Systems of Government

Three Main Systems

Federal

Confederate

Unitary

Unitary System•Central government

holds all the power

•Gives directives to lower governments

•Allocates power as they choose

•Example: Great Britain during Revolution

Confederate System•Local governments hold

the power•Weak central

government•Promotes cooperation

between states•Often has voluntary

membership and states can leave

•Treaties often used to define relationships between the states

Federal System•Central and local

governments share power

•Often times, a document outlines which powers each shares (CONSTITUTION)

•May have powerful central government, but it may not dissolve states

Think-Pair-Share•Think

▫Individually, write out the pros and cons of each system

▫Which do you think is best? Why?•Pair

▫With a partner, discuss the systems and come to a consensus on the best system.

▫Why is this system better than the others?

•Share▫Class Discussion

Ideology behind Constitution• Social Contract Theory

▫Major Theorists: Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau

▫Relationship between individuals and their governments need mutual consent

▫ Important historical role in the emergence of the idea that political authority must be derived from the consent of the governed

▫Citizens give up some rights

Ideology behind Constitution•Popular Sovereignty

▫Legitimate states must have consent of the people

▫People have all the political power

Explain:How does this work in the

US?

Key Vocabulary• Limited Government

▫Government with specific restrictions on power

▫Constitution did this by clarifying what government can and cannot legally do to the citizens

• Majority Rule▫Everyone will accept the

decision of the majority▫Minority Rights: Provisions

to protect minority views on issues

SEPARATION OF POWERS