacher will write this new rule on the board so everyone can see it. Remember, this new rule only applies to the next round.
100
Points 50
Points 25
Points 10
Points 12 12

13. Notes to teacher: [Do not project this slide.]
Conduct at least two more rounds of trading. Make these adjustments:
At the beginning of Round 2, give Hint Card 2 to a student. This card encourages the student to build an alliance with the student who is making the rules.
At the end of Round 2, Round 3 and any subsequent rounds, as soon as you determine which student has the most points, immediately give them a copy of Hint Card 1 and have them read it.
At the beginning of Round 3, give Hint Cards 3 and 4 to two other students. These cards suggest that students group together to overthrow the student who is making the rules.
After each round, erase the previous rule and record the new one.
End the game when a group of students has succeeded in overthrowing the student making the rules. Allow this group to make their own rule, and then announce that the game is over. If students do not group together by the middle of Round 4, give Hint Cards 5 and 6 to two additional students.
Reuse the slide for Round 3 for any additional rounds. 13

14. Let’s play another round of trading. You may begin trading.
The Chip Game: Round 2
Let’s play another round of trading.
You may begin trading.
All trades must stop now!
Calculate your points.
Who has the most points?
Now the student with the most points will make a rule for the next round. The new rule cannot end all trading and will apply only to the next round of trading.
The teacher will write this new rule on the board so everyone can see it. Remember, this new rule only applies to the next round. 14 14

15. Let’s play another round of trading. You may begin trading.
The Chip Game: Round 3
Let’s play another round of trading.
You may begin trading.
All trades must stop now!
Calculate your points.
Who has the most points?
Now the student with the most points will make a rule for the next round. The new rule cannot end all trading and will apply only to the next round of trading.
The teacher will write this new rule on the board so everyone can see it. Remember, this new rule only applies to the next round. 15 15

16. Experiential Exercise
When called on by the teacher, share your response to these questions:
What happened to you during the game?
What happened in the class during the game?
What do you think this game was about?
Based on this experience, how would you define power?
Why might power be related to a course on American politics and government? 16 16

17. Reading
Read Sections 1.2 to 1.4 and follow the directions in Notebook Guide 1 to complete the Reading Notes. 17 17

18. Reading
Read Section 1.5, and follow the directions in Notebook Guide 1 to complete the Reading Notes.
Horse
Trading
Horse
Trading
is when
you…
An historic
example of Horse Trading is… 18 18

19. Power, Politics, and You
Read the “Power, Politics and You” section of the chapter. Then, be prepared to respond to the following questions:
According to Alvin Toffler, what are the three kinds of power? Give an example of each.
Which of these three kinds is the highest quality of power?
Why should you care about knowledge as a kind of power? 19 19

20. Processing Read the quotations about power on Notebook Handout 1.
Assign each quotation a “truth ranking” from 1 to 5 (1 = never true, 5 = always true) 20 20

21. “ ” Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power.
Processing “
Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power.
We have guided missiles and misguided men. ”
Martin Luther King Jr.
Strength to Love, 1963
The quote above is…
Never True Seldom True Sometimes True Often True Always True 21 21

22. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Processing “
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. ”
Lord Acton
Letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton, 1887
The quote above is…
Never True Seldom True Sometimes True Often True Always True 22 22

23. “ ” It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing
Processing “
It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing
power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the
scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it. ”
Aung San Suu Kyi
“Freedom from fear” speech, 1990
The quote above is…
Never True Seldom True Sometimes True Often True Always True 23 23

24. Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.
Processing “ ”
Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.
Mao Zedong
The quote above is…
Never True Seldom True Sometimes True Often True Always True 24 24

25. “ ” Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no
Processing “
Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no
weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable
as the will and moral courage of free men and women. ”
Ronald Reagan
First Inaugural Address, 1981
The quote above is…
Never True Seldom True Sometimes True Often True Always True 25 25

26. Processing “
When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fail. ”
Mohandas Gandhi
The quote above is…
Never True Seldom True Sometimes True Often True Always True 26 26

27. Processing “
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace. ”
Jimi Hendrix
The quote above is…
Never True Seldom True Sometimes True Often True Always True 27 27

28. “ ” This country has been strip-mined by
Processing “
This country has been strip-mined by
rich and powerful interests. If you don’t
like what they’re doing, don’t just sit there. ”
Ralph Nader
1992
The quote above is…
Never True Seldom True Sometimes True Often True Always True 28 28

29. “ ” The men who create power make an
Processing “
The men who create power make an
indispensable contribution to the Nation’s
greatness, but the men who question power
make a contribution just as indispensable. ”
John F. Kennedy
Speech at Amherst College, 1963
The quote above is…
Never True Seldom True Sometimes True Often True Always True 29 29

30. Processing
Write a brief response to each of the following questions in your notebook. Support your answers with evidence from your own experiences and your knowledge of historic and current events.
Which of the quotations do you think is the most true about power?
Which of the quotations do you think is the most true about politics?
Which of the quotations do you think is the most true about your own life? 30 30