1. US Government
Chapter 1 Notes

2. Activity What does government do?
Name three ways you interact with government on a daily basis.

3. What is government and what are it’s functions?
Providing Leadership –
Maintaining Order-
Providing Public Services-
Providing National Security-
Providing Economic Security& Assistance-

4. Nations and States
Nation-
State-
Sovereignty

5. Systems of Government
Unitary –
Confederate
Federal

6. Origins of the State Force – Evolutionary – Divine Right –
Social Contract-

7. Constitutional Governments
1. Ideals
2. Basic structure
3. Supreme Law of the land
Constitutional government –
Limitations 1. 2.
The constitution sets up the basic structure of the government and describes the powers of the government. It also establishes the national government as the sovereign government or the fact that the constitution, national laws, and treaties are the supreme law of the land.
There are limitations, however. First, the constitution cannot possibly spell out all the possible laws, customs, and ideas that grow up around the document. Second, constitutions are not always followed by the government.

8. 1.2 Major Types of Governments
Authoritarian –
Totalitarian
Dictatorships
Oligarchy
Monarchy
Autocrat
Democratic
Direct
Representative

9. Principles Citizen participation Regular free and fair elections
Accepting the results of elections
Rule of law
Majority rule with minority rights
Accountability
Transparency
Limited Government
Control of the abuses of government
Economic freedom
Independent judiciary
Competing political parties

10. 1.3 The Role of Government in Economic Systems
Factors of Production
Labor
Capital
Entrepreneurs

11. Types of Economies Capitalism Socialism Communism Adam Smith – Marx
Invisible hand
Laissez faire
Socialism
Communism
– Marx
Bourgeoisie
Proletariat