Principles of Government

1.  What are the purposes of government?
 What are the major forms of government in the
world today?
 What are the basic concepts?
Essential Questions

2.  Government- an institution that a group of
people forms to make and enforce laws.
 Public Policy- The things a government
decides to do.
 State- a group of people who live together and
rule themselves through government.
 Sovereignty- people have complete power in
their territory

3.  Unitary Government- has all of its power in
one central group
 Federal Government- a shared power among a
central government and local governments
 Confederation- a loosely connected group of
independent states
 Presidential Government- the legislative and
executive branches are independent of each
other and equal in power.

4.  Parliamentary Government- the chief
executive is a member of the legislature. The
legislature chooses the executive.
 Dictatorship- one person holds all political
power
 Democracy- the people hold all political power
 Direct Democracy- the people make the laws
themselves

5.  Representative Democracy- the people elect a
small group of people to do the work of
government
 Compromise- a blending of different views
 Anarchy- the total lack of government

6. To form a more perfect union,
•To keep the States working together in a friendly way.
To establish justice,
•To treat people fairly
To ensure domestic tranquility,
•To keep order
To provide for the common defense,
•To keep people safe from enemies
To promote the general welfare,
•To help people
To secure the blessings of liberty,
•To protect each person’s freedom

7. POPULATION
TERRITORY
GOVERNMENT
SOVEREIGNTY

8. THEORY SUMMARY
Force Strong person or group took control of others
Evolutionary State developed after early families chose to settle
land and became tribes
Divine Right God gave those of royal birth the right to rule
Social Contract State exists because people voluntarily organized
themselves to improve their lives
What theory would a dictator support?
What theory might a king of queen believe to be true?
Which theory is consistent with democracy?

9. Who holds power?
How do legislators and
executives share power?
How many people hold power?

10. Central Government State National
Federalism
Divides the powers of government
between the national government and
state or provincial governments.
Unitary Government
Gives all key powers to the national
or central government.
Ind. Ind. Ind.
Confederation
A loose union of independent states.

11. V
O
T
E
R
S
Legislature
Make laws
Executive
Enforce laws
Independent
And
Equal
The United States of America

12. V
O
T
E
R
S
Legislature
Parliament chooses the
executive.
Chief Executive
along with Parliament
England and several European countries

13. DICTATORSHIP
DEMOCRACY
1. Describe the difference b/w a dictatorship
and a democracy.
2. What is the difference b/w a democracy
and a representative democracy?

14. FILL IN THE BUBBLES!

15. “All men are created
equal.”
Thomas Jefferson
What did Thomas Jefferson mean?

16. Why is compromise necessary in order to make decisions in a democracy?

17. “Hand over your
rights!”
What would happen if
we had a total lack of
government (anarchy)?