Government WebQuestIntroduction     Task     Process     Extra Activities

Introduction:What is the United States Government all about?

Hi! This is Uncle Sam. I'm here to teach your school about our Government. But, I made a mistake and forgot all my presentation posters! I need your help! I want YOU to help me make a presentation for the school. You need to prepare teach the other kids in your school about Democracy, the Constitution, and the 3 Branches of Government. Please help me!

Task

Decide how you will help Uncle Sam. What kind of presentation will you do? Then, research information about the United States Government using the provided websites.

Process

Part 1

Research the history of our country. Help Uncle Sam explain the importance of Democracy and describe the Historical Documents of the United States.

Videos about the History of America: taken from the History Channel website.

Jefferson writes the Declaration of Independence

The Founding Fathers Unite

U.S. Declares Independence

What is Democracy?

What are your Rights?

Independence and Democracy

Rights of Citizens

Responsibilities of Citizens

What are the Historical Documents of our Country and why are they important?

Ben's Guide to Government

 

Part 2

What are the 3 Branches of Government?

3 Branches

The Three Branches of Government

Checks and Balances

 

What is the Judicial Branch?

Judicial Branch

The Supreme Court

Head of the Judicial Branch

 

What is the Executive Branch?

Executive Branch

What a President Can and Cannot Do

A List of the Presidents

Video - Washington Writes the Rules on Presidents

 

What is the Legislative

Branch?

Legislative Branch

The House of Representatives

The Senate

Making Laws

Part 3Create your Presentation for Uncle Sam. Here are some ideas:

Draw a Tree of the 3 Branches of Government. On each "branch" describe the part of the government. On the trunk of the tree and the ground, describe other information about our Government.

Make a Book. On each page, describe the Government using Kid words.

 

 

The United States has had the same type of government for more than 200 years. It's called a "representative democracy," which is a type of “republic” (link tohttp://www.williampmeyers.org/republic.html for further information). Among the nations of the world, it is unusual for a system of government to last so long. Most governments are based on a written set of principles, sometimes called a "constitution" or a "charter." When citizens directly participate by voting, the government is called a "democracy."

The power and strength of government come from the people in a democracy. The word “democracy” comes from two Greek words: “demos” meaning “people” and “kratos” meaning “power” or “authority.” The United States is a democracy.

Some countries have autocratic governments. The word “autocracy,” the opposite of democracy, comes from the Greek words: “autos” meaning “self” and “kratos” meaning “power.” In an autocratic government, one person or group holds all the power, without the participation, or sometimes even the consent, of the people.

Autocracy is a form of government in which the political power is held by a single self-appointed ruler who holds all the political power. In a democracy, the extreme control is held by the people under a free electoral method.

The United States is not a democracy? The United States is a Republic - a democratic republic. Its citizens elect representatives (the Congress). The founding fathers warned of the problems of democracy and the tyranny of the majority in many early writings. You will find no mention of democracy in the US Constitution.

The Revolutionary War broke out on April 19, 1775, at the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

By the time the Second Continental Congress met in May 1775 to discuss stronger action for independence, tensions in the American colonies ran very high. Colonists who did not wish to remain British subjects declared themselves "Patriots" -- those who remained faithful to England called themselves "Loyalists."

On June 11, 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee of five men to write a Declaration of Independence from British Rule. Those five men were Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman. Jefferson wrote the first draft. The committee declared it to be almost perfect. The committee presented the document to the Congress after making a few corrections. Following a few more changes, Thomas Jefferson's work was approved. Church bells rang out on July 4, 1776, the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted and our nation was officially born.

The words "United States" cannot be found in the Declaration of Independence.

When the Founding Fathers adopted "The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America" [wiki] on July 4, 1776, they didn’t form the nation called "The United States of America."

The United States of America actually came into being on March 1, 1781, when the Second Continental Congress ratified the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union (or more commonly known as the Article of Confederation [wiki]).

THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

 

Branches of Government

The Founding Fathers, the framers of the Constitution, wanted to form a government that did not allow one person to have too much authority or control. While under the rule of the British king they learned that this could be a bad system. Yet government under the Articles of Confederation taught them that there was a need for a strong centralized government.

With this in mind the framers wrote the Constitution to provide for a separation of powers, or three separate branches of government. Each has its own responsibilities and at the same time they work together to make the country run smoothly and to assure that the rights of citizens are not ignored or disallowed. This is done through checks and balances. A branch may use its powers to check the powers of the other two in order to maintain a balance of power among the three branches of government.

The three branches of the U.S. Government are the legislative, executive, and judicial. A complete diagram of the branches of the U.S. Government may be found in the U.S. Government Manual (PDF).

Checks and Balances

By creating three branches of government, the delegates built a "check and balance" system into the Constitution. This system was built so that no one branch of our government could become too powerful.

Each branch is restrained by the other two in several ways. For example, the president may veto a law passed by Congress. Congress can override that veto with a vote of two-thirds of both houses. Another example is that the Supreme Court may check Congress by declaring a law unconstitutional. The power is balanced by the fact that members of the Supreme Court are appointed by the president. Those appointments have to be approved by Congress.

The system of checks and balances is used to keep the government from getting too powerful in one branch. For example, the Executive Branch can veto bills from the Legislative Branch, but the Legislative Branch can override the veto. 

The Declaration of Independence has five parts. They are the Preamble, the Statement of Human Rights, Charges Against

Human Rights, Charges Against the King and Parliament, and the Statement of Separation and Signatures.

The main purpose of the Declaration of Independence was to announce the colonies separation from England. It also stated the principles that were the foundation for seeking independence.

The Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal and are entitled to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." These ideas would be expressed again in the new republic's Constitution. These ideas form the basis of our beliefs about the role of our government in our lives today.

efferson was upset that slavery was edited out of the Declaration of Independence.

In his first draft of the Declaration of Independence,Jefferson [wiki] listed the British crown’s support and importation of slavery to the colonies as one of the grievances:

"He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred rights of life & liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating & carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither."

The passage, however, was edited out by request of the delegates from South Carolina and Georgia. Jefferson (himself a slave owner!) remained upset about this removal of the condemnation of slavery until his death.

Rights of Citizens:The Bill of Rights

When the Constitution was ratified in 1789, many people were concerned that it did not protect certain freedoms. They thought that the Constitution should be changed or amended to protect these freedoms. On December 15, 1791, ten amendments were added to the Constitution. These amendments guarantee certain freedoms and rights, so they are known as the Bill of Rights.

Some of the freedoms and rights protected in the Bill of Rights include:

Freedom of Religion Freedom of Assembly To Keep and Bear Arms Freedom of Speech Freedom of the Press Protection for those Accused of Crimes

Responsibilities of Citizens

Citizens of the U.S. can participate in their government This process insures that power will always remain where it belongs - with the people.

The most important right citizens have is the right to vote. By voting, the people have a voice in the government. The people decide who will represent them in the government. Before voting in an election, each citizen should be well informed about the issues and candidates.

The government may call upon citizens to serve on a jury. The members of the jury need to decide the case in as fair a way as they can.

Every person is expected to obey the laws of the community, state and country in which he or she lives. All Americans are expected to respect the rights of others. All persons living in the U.S. are expected to pay the income taxes and other taxes honestly and on time.

The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in the history of the United States. It represents the official first step toward the separation of the 13 colonies from the control of Great Britain. The document was written by Thomas Jefferson in seventeen days, during the Second Continental Congress.

Although the Declaration of Independence was not officially signed until August 1, 1776, Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This is why we celebrate July 4th as Independence Day.

The Declaration of IndependenceA Transcription

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the

consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the

depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment

for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial

by Jury: For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for

pretended offences For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a

neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

The Articles of Confederation

After the Revolutionary War, the American states were independent from Great Britain. They needed to create a system of government to run this new nation. The first system created was known as the Articles of Confederation and was adopted by the Congress on November 15, 1777. In its final form, the Articles of Confederation were comprised of a preamble and 13 articles.

