1. What FOrms of government are out there?
Exploring Governments Throughout the World

2. Where did the Founders get a model for government?
The Founders modeled our government based on the Roman Republic.
“Republic” comes from the latin “res publica” which means thing or property of the people.
So, a republic is a country that has a government in which power is held by the people.
WORD WALL WORD!
For Word Wall Words, write these on a sheet of paper and place on a designated civics word wall in the classroom. Compile throughout the year.
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3. WORD WALL WORD! What is a “Democracy”?
Democracy is literally defined as “rule of the people”
This means that a government that takes the form of a democracy is one in which all citizens can exercise some kind of political power
What are some examples of “political power” citizens can exercise?
Voting
Running for office
Contacting public officials
Discuss definition of democracy.
Ask students for examples of how they can exercise political power by participating in government.
*For Word Wall Words, write these on a sheet of paper and place on a designated civics word wall in the classroom. Compile throughout the year.
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4. What kinds of republican government are there?
Direct Democracy
Based on the definition of “democracy” how would you define a direct democracy?
Draw a picture to illustrate your definition of direct democracy!
Representative Democracy
What is a “representative”?
An elected person to act and speak on behalf of others
Based on the definition of “representative” and “democracy”, how you would define representative democracy?
Draw a picture to illustrate your definition of representative democracy!
1. Have students generate their own definition of what they think “direct democracy” means. Discuss responses.
2. Next, have students create an illustrated definition of “direct democracy”. A graphic will be provided in subsequent slides.
3. Discuss the definition of “representative”. Have students create their own definition of what “representative democracy” might mean.
4. Next, have students create an illustrated definition of “representative democracy”. A graphic will be provided in subsequent slides.
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5. What is direct democracy?
Direct democracy is a government where the people have an individual voice in government.
Government
Explain the diagram as each individual being allowed to have a say in their government. There is a “direct” connection between the people and the government.
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6. It is what is best for the most amount of people…
What would you say…
The advantages are to direct democracy?
Every individual has a voice in government
Works well in small communities.
If we take a vote in the classroom, we are acting as a direct democracy.
The disadvantages are to direct democracy?
Too many voices at once
Only works in small communities
Not efficient
What do you mean?
WORD WALL WORD!
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a direct democracy as outlined in the PowerPoint.
The graphic will display multiple rounds of people trying to participate in government. The visual is intended to capture the chaos that can be direct democracy when there are too many voices.
Government
What is the common good?
It is what is best for the most amount of people…
Individual becomes greater than the common good
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7. Common Good Common good – good of the community as a whole
When do we act in favor of the common good on a daily basis?
For example, if I were ordering pizza for the whole class, would I just order my favorite (and we will pretend my favorite is anchovies with pineapple)
or would I get something that the class as a whole would enjoy (like plain cheese or peperoni)?
Acting in favor of the common good puts the group before the individual.
Why is this a good thing?
Ask students how (or if) they serve the common good on a daily basis.
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8. What is Representative Democracy?
Representative democracy is a system where individuals have a voice in government through elected representatives
Government
Discuss the graphic: each group selects a representative to represent their interests in the government. The people are able to establish a direct link to government through their representative.
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9. What would you say… The disadvantages are to representative democracy?
The advantages are to representative democracy?
Representatives are elected to represent the common good instead of individual interests
Representatives make the system more efficient – it’s their job to know the laws and the system
People get a say in government through someone elected by the people
Works well in large areas with diverse populations
The disadvantages are to representative democracy?
Individuals must set aside their private interests and personal concerns for the sake of the whole – some people are not comfortable with this
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of representative democracy as outlined on the slide.
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10. SPEED DATE! ONE MINUTE Everyone stand up.
Half of the class, go to one side of the room. The other side of the class, go to the other side.
Line up facing each other.
You will have 1 minute each. One side will speak, the other side will listen only. After one minute, the other side may speak. You must use the entire minute to explain your answer!
After each side has spoken, one line will shift down one person. The person on the end will go to the other end of the line.
Follow PowerPoint directives to set up the “Speed Date” discussion question. Students will answer the same question when rotating, giving them multiple opportunities to think through their response to the question. Students will also get to hear different perspectives by speaking with multiple students.
This activity can be modified based on time and cooperation of the students (you may choose to do fewer rounds, create multiple lines in your classroom resulting in smaller groups of students. Modify to meet the demands of the classroom.
ONE MINUTE
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11. Answer this question:
What do you think is more important: Individual interests or the common good?
Students should respond to the question posed by talking with their match during the different rounds. Students should engage in civil conversation and act in an orderly fashion during the activity.
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12. So we learned about representative governments….
What other kinds of governments are out there?
