Chapter 1, Section 1 “ If men were angels no government would be necessary. ” --James Madison, Federalist Paper No. 51

  1. In your life, who has the ability to tell you what to do or makes rules that you follow?  2. What are some examples of rules that you must follow?  3. What would your life be like if you had no rules? Opening Questions

  1. Differentiate between civic life and private life  2. Define government and the 3 basic powers governments have  3. Describe the four characteristics of the state  4. Identify four theories that attempt to explain the origin of the state  5. Show understanding of the 6 purposes of government through illustrations, definitions, and examples  6. Define politics and list ways people use the political process Objectives

  In civic life, citizens vote, serve on juries, serve as elected leaders, solve problems by attending political meetings, contacting public officials, joining advocacy groups and political parties, and taking part in demonstrations.  In private life, citizens work, get married, create friendships, rise a family, play sports, enjoy hobbies, practice their chosen religion, etc. Civic vs. Private Life

What is Government?  Government = institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies.  Government is made up of those people who exercise its powers and have authority and control over people.  Government is the STRUCTURE through which groups of people make and carry out laws.

What are Public Policies?  Public Policies = All of the things a government decides to do.  Public policies cover matters such as defense, education, crime, health care, taxation, environment, working conditions, etc.

To Carry Out Public Policies, Governments must have:  Power (ability to command action)  Legitimacy (true source of power in eyes of the people)  Authority (authorized to act by some source) A constitutional government is given the authority to use people ’ s power in a legitimate way in order to protect the people ’ s individual rights and maintain the common good.

3 Kinds of Governmental Power 1. Legislative Power: to make law and frame public policies 2. Executive Power: to enforce and administer the law 3.Judicial Power: to interpret laws, determine their meaning, settle disputes in society

Where Does the Power Come From?  The powers of government are often outlined in a country ’s constitution.  Constitution = the body of fundamental laws which set forth the principles, structures, and processes of a government. (The “ How-To ” Manual for government)

Who Holds the Power?  Dictatorship  Power is held by a single person or a small group  Ruler(s) not held responsible to the will of the people  Democracy  Power is held by the people

What is Politics?  Politics = is a process by which society decides how power and resources will be distributed within that society. Decides who reaps the benefits and who pays the costs of public policies.(political party)  People engage in the political process to promote the greater good, promote-self interest (important issues), advance solutions to public issues and problems (pollution).

What is a State?  State = the dominant political unit in the world  4 Characteristics of the state: 1.Population - people 2.Territory – land, with recognized boundaries 3.Government - organized politically 4.Sovereignty – supreme and absolute power within its own territory…not subject to any other authority… free to rule itself.  Over 190 states in the world  Sometimes called a nation (ethnic term) or a country (geographic term) **The U.S. is sovereign, its individual states are not…subordinate to the U.S. Constitution

The 6 Purposes of Government (Spelled out in the the Preamble) 1.Form a More Perfect Union – link the people together under a common Constitution (Articles were powerless, states were selfish and divided). 2.Establish Justice – the content of the law and administration of the law must be reasonable, fair, and impartial. Goal: equal justice for all = equality. 3.Insure Domestic Tranquility – maintain social order, serve the will of the people, keep the peace at home. 4.Provide for the Common Defense – defend the nation against foreign enemies. 5.Promote the General Welfare – servant of the citizens, i.e., provide public schools, protect the air you breathe and water you drink, infrastructure. 6.Secure the Blessings of Liberty– protect individual rights and liberties (guarantee of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness).

SHR - Constitution

4 Origins of the State. The Force Theory The force theory states that one person or a small group took control of an area and forced all within it to submit to that person’s or group’s rule. The Evolutionary Theory The evolutionary theory argues that the state evolved naturally out of the early family. The Divine Right Theory The theory of divine right holds that God created the state and that God gives those of royal birth a “divine right” to rule. *The Social Contract Theory The social contract theory argues that the state arose out of a voluntary act of free people. Challenged the “royal birth” idea.

Section 1 Review 1. A government is (a) the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies. (b) a collection of people. (c) always democratic. (d) the organization representing farms and industries. 2. A state has the following four characteristics: (a) population, territory, sovereignty, and government. (b) sovereignty, a perfect union, welfare, and territory. (c) people, places, force, and divine right. (d) justice, defense, liberty, and domestic tranquility.

Assignment Illustrating the Six Purposes of Government spelled out in the Preamble. Instructions provided in class.