The Articles of Confederation were finally ratified by the last of the 13 American states, Maryland, in 1781 and became the ruling document in the new nation. The Articles created a nation that was "a league of friendship and perpetual union."

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The state governments retained most of the power under the Articles, with little power given to the central government. Congress, for example, had to rely upon the states for its funds and for the execution of its decrees. The central government received little respect and was not able to accomplish much because it had little authority over states or individuals in America.

In the words of George Washington, the government created by the Articles of the Confederation was "little more than the shadow without the substance." As the need for a stronger federal government began to be realized, leaders from throughout the states got together to decide how to create it. The Federal Constitutional Convention of 1787 was responsible for drafting the Constitution of the United States, the document which took the

place of the Articles of Confederation in 1789 and created a stronger central government.

Judicial BranchThe judicial branch of government is made up of the court system. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land. Article III of the Constitution established this Court and all other Federal courts were created by Congress. Courts decide arguments about the meaning of laws, how they are applied, and whether they break the rules of the Constitution.

The Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. The Supreme Court hears cases that have made their way through the court system, but of the more than 7,500 cases that are sent to the Supreme Court each year, only about 80 to 100 cases are actually accepted. Once the Supreme Court makes a decision, it can only be changed by another Supreme Court decision or by amending (changing) the Constitution. This is a very important power that can affect the lives of a lot of people. Also, since the main power of the Supreme Court is to decide cases that challenge the Constitution, the Court must decide if the case they receive really challenges the Constitution.

The Supreme Court is made up of nine Justices. One of these is the Chief Justice. They are appointed by the President and must be approved by the Senate. Justices have their jobs for life, unless they resign, retire, or are impeached by the House and convicted

by the Senate (the removal process as described by the Constitution).

There are no requirements in order to be appointed a Justice, but all have been trained in the law. Many Justices served as members of Congress, governors, or members of the President's Cabinet. One president, William Howard Taft, was later appointed Chief Justice.

he Supreme Court

The Supreme Court heads the judicial branch of the United States government. It is the only court established by the Constitution. Decisions made by the Supreme Court are usually of national importance. "Equal Justice under Law" is the motto of the Supreme Court. The wording of the Constitution is complex, so it must be studied and examined carefully. When questions concerning particular laws arise in lower courts, the justices who make up the Supreme Court are responsible for explaining and interpreting the Constitution.

All of the other courts in the United States must follow the ruling or the decision made by the justices of the Supreme Court. The Constitution also gives the Supreme Court the power to judge whether federal, state, and local governments

are acting within the law. The Supreme Court can also decide if a president's action is unconstitutional.

Executive BranchThe executive branch of Government makes sure that the laws of the United States are obeyed. The President of the United States is the head of the executive branch of government. This branch is very large so the President gets help from the Vice President, department heads (Cabinet members), and heads of independent agencies.

President: Leader of the country and commands the military.

Vice President: President of the Senate and becomes President if the President can no longer do the job.

Departments: Department heads advise the President on issues and help carry out policies.

Independent Agencies: Help carry out policy or provide special services.

A PRESIDENTCAN........................................................

make treaties with the approval of the Senate. veto bills and sign bills. represent our nation in talks with foreign countries. enforce the laws that Congress passes. act as Commander-in-Chief during a war. call out troops to protect our nation against an attack. make suggestions about things that should be new laws. lead his political party. entertain foreign guests. recognize foreign countries. grant pardons. nominate Cabinet members and Supreme Court Justices and other high

officials. appoint ambassadors. talk directly to the people about problems. represent the best interest of all the people

A PRESIDENTCANNOT..................................

make laws. declare war. decide how federal money will be spent. interpret laws. choose Cabinet members or Supreme Court Justices without Senate

approval.