UNIT ONE: FOUNDATIONS OF

GOVERNMENTPACKET

Topic: Intro to Government Vocab Chart Word Definition: Example or

IllustrationLegislative Power

Exectuive Power

Judicial Power

State

Government

Student Handout

Decoding the Preamble Puzzle

~ Preamble by Mike WilkinsDirections:

The picture above is an artistic version of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. Look carefully and then translate this picture to determine the actual words of the Preamble.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

The Preamble outlines six (6) functions of the U.S. government created by the Constitution. What are they?

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

What Does Government Do?

The Preamble to the Constitution

“We the People of the United States, in Order to…

Establish justice examples:

Insure domestic tranquility examples:

Provide for the common defense examples:

Promote the general welfare examples:

Secure the blessings of liberty to examples:

ourselves and our posterity

…do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Chapter 1 Notes:Introducing Government

I. _government_____________________ = institution that makes

authoritative decisions for a group of people

II. Functions of Government

A. Maintain ___National Defense_______________ (military or the

treaties governments sign to end wars)

B. Provide ___public services________________ (roads, parks,

Medicare, etc.)

C. __preserve order_____________ (make laws, settle disputes, etc.)

D. Make _economic decisions and policy_______________ (power to

tax, set interest rates, establish free trade or tariffs or

blockades/embargoes

III. Purposes of American government are outlined in the

_____preamble____________________________________________________

IV. Politics = who we select as our leaders & what policies they pursue

to promote public interest

V. __Policy making system___________________________________ = how

government responds to the people; a set of institutions and activities

that link together political ideas and public policy

VI. People express their desires to linkage institutions

EXAMPLES: __political parties, interest groups, polls, media,

elections, etc.__

VII. Linkage institutions influence policy agenda of policymaking

institutions (the 3 branches of government & bureaucracies)

VIII. Democracy = means of selecting and organizing government

officials

A. Direct/participatory: ___all citizens will vote on all

issues___________

B. Indirect/representative democracy: _elected delegates make

decisions on behalf of people (republic or majoritiarian

politics)_________

IX. Robert Dahl: Traditional Democratic Theory = certain criteria are

essential for an "ideal democratic process"

A. _Equality______________ in voting

B. Effective __participation______________________

C. Enlightened __understanding ________________ (free speech, free

press)

D. Citizens control agenda (power to be involved)

E. __Inclusion_____________________: citizenship must be available to

all

X. American democracy focuses on the worth of an individual, equality of

all persons, compromise and individual freedom = political culture is

shared by most people living in the country

XI. Distribution of power in government structure

A. Unitary = central government makes decisions for ALL regions or

territories (those other lower level governments that do exist merely

carry out the laws of the central government; they don't craft any

NEW law)

Example: _Cuba, a unitary communist

government______________________

B. Federal = central government shares some powers with regional

(state) government; a constitution outlines the powers of lower level

government (10th Amendment)

Example: __Current US government__________________________

C. Confederate = regional government hold the power and behave

autonomously (independently)

Example: __Articles of Confederation___________________________

XII. Distribution of Power Among Branches of Government

A. Parliamentary system = Prime Minister is the executive, who is

also a member of the legislature; the majority party elects this

person who will serve in BOTH branches - fusion of power

B. Presidential system = President is the head of the executive

branch and does NOT serve in the legislative branch; they often

"check" each other and rely on each other to get certain jobs done

Example: President signs bills into law that the legislature

designed

FEDERAL SYSTEM UNITARY SYSTEM

PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM

PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM

Founders & Framers NotesName of Framer/Founder:

Notes:

Name: __Thomas Hobbes________________Illustration:

Man is naturally wicked Needs government to control

man and ensure we don’t treat each other poorly

SOCIAL CONTRACT: Give up some freedoms in exchange for security.

Name: __John Locke_____________________Illustration:

Takes social contract a step further

Influences Jefferson Considered “Framer” of the

United States Constitution All people are created equal Natural Rights

- Life, liberty, property- Government needs to protect

this- But government should also

be limited

Name: __Baron De Montesquieu___________Illustration:

Wrote “Spirit of Laws” Separation of powers Influences Jefferson greatly

Name: ____Jean-Jaqcues Rousseau_________Illustration:

Published in first encyclopedia (written by Diderot)

Takes social contract EVEN FURHTER

- Need to have a government ruled through POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY

- Government can make and enforce laws citizens must follow

Type of Government AND DEFINITION:

Illustration

Monarchy =

Dictatorship =

Theocracy =

Single Party State =

Direct Democracy =

Parliamentary Democracy =

Presidential Democracy =

FederalistsDefinition:

Favored ratification of the

Anti-FederalistsDefinition:

