Why Government Exists

Why do we have governments?

•With a partner, make a list of reasons as to why government exists.

Types of Governments• Democratic

▫ Direct Democracy: all voters meet and decide course of action

▫ Representative Democracy: we elect officials to make decisions for us (REPUBLIC)

• Non-Democratic▫ Monarchy: king or queen▫ Dictator: one ruler of

absolute power▫ Oligarchy: small number

of the very wealthy lead the nation

▫ Theocracy (could be democratic…but does not go by wishes of people): leader of the government is the leader of the state religion

Systems of Government

Organizer for your notesSYSTEM DESCRIPTION STRENGTHS WEAKNESSE

SEXAMPLES

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 of government

▫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

Declaration of Independence

•Read the Declaration of Independence with a partner and come up with a list of the five key points Jefferson was trying to make in this document.

•Discuss the reasons as to why Jefferson worded the document the way he did and what goals he was trying to accomplish.

Review: Key points of Declaration•Make a list of the key points of the

Declaration of Independence▫(Try to get about 5)

•It is important to know the main concepts for your test!

Declaration of Independence•Have a right to become separate and equal

states• It is necessary to explain why they are leaving

GB•Government can’t take away certain rights

(life, liberty, pursuit of happiness)•Governments need the consent of the people•List of grievances against King•Declaration: absolved from allegiance to British

crown▫Free and independent states

Video overview

Articles of Confederation• First written constitution of the US

▫A plan of government▫Set up a “friendship” among the 13 states▫Government was a confederation

• Didn’t want 1 strong central government• Congress served as the last resort on appeal of

disputes▫Congress given the authority to make treaties and

alliances, maintain armed forces and coin money• Wanted to preserve individual state’s powers

▫Remained sovereign and independent

Articles of ConfederationSTRENGTHS:  • To declare war and make peace• To coin and borrow money at state level• To detail with foreign countries and sign treaties• To operate post offices

WEAKNESSES:• The national government could not force the states to obey its laws• It did not have the power to tax• It did not have the power to enforce laws• Congress lacked strong and steady leadership• There was no national army or navy• There was no system of national courts• There was no strong executive branch• Each state could put tariffs on trade between states (A tariff is a tax on

goods coming in from another state or country.)

Constitutional Convention

•Delegates from each state wrote a new plan for government

•The constitution + amendments describe the relationship between the government and citizens

•James Madison is considered the founding father of the constitution

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

The Constitution•Why was it created?

▫Originally to fix the Articles…then just replaced them

▫Created the new laws of the land based on a FEDERAL system

•What are some key ideas outlined within the Constitution?

•Explain the structure of our government system

The Constitution• Why was it created?

▫Originally to fix the Articles…then just replaced them

▫Created the new laws of the land based on a FEDERAL system

• What are some key ideas outlined within the Constitution?▫Federalism, Checks/Balances

• Explain the structure of our government system▫Multiple layers…State/Federal, 3 Branches

Approving the Constitution

•Signed by 39 out of 42 framers•Then had to be sent to states for

ratification (approval)▫Had to be ratified by 9 out of 13▫Supporters: Federalists- needed a strong

national gov to keep country united (Jay, Hamilton, Madison)

▫Opposition: Anti-federalists- didn’t think states’ power would be protected

•Eventually, federalists gained support•NC and RI only approved constitution

after it went into effect•Washington sworn in as first president

Constitution review

Weaknesses of the Articles

•Most power held by states

•One branch of government

•No executive branch•No judicial system•No checks and

balances

Strengths of the Constitution

• Most power held by national gov- distributed to states

• Three branches of government

• Executive branch led by a president

• Judicial system has an equal branch

• Firm system of checks and balances

SEPARATION OF POWERS

Creates the system of

“checks and balances”

3 Branches of Government

Amending the Constitution

The Amendment Process• Outlined in Article V of the Constitution

• Amendment Proposal:▫2/3 vote in both houses of Congress ▫Legislatures in 2/3 of the states (34 of 50) can

ask Congress to call for a national convention

• Ratification of Amendments (making it official)▫¾ of the states must approve (38 of 50)▫Approved by state legislatures or state

conventions

Amendments

•Constitution amended a total of 27 times

•If people do not like results of an amendment, they may repeal it▫Example: 1933, 21st amendment repealed

the 18th amendment (Prohibition)

Amending the Constitution

Constitutional changes without Amendments•Constitution is a broad outline for the

governing

•Changes can be made through tradition▫Example: Presidential cabinet in executive

branch

•“Unwritten Constitution”

Interpreting the Constitution

•Congressional laws▫Example: Minimum Wage

Congress can control trade between states Goods made by workers travel amongst

states Thus, Congress has power to pass laws about

working conditions nationally▫Always able to be overturned by Judicial

Review Congress can rewrite the law using the

court’s objections as guidance

Document Review: Declaration