Unit 1 

Foundations of Government (lesson 1)

anarchy- a state without government or laws
Government - an institution trough which leaders exercise power to make and enforce laws affecting the people under its control

role of government:

  • create order
  • protect people
  • settle disagreements
  • provide leadership
  • provide public services
  • national security
  • economic security and assistance
nation
  • bound by common characteristic
  • race, language, custom, religion
  • don’t necessarily have their own country
state and country (interchangeable)
  • definite territory
  • political community
  • organized government
  • sovereignty
    • makes and enforces laws without permission from others

Theories of State

Evolutionary Theory
  • evolved from family
  • heads of families served as authority
  • expanded to extended families
Force Theory
  • people needed to cooperate to survive
  • could not organize unless someone took control
  • violence and threats of violence were used to control people
Divine Right theory
  • people were chosen by a god or gods to rule
  • or rulers were descendants of gods
  • the state existed to serve God
  • to oppose the monarch was to oppose God, a sin
Social Contract Theory
  • theory by Thomas Hobbes
  • without government, people would live in a “state of nature”
    • nasty, brutish, and short life
  • people surrendered their freedom to the state in return for order and security
  • another theory by John Locke
  • social contract is a collaboration between people and government
  • protected people’s natural rights

Types of Government (lesson 2)

Systems of Government

Unitary System
  • all key powers given to the central government
  • state and local governments have some power, but only what is expressly given by central government
Confederate System
  • loose union of independent sovereign states
  • very weak central power
  • what the US was after gaining independence
  • Articles of Confederation
Federal System
  • divides powers between national and state governments
  • US became a federal system when it wrote the Constitution

Constitutional Governments

Constitution
  • plan that provides rules for government
  • states shared ideals
  • establishes basic government structure
  • assigns duties and powers
  • provides supreme law for the country
  • can be written or unwritten
Constitutional Governments
  • constitution has authority to place limits on power
  • incomplete guides on how countries are to be run
  • cannot possibly address every issue
  • the way a government is run does not always reflect its constitution

Major Types of Government

Authoritarian
  • controls all aspects of a citizen’s life
  • also called totalitarian
  • may appear democratic (hold elections, etc)
  • citizens often don’t have rights to freedom of speech or assembly
  • media control/censorship
  • minority groups often oppressed
  • dictatorship
  • oligarchy
Monarchy
  • one person holds power
  • power is inherited
  • not always authoritarian
  • most current monarchies are constitutional monarchies
Democracy
  • contrast authoritarian governments
  • power derived from the people’s trust in the government
  • rule by the people
  • direct democracy
    • people vote directly on issues
    • uncommon because unfeasible these days
  • representative democracy
    • people elect representatives who vote on laws
    • what we have
    • no monarchy = republic
  • restrictions on voting
    • white
    • property owning
    • male
  • succeeds most when citizens are educated
    • motivation for public schools
  • requires civil society
    • economic, political, charitable, and religious groups

Principles of Democracy

Citizen Participation
  • right and duty
  • being informed
  • debating issues
  • voting in elections
  • attending community meetings
  • being members of organizations
  • serving in the military or national guard
  • paying taxes
  • serving jury duty
  • running for office
  • protesting
Regular Free and Fair Elections
  • allows citizens to elect the officials they want
  • most adults should be able to vote and run for office
  • all votes should count equally
  • no obstacles to vote
  • no intimidations, corruption, or threats
Accepting the Results of an Election
  • cannot deny results as long as election is free and fair
The Rule of Law
  • no one is above the law
  • laws are equally, fairly, and consistently enforced
Majority Rule with Minority Rights
  • majority makes decisions
  • protects from the tyranny of majority
  • gives a voice to minorities
  • politically tolerant
Accountability
  • elected officials are responsible for their actions
  • they must make decisions for the people, not for their own benefit
Transparency
  • people must be aware of government action
  • holds public meetings
  • press can get info on what decisions are being made, why, and by whom
Limited government and a Bill of Rights
  • list of citizens’ rights and freedoms
  • easier for courts to enforce
  • harder for governments to take away
Control the abuse of power
  • limits powers of office
  • prevents corruption
  • checks and balances
  • independent agencies can investigate impartial courts
Economic freedom
  • private ownership of property and business
  • people can choose their work and unions
  • role of government is debated
Equality
  • all individuals should be valued equally
  • no unreasonable discrimination
  • right to different cultures, personalities, languages, and beliefs
  • all are equal before the law
Individual or Human Rights
  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  • rights that people have and cannot be taken away
Independent Judiciary
  • courts should be fair
  • judges and the judicial system must be free from influence from other branches
Competing Political Parties
  • more than one option

The Role of Government in Economic Systems (lesson 3)

Fundamentals of Economics

Economics: the study of how people and nations use their limited resources to attempt to satisfy wants and needs

Capitalism
  • An economic system that emphasizes freedom of choice and individual incentive
  • free market
  • laissiez faire
    • supply and demand
  • Bourgeoisie
    • own the means of production
  • proletariats
    • means of production
Socialism
  • A political and economic theory that advocates ownership of the means of production by the government, distributes the products and wages and provides social services such as health care and welfare.
  • Socialists who are committed to democracy in the political sphere but want   government involvement in the distribution of wealth are called democratic   socialists.
  • mixed economy
    • A system in which the government regulates private enterprise
Communism
  • An economic or political system in which the state or the community owns all property and the means of production, and all citizens share the wealth.
  • theoretically creates a classless society
  • Command Economy
    • An economic system in which the government controls the factors of production

