7 th Grade Geography – Vermillion Middle School

 Governments: organizations that set up and enforce laws.  States: regions that share a government  International definition  Different than South Dakota being a state

 Nation-states: states that are independent or not under the control of any other state. Is South Dakota a nation-state? Why or why not?

 Dependencies: regions that belong to another state  Puerto Rico belongs to the United States

 City-States: Nation-states that only cover one city.  Modern Examples: Singapore, Vatican City

 Empires: states that contain several countries This map shows the parts of the world that were once a part of the British Empire

 Direct Democracy  All adults vote in order to make decisions  Practiced in towns in New England ▪ Town meetings held where adults gather, speak, and vote. Not practical for large groups of people

 Tribal Rule  All members of a tribe discuss decisions  Chiefs or elders have the final say Native Americans had traditionally practiced tribal rule

 Absolute Monarchy  A king or queen has complete control  Serve until death after which the job is passed down to a child or another family member King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is an example of a modern absolute monarch

 Dictatorship  A single person has complete control  Similar to an absolute monarchy except that power is not inherited but taken by force Kim Jong Il of North Korea is an example of a modern dictator

 Oligarchy  The government is run by a group of people  Ordinary citizens have no voice China is an oligarchy controlled by the Politburo, which consists of the leaders of the Communist Party

 Constitutional Monarchy  The power of the king or queen is limited by a Constitution  Constitution: sets of laws that define and often limit government power The Constitutional Monarchy is practiced more often that the Absolute Monarchy. King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand is a constitutional monarch.

 Representative Democracy  People elect other people to make the big decisions for them  Elections, citizen rights, and limits on government explained in a constitution The United States is an example of a Representative Democracy (also called a Republic). American citizens elect representatives, like members of Congress, to make decisions for them.

 Alliance: An agreement between nations to work together  NATO is an example of an alliance between nations  United Nations (UN): An international organization meant to resolve disputes and promote peace  Almost all nations are members

 Questions, Comments?