FOUNDATIONS OF GOVERNMENT

Personal Power Assessment

Answer the following questions in your notebook. Make a list of all the individuals, institutions, and

circumstances that have power over you. For each item, write a brief description of how it has power over you.

Now make a list of all the individuals, institutions, and circumstances in which you have power. For each one, briefly describe how you have power.

Create a simple illustration that represents you and how you feel about power in your life.

Below your illustration, summarize in two or three sentences how you feel about power in your life.

The Chip Game

This is a game where you trade colored chips. For each round, you will have two minutes to trade

your chips. All trades—including those in progress—must stop when the time is up.

After trading, the student with the most points will be asked to make a rule for the next round. That rule will apply only to the next round.

Begin Round 1

The Chip Game Points

Use these amounts to calculate your points. Green = 10 points Blue = 25 points Yellow = 50 points Red = 100 points

Who has the most points?

Winner gets to make a rule for the next round. The new rule cannot end all trading and will apply only to the next round of trading. Write the rule on the board.

Continue with the next round

The Chip Game Conclusion What happened to you during the

game? What happened in the class during the

game? What do you think the game was about? Based on this experience, how would

you define power? Why might power be related to a course

on American politics and government?

The Nature of Power, Politics and Government

Read the quotes on the handout. In your notebook assign each quote a

“truth ranking” from 1 to 5 (1 = never true, 5 = always true).

Write a brief response to each of the following questions. Support your answers with evidence from your own experience and your knowledge of historic and current events.

The Nature of Power, Politics and Government

1. Which of the quotations do you think is the most true about power?

2. Which of the quotations do you think is the most true about politics?

3. Which of the quotations do you think is the most true about your own life?

What is Government?

Government is the institution through which a society makes and enforces public policies

The State Four characteristics: Population

Must have people who agree to separate Territory

Must have land with recognized boundaries Sovereignty

Must have supreme power within its territory Government

Must be politically organized

Origins of the State Force Theory

One person or small group took control & forced all within it to submit to that person or group’s rule

Evolutionary TheoryEvolved naturally out of the structure of the family

Divine Right TheoryArgues that God created the state; gives those of

royal birth the “divine right” to rule.

Social Contract TheoryState arose out of a voluntary act of free people

The Purpose of Government Defined in the Preamble of the Constitution Government = protection of the people

“We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure Domestic Tranquility, provide for the Common Defense, promote the General Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Classifying Governments

3 ways:

1. Classification by who can Participate Democracy

Sovereignty rests with the people

Direct Democracy○ The citizens themselves

actively create lawsIndirect Democracy

○ Representatives are chosen by the people

DictatorshipSovereignty rests with

elite group of rulersAutocracy

○ a single person holds power

Oligarchy○ Power to rule is held by

a small group

2. Classification by Where Power is held

Unitary Government All power held by a single, central agency

ConfederationA loose alliance of independent states

○ Almost no central government at all

Federal GovernmentPowers of government are divided between

central and local governments

3. Classification by balance between Legislative and Executive Presidential

RelationshipVoters elect the

Legislature Voters also elect an

Executive Legislative and

Executive branches are independent

Parliamentary RelationshipVoters elect the Legislature

to represent themThe Legislature chooses

someone from among them to be the Executive

(Prime Minister)