Origins of American Government

Magna carta

  • 1215
  • Only dealt with nobility at the start
  • King John, an English King constantly demanded money and men for wars from his feudal barons
  • The feudal barons in 1215 forced King John to agree that he had “no right” to demand their property without their consent.Their consent was to be agreed upon in a grand council.
  • King must now get consent of the people
  • There must be a set of laws governing   how the King and his subjects will deal   with each other
  • The King is not the highest authority and that he is bound by a higher law that limits his authority (rule of law)

Virginia House of Burgesses, 1619

  • 1619 the first elected representative   government appears in Virginia.
  • House of Burgesses imposed taxes and ran   the colony
  • It is modeled after the English Parliament.

Mayflower Compact, 1620

  • 1620, Pilgrims arriving near the New   England Coast agree to write a   contract that allows for   self-government.
  • The Mayflower Compact promised that every adult male would vote for the Governor and his advisors on a yearly basis
  • It supports the idea of majority rule.

Charter

  • A written instrument from   the authorities of a society   granting rights and   privileges

English Bill of Rights

  • Set clear limits on what a ruler could and could not do
  • Set up 5 key ideas:
    • Monarchs do not have absolute authority
    • Monarch must have Parliaments consent to     suspend laws, levy taxes, or maintain army
    • Monarch cannot interfere with parliamentary     elections and debates
    • People have right to fair and speedy trial
    • No cruel and unusual punishment

The Stamp Act - 1765

  • 1st time England had directly imposed a tax on the colonists.
  • Tax on legal documents, pamphlets, newspapers, dice, playing cards, etc.
  • Protests caused repeal but other taxes replaced it.

Boston Tea Party

  • Protest against tax on tea.
  • In December, 1773, colonists destroyed the tea rather than let it get to market.

Coercive/intolerable acts

  • Closed Boston harbor.
  • Withdrew right of Massachusetts to govern itself.
  • Led to:
    • Colonists began to unite.
    • Colonists argued that only colonial legislatures could impose direct taxes.
    • Committees of Correspondence     formed into a communications     network beginning in 1773.

1st Continental Congress

  • Began in September 1774.

  Debated what to do about the   relationship with Great Britain.

  Imposed an embargo on British goods.

  • British Response:
    • Stronger measures.
    • George III considered colonists in     rebellion.

2nd Continental Congress

  • May 1775
  • They assumed the powers of a central   government with John Hancock as president of   Congress.
  • Organized an army and navy.
  • Made George Washington commander.
  • Issued money.

Declaration of Independence

  • Preamble
  • Declaration of Natural Rights
  • List of Grievances
  • Resolution of Independence

Articles of Confederation

  • America’s 1st Constitution 1781-1789
  • The first system of government designed by the Founding Fathers was a Confederation. Under a Confederate system, the National (Federal) Government is given only a few powers, while most of the power is reserved for the States.
  • Bringing the Revolutionary War to a   successful conclusion
  • Northwest Ordinance 1787(plan for governing   the western lands and a policy of changing   territories to states )

Strengths:

  • Congress was given the power to:
  • Declare War
  • Establish an Army/Navy
  • Make Peace & Sign Treaties
  • Borrow Money

Weaknesses:

  • No:
  • tax collection
  • national courts
  • regulation of interstate commerce
  • 2/3 vote makes it difficult to pass laws
  • need unanimity to amend
  • no national currency

Shays’ Rebellion

  • congress was broke bc couldnt collect taxes
  • could not pay people back
  • Shays intended to be a farmer
  • took out a bank loan
  • property was reposessed
  • no property means:
    • no vote
    • no porviding for family
    • no money
    • go to debtors prison
  • used force
  • MA had to use state army
  • Federal govt couldnt help

Constitution

  • Simple and brief
  • presidential power
  • bicameral legislature
  • national court
  • national debt
  • amendable
  • foreign and interstate commerce
  • army and navy
  • federal government is supreme
  • majority law
  • preamble
    • provide stability and order
    • protect citizen liberties
    • serve the people
  • articles
    • set up 3 parts of government
  • 6 principles
    • popular soverignty
    • federalism
    • separation of powers
    • checks and balances
    • judicial review
    • limited government

Legislative Branch

  • declare war
  • naturalization process
  • taxes
  • capitol
  • also called congress
  • HOR
    • 435 seats
    • 19 committees
    • leader is speaker of the house
  • Senate
    • 100 seats
    • 2 per state

Executive branch

  • president is head
  • sets goals
  • commander of military
  • Cabinet

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court
    • court of appeals
    • appointed by pres and approved by senate
  • Attorney general
    • represent USA in supreme court
    • legal advisor to pres
  • Influence on courts
    • precedents and past desicions
    • personal views
    • public opinion

Amendments

  • Freedom of:
    • Religion
    • assembly
    • press
    • petition
    • speech
  • to bear arms
  • quartering of soldiers
  • you need a search warrant
  • due process of law
  • right to a lawyer and speedy and public trial
  • jury trial in civil cases
  • no cruel and unusual punishments
  • more rights
  • reserved powers for states
  • limits on state suing
  • and way more