Chap. 1, Lesson 4

Chap. 1, Lesson 4

Name: Noel Yoo          Period: 2        Date: 11/12/2020


Chap. 1, Lesson 4 – “Forms of Government”


Directions:  Complete the chart below with information from pages 21 – 23 of your book.


I.  The Need for Government (Memory Tool: The “SLOPPy” work of government!)

    A.   What Governments Do:  List examples of each type of government function under its heading.


S

Services

LO

“Law/Order”

(most important)

P

“Protection/Peace/Security”

P

“ Planning/guiding the Community”

  • Keep public healthy and safe

  • Provide libraries, schools, hospitals, parks, water, utilities, fire departments, EMS, etc.

  • Government inspectors check everything- food, medicine, toys, consumer goods, etc. 











  • Law enforcement

  • Prevent crimes and terrorism using special investigation and law enforcement agencies

  • Use courts for settling conflicts, etc. 

  • Defend citizens from enemies by using armed forces.

  • Help maintain peace worldwide.

  • EX: military, National Guard, United Nations

  • Create public policy - course of government action to achieve community goals

  • Create budgets, plans for raising and spending taxes

  • Trade, travel, and military agreement with other nations. 



    B.  Levels of Government:  


List the three main levels of government that perform the functions described above and two important facts about each one.


  1. National-  in Washington, D.C.; the highest level of authority over citizens; provides rules for citizenship


  1. State – each state capital; decides matters for people of that state;


3.    Local – includes counties, towns, cities; the closest level of government to people;


II.  Types of Government – Complete the outline below with information from pages 23 – 26.


  1. Democratic Governments

1.   Democracy began over 2500 years ago in the city of Athens, Greece



2.   They originally had a  direct democracy in which all the citizens met to debate, discuss, and vote on matters                                                                                                  

      This is not practical for most countries today because of their large areas and populations.      

                         

  1. Many countries have a representative democracy instead of where citizens choose a smaller group to represent them, make laws, and govern. Another term for this is a republic, a system of government in which the people are the ultimate source of government power. The United States is the oldest representative democracy in the world.


  1. Constitutional Monarchy The word monarchy describes a government with a hereditary ruler – a royal figure who inherits power. such as a king or queen. The power of most monarchs today is limited by the country’s constitution and laws. These countries generally follow democratic practices and the monarchs are really only heads of state presiding over ceremonies and serving as symbols of unity


  1. Democratic Principles – “…government of the people, by the people, for the people…”  Abraham Lincoln

1.   Voting and Democracy. All genuine democracies have free, fair, and competitive elections. This principle is often expressed in the phrase ”one person, one vote.” Candidates have the right to express their views freely to the public and citizens can support any candidate or issue. 

  1. Our voting laws center on age, residence, and citizenship. 


  1. Voters Have Choices. Competitive elections and competing political parties are an important element in democracies. A political party is a group of individuals with broad common interests who organize to support candidates for office and determine public policy. Political parties give voters a choice among candidates and parties out of power serve as watchdogs of parties in power. 


  1. Majority Rule. Based on French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, this principle says that citizens agree that when differences of opinion arise, they will decide by what most people want. At the same time, they respect the rights of those in the minority. This is sometimes difficult if society is under a great deal of stress.


C.  Authoritarian Government – where power is held     

  1. Absolute Monarchy. Such monarchs have unlimited authority to rule. Almost nonexistent in the world today.

  2. Dictatorships. Absolute monarchs usually get their power through inheritance, but dictatorships do it by force. They usually rely on the police and the military and limit freedoms of speech, press, and assembly. Well-known examples: Fidel Castro (Cuba, 1959 – 2008; Now brother Raul rules), Saddam Hussein (Iraq, 1979 – 2003). 

  3. Totalitarianism. Many dictators impose totalitarian rule, where the government’s control extends to almost all aspects of people’s lives. They suppress individual freedom, control the media, and use propaganda, scare tactics, and violence. Most notorious from the past: Adolf Hitler (Germany), Benito Mussolini (Italy), and Josef Stalin (Russia).

  4. Today: Cuba, China, and North Korea are considered totalitarian states.