Foundations of Government

1. Foundations of Government Chapter 2

2. Essential Questions (Unit 1) • What are two types of government? • What are the purposes of government? • How does the U.S. government guarantee freedom to its citizens?

3. Types of Governments • Every country has a government • Government is shaped by the traditional beliefs of it’s people and by their history. • Government has two major categories • Non-Democratic: Citizens DONOT have the power to rule. • Democratic (Democracy): people of a nation either rule directly or they elect officials who act on their behalf.

4. Non-Democratic Governments • Monarchies • Monarch: a king or queen, who reigns over a kingdom or empire. • Example: (Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and United Kingdom) • Dictatorship • Dictator: a person who rules with complete and absolute power by force. • Oligarchy: type of dictatorship in which all power is concentrated in a small group of people. • Authoritarian: rulers answer only to themselves. • Totalitarian: ruler tries to control every aspect of citizens’ lives, including their religion, cultural, political, and personal activities

5. Theocracy: a government controlled by one or more religious leaders who claim the rule on behalf of God or the gods worshipped in their country. • Citizens may elect a theocratic government, but rulers respond to the divine guidance and not to the wishes of the people.

6. DEMOCRACTIC Governments • A democracy is where the people of a nation either rule directly or they elect officials who act on their behalf. • Democracy – ancient Greek term meaning “rule of the people.” • Direct Democracy – all voters in a community meet in one place to make laws and decide what actions to take. • Representative Democracy – people elect representatives to carry on the work of government for them. • Republic – people consent to be ruled by their elected leaders.

7. Purposes of Government • Helping People Cooperate • Governments provides a way for people to unite, solve problems and cooperate. • Providing Services • Establish schools • Protect people from attacks by foreign countries • Other governments provide police to protect people and property; fire departments protect homes and businesses. • Build highways • System of money • Trash and health laws

8. Providing Laws • A Constitution is a written plan of government. • Establish national and state governments • Describes the purpose of government • How the government is organized

9. Government provides laws for society • Laws must be constitutional • Laws are recorded so people are aware and obey them. • Laws are passed in order to guide and protect us.

10. Guaranteeing Freedom • Our government also guarantees freedoms to us, as citizens. • The Declaration of Independence • Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness • The U.S. Constitution and all state constitutions set out rights and freedoms that are guaranteed to all individuals.

11. Essential Questions (Unit 2) • Why is the Declaration of Independence so important? • What were the Articles of Confederation, and what were their weaknesses? • What was the effect of a weak national government on the United States?

12. The Declaration of Independence • Was written in response to the war with Britain. • Thomas Jefferson wrote a large part of the Declaration of Independence. • The Continental Congress approved it on July 4, 1776.

13. The Declaration & Human Rights • Lists the reasons the colonies wanted to separate from Great Britain and form an independent country. • States protection of human rights, which are the basic rights that all people are entitled to. • “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, That among these are, Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”

14. Ideals of American Government • The Declaration of Independence is considered one of the greatest Documents in U.S. History. • Written over 235 years ago • Symbolizes American FREEDOM

15. The Article of Confederation • Declaration of Independence states the colonists’ grievances against the king. • In 1777, the Articles of Confederation were adopted as the plan for our government. • The Articles of Confederation were approved in 1781 by the 13 states. • After the American Revolution was over in 1783, and the 13 colonies were now independent and became the United States of America!

16. Government under the Articles • A confederation is a loose association or states rather than a strong union. • Articles of Confederation • Each state has equal power • The central/national government had very limited powers. • People feared government would become too strong and would limit their freedoms. • Created a law making body called Congress. • Each state got 1 vote in Congress, regardless of that state's population.

17. Preserve state sovereignty (absolute power). • Power to enforce laws was given to each state and not the government. • Did not set up a court system. • Did not give government the power to solve issue caused from the American Revolution.

18. Need for Change • Articles of Confederation created a new country, but did not support its people as a country. • States thought as individuals, not as a whole.

19. Weaknesses of the Articles • Congress required 9 out of 13 states to vote in order to pass new laws. • Very difficult to get that many states to agree • States refused to obey the laws of Congress. • Without a president or an executive branch, there were no officials to ensure that the laws passed by Congress were carried out. • Without national courts, there was no means of interpreting laws or judging those who broke them.

20. Without money, Congress could not pay the country’s debts or carry on any government activities that might be needed. Congress also could not pay the soldiers who fought in the American Revolution. These limitations harmed relations with foreign nations and endangered America’s national security.

21. Essential Questions (Unit 3) • What historical principles of government influenced the delegates to the Constitutional Convention? • How did the U.S. government become stronger under the Constitution? • When was the Constitution ratified?

22. A New Constitution • World’s oldest written constitution still being used today!

23. Where did the United States Constitution come from? • Magna Carta(1215)- started the process of establishing the democratic basis of the English Monarchy. Limiting the powers of the king • Laying the basis for due process of law which led to Trail by Jury • Prohibiting the king from taking property or taxes without consent of the Great Council or Parliament

24. English Bill of Rights (1689) • a British Law, passed by the Parliament of Great Britain 1689 that declared the rights and liberties of the people and settling the succession in William III and Mary II following the death of King James II English Bill of Rights - Had a massive influence on the colonies in North America and the Constitution of the United States. • A frequently summoned Parliament and free elections • Members should have freedom of speech in Parliament • No armies should be raised in peacetime • No taxes could be levied, without the authority of parliament • Laws should not be dispensed with, or suspended, without the consent of parliament • No excessive fines should imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted

25. Parliamentary Government – lawmaking body in Great Britain; bicameral (two house government). • House of Lords • Appointed by the monarch • Holds less power today • House of Commons • Elected by the people • Prime Minister head of government

26. Delegates hold Secret Meetings • Meetings were held in secret so delegates could talk freely about government. • Constitutional Convention (Philadelphia Convention) • May 14-September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia, PA • Revise the Articles of Confederation • James Madison, Father of the Constitution • George Washington was chosen to lead the Convention

27. Writing the Constitution • Federalism – divides government’s powers between a national government and state governments. • Articles of Confederation was a confederal system, where the central government had less power than that of its sovereign states. • A compromise is an agreement in which each side gives up part of its demands in order to reach a solution to the problem. • Large States favored representation based on state populations. • Small states favored equal representation regardless of population.

28. The Great Compromise led to having a bicameral legislature called Congress. • Senate: states have equal representation (2 per state) • House of Representatives: representation based on population and size of state.

29. Approving the Constitution. • Constitution had to be sent to states for ratification (approval). • Had to receive a minimum vote from 9 out of the 13 states. • People quickly chose sides on whether to support or decline the new Constitution. • Federalists: Supporters of the Constitution. • Strong national government • Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison lead the Federalists. • They published the Federalist Papers to gain support for the Constitution.

30. Antifederalists: people who opposed the new Constitution and the federal system of government. • Believed the new Constitution would not protect the states’ power or the people’s freedoms.

31. Constitution is Ratified • The Constitution of the United States was signed September 17, 1787. • States ratified the Constitution in 1787 and 1788. • As of March 1789, the new government was in operation. • Rhode Island and North Carolina did not approve the Constitution until after it was already in affect. • George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789.

32. George Washington • First U.S. made by Betsy Ross in 1777.