1. Chapter 1: Foundations of Government Section 1: The Purposes of Government (pg.6-13)

2. What is Government? (pg.7)
Government is a formal institution made up of people , power, & policies.
Power, refers to the government’s authority & ability to get things done.
A policy is any decision made in pursuit of a goal.

3. Which type of Government power is most important? (pg.7)
Legislative power—it makes laws
Executive power—it carries out and enforces the law
Judicial power—it interprets the law and settles disputes between members of society

4. What are some policy areas the Government is concerned with? (pg.7)
Taxation
Defense
Environmental
Protection
Health Care
Transportation
What are more policies that the government is concerned with?

5. What are Characteristics of a State?
A state is a political unit with the power to make and enforce laws over people within a clearly defined territory.
Population
Territory
Government
Sovereignty—or the supreme power to act within its territory and control its external affairs
(pgs.7-8)

6. What are the Functions of Government? Rank the Functions… (pgs.8-10)
Ensure National Security—Protect the nation’s people and territory from external threats
Maintain Order—Maintain internal order through police and the legal system
Resolve Conflict—Provide means to resolve conflicts through politics and the legal system
Provide Services—Provide a variety of services, ranging from education to public transportation, which are paid for by taxes
Provide for the Public Good—Make decisions and policies that attempt to balance the public good with the needs of smaller segments of the population

7. Theories of Rule (pgs.10-11) Divine Right
Throughout history emperors all over the world claimed a “Mandate from Heaven”
In the 1600s Jacques-Benigne Bossuet called this the divine right theory
Therefore a King or Queen had legitimacy from God or the gods and to disagree with him was to disagree with God

8. Theories of Rule (pg.11) Natural Law & Natural Rights
Natural law has a long history and goes all the way back to Aristotle
The Christian philosopher Thomas Aquinas argued that since human nature comes from God, natural law, too, must come from God.
Therefore if your leaders don’t follow natural law citizens don’t have to follow those leaders

9. Theories of Rule (pgs.11-12) The Social Contract Theory (Late 1600s)
Under this theory, a government is legitimate only so long as the partied to the agreement hand over power to the state
Thomas Hobbes believed people agreed to government b/c nature was so violent.
John Locke added on by stating that any violation of the people’s natural rights by the gov. the people had grounds for rebellion