Direct Democracy
Representative Democracy
Communism
Monarchy
Oligarchy
Autocracy
Saudi
Arabia
In the following slides descriptions of the following governments will be provided: communism, monarchy, oligarchy, and autocracy.
North Korea
Vietnam
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13. As these governments are being discussed…
Draw a diagram of the government we are discussing.
Think about the definition and illustrate the definition in a way that makes sense to you.
Some examples would be the direct democracy and representative democracy diagrams:
Students should individually draw a diagram of the government being discussed. Allow 5 minutes per government for the students to draw.
Government
Government
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14. Communism
In a communist government, the government believes in owning all means of production and eliminating private property
This means that all things are owned by the government and shared by the people.
The intention of this system is to ensure that everyone has equal access and property
However, this system can become corrupt quickly with the government removing all rights of the people
Discuss the definition with the class. Have students write a brief definition of each type of government on Handout 1.
Allow students 5 minutes to create a visual individually.
Vietnam
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15. Communism Government Government Government FLREA © 2012
Communism is depicted as the government having possession of all property and having control over the people. Although there is often times a figure head, much of the control is in a small group within the government.
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16. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
Monarchy
A monarchy has a king, queen, emperor or empress.
The ruling position can be passed on to the ruler’s heirs.
In some traditional monarchies, the monarch has absolute power, like in Saudi Arabia.
But a constitutional monarchy, like the United Kingdom, also has a democratic government that limits the monarch's control.
Image from the New York Post
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
Discuss the definition with the class. Have students write a brief definition of each type of government on Handout 1.
Allow students 5 minutes to create a visual individually.
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Queen Elizabeth II

17. Constitutional Monarchy
Government
Constitutional Monarchy
In a constitutional monarchy, the king or queen serves as a figure head for government with a section of government (ex: Parliament) accessible to the people.
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18. Oligarchy
A government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power
This power may not always be exercised openly. Oligarchs sometimes prefer to remain the “power behind the throne.”
A modern example of oligarchy
could be seen in South Africa during
the 20th century where oligarchy was
based on racism.
Discuss the definition with the class. Have students write a brief definition of each type of government on Handout 1.
Allow students 5 minutes to create a visual individually.
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19. Autocracy
A government ruled by a single leader who has unlimited power and denies peoples’ fundamental rights.
In a military dictatorship, the army is in control. One person is in charge and often takes over by force.
Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Sadam Hussein were examples
Discuss the definition with the class. Have students write a brief definition of each type of government on Handout 1.
Allow students 5 minutes to create a visual individually.
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20. Oligarchy Government Government FLREA © 2012
In an oligarchy, all of the government’s power is vested in a small group of people within government.
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21. Autocracy Government FLREA © 2012
In an autocracy there is one ruler, or dictator, with sole control of the government.
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22. CONSTITUTIONALMONARCHY
In your group…
Compare your illustrations of different kinds of government
Using the large chart paper, create one diagram for each government as a group. Be sure to talk through the definitions and incorporate everyone’s ideas.
DO NOT write the name of the government on the chart paper.
Once finished, post your 4 diagrams on the wall by your table.
CONSTITUTIONALMONARCHY
DICTATORHIP
COMMUNISM
OLIGARCHY
Note: This lesson may take 2 class periods. This would be an appropriate place to stop the lesson until the next class period.
Divide the class into groups of 3.
Distribute 4 sheets of chart paper to each group.
Students will create visuals in their groups and post on the wall by their table.
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23. What government is that?
Once you have posted your government diagram:
Rotating clockwise, go to the posters posted by the other groups and write which government they were illustrating on the poster. Work as a group to make your guess.
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Instruct students to rotate clockwise to the posters on the wall.
Students should write on the poster which form of government* they think is being depicted in the visual.
Allow students 5 minutes per poster grouping.
*It may be helpful to allow students to use Handout 1 in order to have the names and descriptions of the governments during the activity.
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24. What else is there? Another type of government is anarchy.
Anarchy is when there is a complete breakdown of government and the people fall into a start of chaos. There is no organization or control.
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25. What else is there?
Socialism is an economic system and political theory
First, what is an economic system?
A system of production and consumption of goods and services of a community
This includes the wealth and resources of a nation
The government’s role (or absence of a role) in the regulation of business and production.
Socialism is an economic system which
Promotes collective or governmental ownership
Administration of the means of production and distribution of goods by government or collective groups
This results in no free, competitive, private businesses
Socialism is listed in benchmark SS.7.C.3.1 along with other forms of government. However, it serves more as an economic system and political theory than an actual system of government. Socialism is a form of economic system within a government – like communism for an example.
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26. What Do these Governments Look Like?
The following slides will provide visual examples of governments. Compare with student drawings.