1. GOVERNMENT ON A TUESDAY
UNIT 1: FOUNDATIONS OF GOVERNMENT
We’ll get our
own tea, thank
you very much

2. THE STATE
State-a political community occupying territory with an organized government with power to make and enforce laws without approval from a higher authority
Nation-group of people united by common bonds of language, custom, race, religion, culture, etc.
Nation-state-combines the nation and the state: U.S. would be a nation-state

3. FEATURES OF A STATE Population Territory
Sovereignty-supreme and absolute authority within its boundaries
Government-institution through which the state maintains order

4. THEORIES OF THE ORIGIN OF THE STATE
Force-developed when all people were brought under the authority of a person or group

5. Evolutionary-developed out of the family into what it is today

6. Divine right -notion that a god or gods chose certain people to rule

7. Social contract -people surrender to the state the power needed to maintain order and the state, in turn, agrees to protect the citizens

8. PURPOSES OF GOVERNMENT
Maintaining social order
Providing public services
Providing national security
Making economic decisions

9. GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS
Unitary-all key powers belong to the national government
Example: United Kingdom
Federal-powers are divided between national and state governments
Example: America
Confederacy-a loose union of independent states
Example: Confederate States of America

10. Presidential system-a government in which the president leads the executive branch

11. Parliamentary system-a government in which executive and legislative functions both reside in an elected assembly
David Cameron,
Former
British Prime
Minister

12. TYPES OF GOVERNMENT
Autocracy-power to rule is in the hands of a single individual
Totalitarian dictatorship
Absolute monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Oligarchy-a small group holds power
Democracy-rule by the people
Direct-all citizens vote
Representative-people vote for others who in turn vote for them

13. Constitutional Monarch Queen Elizabeth II (United Kingdom)

14. Absolute Monarch-King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia-he’s the one on the right

15. TOTALITARIAN DICTATORS
Mussolini
Stalin
Hitler

16. CHARACTERISTICS OF DEMOCRACY
Individual liberty
Majority rule with minority rights
Free elections
Competing political parties
Active participation
Educated public
Social consensus

17. OUR ENGLISH POLITICAL HERITAGE
Documents that shaped American ideas
Magna Carta (1215)
Placed limits on the monarch’s power
Petition of Right (1628)
King could not levy taxes without the consent of the Parliament
English Bill of Rights (1688)
Enhanced the power of Parliament
Promoted speedy trials, other freedoms
The documents above, the Enlightenment, and the growth of Parliament led to a belief in representative government; the colonists brought these ideas to America

18. SETTLEMENT OF AMERICA
The British founded 13 colonies in America from
Democracy grew widely here but many were excluded
Colonies developed written constitutions, court systems, elected legislatures, and separated powers between the legislature and the governor
The British still expected allegiance to the king

19. REASONS TO SEEK INDEPENDENCE
British Parliament claimed right to control the affairs of the colonies
The colonists claimed there should be “no taxation without representation”
Colonists opposed rules and regulations about where they could settle
Stamp Act-direct tax on the colonists for newspapers, legal documents, etc.
“Boston Massacre”

20. Colonists set up 1st and later 2nd Continental Congress with representation
Revolutionary War between Britain and the colonies begins
Declaration of Independence written by Jefferson, approved July 1776

22. THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
Was the first written
government of the US
Was replaced by the
Constitution

23. Articles of Confederation
STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT
Congress was the only branch
Unicameral legislature
President was chosen by the legislature

24. Articles of Confederation
POWERS OF CONGRESS
Make war/peace
Receive ambassadors
Borrow money
Build army/navy
Settle state disputes

25. Articles of Confederation
OBLIGATIONS OF THE STATES
Obey the Articles
Provide funds for troops
Surrender fugitives
Allow open travel

26. Articles of Confederation
WEAKNESSES
No power to tax
Had to borrow
Couldn’t regulate trade
Couldn’t force states to obey
Unanimous vote needed to make an amendment