Principles of Government

Big Idea A government enables a society to carry out its policies and protects its citizens from violence and injustice.

What is Government? The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies outlined in our constitution Democracy Public Policy All the things a government decides to do I want you to turn to your neighbor and write your own answer to “What is Government?”

Population State Preamble Purpose Government Powers Judicial Executive Legislative Sovereignty Territory

We are not just talking about the 50 states. A group of people can be considered a State if they have 4 characteristics Population Territory Sovereignty Government A “State” Supreme and absolute power within the territory

Do you know the preamble? The “thesis statement” for the constitution It is one of the most important building blocks of our nation’s government.

“We the people in order to form a more perfect union establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourself and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States

“We the people in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourself and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States Form a More Perfect Union: ●As a country we are all linked together ○all people and states are as one ●We especially look to the US Constitution to bind us under a common law and one Union

“We the people in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourself and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States Establish Justice: ●Justice is key to a functioning democracy ●Law must be reasonable, fair and impartial ●“Injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice anywhere” MLK

“We the people in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourself and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States Insure Domestic Tranquility ●Keeping the peace at home is the prime function of the government ●We must have laws to keep from having anarchy ○without government there would be no order

“We the people in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourself and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States Provide for the Common Defense: ●Defense is used in the Constitution more than any other function of government ●So much of what we think about has to do with how we are being protected

“We the people in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourself and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States” Promote the General Welfare: ●Government acts as a servant to its citizens ○To benefit all or most people ●Always take care of country and fellow citizens

“We the people in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty for ourself and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States” Secure the Blessings of Liberty: ●Liberty is guaranteed but not absolute ●We are free to do what we want as long as it doesn’t take away the freedom of others

Refresh: The United States Government has a purpose and is based on the 6 basic concepts. These concepts will determine how the government operates. Use what we have just learned to write examples from current life to describe each of the 6 concept.