Opposed ratification of the Constitution

Constitution

Favored a powerful federal government

Argued a Bill of Rights was not needed, as federal power was limited

“The Federalists Papers”

Individuals/examples:

Wanted a weak federal government that would not threaten states’ rights

Wanted a Bill of Rights to declare and protect the rights of the people

Individuals/examples:

Federalism Checks & Balances Individual Rights/Liberties

Judicial Review Limited Government Popular Sovereignty

1. Why did the founding father use these principles as a guiding measure for the new government?

2. Give an example of how EACH principle applies to daily, political life or government in some way.

Articles of ConfederationPositives: Negatives:

States have the power No militaryNo Courts (judicial system)

No executive power (to carry out laws)

Shay’s Rebellion: What happened? Who was involved? Why did it happen? How did it end? What did it demonstrate about the government

The Debate Over Representation

VIRGINIA PLANLegislative branch has 2 chambers (2 houses)

Number of votes for each state depends on the state’s population

Larger states would have more power

NEW JERSEY PLANDRAFTED BY JAMES MADISON

Legislative branch has 1 chamber

Each state gets 1 vote

Smaller states would have more power

GREAT COMPROMISE OR CONNECTICUT COMPROMISEGovernment has 3 branches Legislative Branch – Makes laws,

Judicial – Interprets lawsExecutive – Carries out the laws

Divide Congress into 2 houses 1. Senate – each state gets 2 votes

2. House of Representatives – The more people the state has, the more votes it gets

CH. 3 NOTES: GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE US CONSTITUTION1. Ratified in 1788 with assurance that a __Bill of Rights_____________________

would be added (___________________________________________________)

2. Congressional elections and presidential election held in _______; Bill of Rights

ratified in ______

3. Collective political values (political culture) are represented in the document

4. __Limited government and Rule of Law (things you can and cannot do)_

1. People and government must follow a system of laws

1. States have certain protocols (procedures) toward one another--for

example: __drivers’ licenses, allowance of citizens to trade and

travel______________________________________

2. Constitution is _Supreme Law of the Land___________________

3. Abuse of power is punishable through impeachment process and court

systems

What does "Limited Government" mean?

The national government:

o __may not violate the Bill of Rights_____________________________

o May not impose export taxes among states________________________

o __May not use money from the Treasury without the passage and approval of an

appropriations bill_______________________

o __May not change state boundaries_________

A state government:

o _____________________________________________________________________

___

o _____________________________________________________________________

___

o _____________________________________________________________________

___

o _____________________________________________________________________

___

5. POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY/REPUBLIC

a. Power resides with the _will of the people___ who are granted the right to vote for

representatives (republicanism)

b. States must have republican form of government too (citizens elect state officials)

c. In short: The government derives its power from the people; a _social contract

between the gov and the people exists and elected representatives must uphold the

commitment to protect and serve the citizens

6. SEPARATION OF POWER = __________________________________________

a. 3 separate branches of gov. limits the ability of one branch to dominate the others

b. Branches rely on others to complete certain responsibilities (i.e. Congress writes

bills_, but President can _sign/veto; _President appoints judges, but _Senate_ must

approve or reject, etc.)

7. FEDERALISM

a. __Federal________________ government and ___State__________ government

share some power

b. Delegated powers are given to the federal gov. in US Constitution (i.e. coin money,

declare war, regulate interstate trade)

c. Reserved powers are those held by the states and protected in the ___10th

Amendment______________

(powers not given to the federal gov., or denied to the states, are reserved for the

states)-- i.e. education, health and family law, licensing

d. _Concurrent powers______________________ -- shared by both governments

(taxation, court systems, law enforcement)

8. INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY

a. In _federal courts___________________________, judges serve for life and have a

secure salary-- this ensures they will make decisions they believe are best according to the

laws, rather than according to politicians, interest groups, or someone who can fire them or

reduce their salary-- ___THEY ARE NOT ELECTED!

9. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

a. Trial by jury, right to an attorney, protection from cruel and unusual punishment__

b. Freedom of _speech, religion, press, assembly, and to petition______

c. Treason is not _criticism____ of the government-- it is direct acts of war against the

government or the aiding of foreign countries against the government.

THE CONSTITUTION AND THE AMENDMENT PROCESS

Method 1

2/3 vote in both houses

OrMethod 2

Method 1

By legislatures in 3/4 of the states

(in all but one case, this is how amendments have been ratified)

Method 2

Ratified through conventions in ¾ of the states.

Or

Methods of Proposal Methods of Ratification

Usual Method

Questions for Discussion

1. What is a constitutional amendment?

2. Why do you think the Founders built in the amendment process into the Constitution?

3. Since the Constitution’s ratification in 1788, there have only been twenty-seven amendments added to the original document. Why is it so difficult to change the Constitution?