1. How Do Governments Distribute Power?
Unitary
Confederation
Federal
SS6CG4a

2. Standard Addressed
SS6CG4 The student will compare and contrast various forms of government. a. Describe the ways government systems distribute power: unitary, confederate, and federal.

3. Why do we have governments?
They are organized ways for creating laws/rules designed to protect the well-being of the general public and to help manage conflict.
They determine the power structure (who has the power) within a country.
In some countries, only one person or party maintains centralized control of the government, while in other countries power is shared between individuals and factions.

4. Why do we have governments?
All countries require governments to function.
Governments provide laws, structure, public services, and national defense.
There are different types of governments:
Democracies
Republics
Monarchies
Dictatorships

5. Unitary - One central government controls weaker states
Unitary - One central government controls weaker states. Power is not shared between states, counties, or provinces.
Confederation - A weak or loose organization of states that agree to follow a central government. Each state makes its own laws and the central government is only concerned about defense and trade.
Federal - Power is shared by a powerful central government and states or provinces that have self-rule, usually through their own legislatures.

7. Unitary Government
Unitary - a system in which the power is held by one central authority.
All power is given to the one branch of government.
Examples:
France
United Kingdom
Sweden
Spain
Former Soviet Union
Unitary Video

8. The countries in Blue have Unitary Governments.

10. Confederation
Confederation - A form of government based on a voluntary agreement under which separate countries work together.
Independent states voluntarily work together for some common purpose and agree to certain limits on their freedom of action as a confederation.
Examples:
European Union
Articles of Confederation
Confederation Video

13. Federal Government
Federal - Power is shared by a powerful central government and the state or local governments.
States or provinces are given considerable self rule, usually through their own legislatures.
Examples:
United States
Russian Federation
Germany

14. The countries in Green have Federal Governments.

15. Local/
State
Gov’t
Central Gov’t
Local/
State
Gov’t
Central Gov’t
UNITARY
CONFEDERATION
Central
Gov’t
Local/
State
Gov’t
FEDERATION

16. Ways Government Distributes Power
All key powers are held by the central government
State/regional authorities hold most of the power
Unitary
Federal
Confederation
Power is shared between the central government and the regional governments
Strong central government
Weaker central government