1. THE NATURE OF POWER,
POLITICS AND YOU
Citizenship Test

2. The New York Times and
CBS News Poll…
How much of the time do you think you can trust the
government in Washington to do what is right: just
about always, most of the time, or only some of the
time?”
 5% (1 person in 20) responded “just about
always”
 4% responded “most of the time”
 87% responded “only some of the time”
 4% responded never

3. How can you link this poll to
why it is important to study our
government?

4. Big Idea
Throughout our history, Americans have tended

to be distrustful of power, government, and
politics. Nonetheless, we look to our
government to provide goods and services that
we all want and need.

5. UNIT I
ORIGINS OF
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

6. Origins of American Government:
A customized government
Ancient Greece and Rome Roots

 Direct democracy: citizens make public
decisions directly
 Representative democracy: power is exercised
by elected leaders who work in the interests of
the people
 ““I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America, to the republic for which it
stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with
liberty and justice for all”

7. Geographic Distribution of Power
Unitary
Centralized State
Government

8. Geographic Distribution of Power
Confederate
State
Central
Government

9. Geographic Distribution of Power
Federal
Central State
Government

10. Essential questions to consider…
How did colonial American history lead to the

development of American political ideals about
the role and structure of government?
How did the ideas of government from Great

Britain impact the establishment of our
government?

11. Exploring 3 Types of Government…

12. Ordered Government
Orderly regulation of relationships
o
 What does this mean?
Created local governments similar to
o
those in England
Present Day Examples?

 Counties, townships, sheriff, justice of the peace,
grand jury…

13. Limited Government
Government is not all powerful
o
Cannot take away natural rights
o
 What does this mean?
 Individuals have certain rights that the government
cannot take away.

14. Representative
Government
Government should serve the will of the
o
people
People have a VOICE!!
o
 What does this mean?
“Government of, by, and for the people”

15. Where did the colonists
get these basic
concepts of
government???
English history
provides the
key…

16. Warm-up:
An Interesting Dilemma…
One morning, Ms. Brown woke up with no voice. Obviously,
she could not teach that day. She called the automated
system that finds substitute teachers, punched in the correct
numbers, and left a message. This machine is meant to find a
substitute, but a lightning bolt hits the building where the
machine is located, and a substitute is never found. At 7:25
am, the 1st block bell rings and, after some time, no one
comes to teach Ms. Brown’s class…
Imagine you were in that class…
1. If you were to make a suggestion to your classmates
about a course of action, what would it be?
2. Who, or how many of you, would make a decision
as to what to do?

17. Questions to Consider…
How would humans be without any external

government?
Would we be kind and generous, or cruel and

self serving?
Does anyone have the right to govern another?

How are governments created?


18. POLITICAL
PHILOSOPHERS
State of Nature & Social Contract Theory

19. English Philosopher:
Thomas Hobbes
State of Nature: early

humans lived in unbridled
freedom, in which no
government existed and
there was no superior
power.
Believed life is “solitary,

poor, nasty, brutish and
short”.
Believed people were too

selfish to govern
themselves – we NEED
government to control and
protect.

20. English Philosopher:
John Locke
Ideas helped lay

foundations for
democratic government
Thomas Jefferson called

the DOI – “Pure Locke”
Believed people were

innately good, and
formed governments to
protect their rights and
freedoms.

21. John Locke vs. Thomas Hobbes
John Locke Thomas Hobbes

22. With which theory do you agree more?
Why?
Which philosopher is correct in his
1.
understanding of human nature?
Which philosopher is correct in his
2.
understanding of Government?

23. MAJOR
POLITICAL THEORIES

24. Political Theories
Force Theory Evolutionary Theory
small group forced all to developed naturally out of
submit to person and/or the evolution of the family
group’s rule
Divine Right Social Contract
held that God created the argues that state arose out
state, and God had given of a voluntary act of free
those of royal birth “divine people. State exists only to
right” to rule serve the will of the people

25. Social Contract Theory
Theory through which Thomas Jefferson

justified colonial independence .
Assume people live in a state of nature (no

government) and are willing to give up some of
their freedom and liberty to maintain order .

26. Day 3
Focus Activity
Recall the three types of government from
Day 1.
For each type of government draw a picture
that would help you identify its meaning.
Be prepared to share!

27. Reading Activity:
A close-up on primary sources
Please read the Locke and Jefferson article
Underline words you do not understand
Answer the two [2] questions for discussion
and be prepared to share your responses
with the class

28. In the 1770s, a small group of citizens,
known as the Founding Fathers, decided
that they should rule the country and
overthrow the government…
• We will look at the actual
document that got this
group into so much
trouble with the King of
England…
THE DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE!

29. Big Ideas in the DOI
Thomas Jefferson was the primary author
1.
Reflects two main ideas:
2.
Natural Rights Philosophy – we are all equal
1.
and have the right to life, liberty, and pursuit
of happiness.
Social Contract Theory – government arises
2.
from agreement of the people
People are willing to give up individuals

rights for a government to protest their
natural rights .

30. Video Viewing Activity
Follow along in your mini booklet as you
listen to the celebrity reading of the DOI.
Underline ideas that reflect natural rights
and social contract theory (“Pure Locke”).

31. FYI
On July 4th, 1776, the Congress voted to
accept the DOI. This is why we celebrate
July 4th as Independence Day.
DOI in 2009 Lingo

32. Journal Question…
What might the consequences of a weak
government be?

33. NOTABLE AMERICAN
DOCUMENTS…

34. Vocabulary to be familiar with …
Confederation: an association of states that

delegates power to a central government
Confederate
State
Central
Government
Ratification: formal approval


35. Notable American Documents
Articles of Confederation

First government of the United States

Replaced by the Constitution because

Constitution provided a much stronger
national government
The Articles of Confederation had
many weaknesses….

36. DRAFTING THE CONSTITUTION

37. Constitutional
Convention
Met in Philadelphia in 1787

Composed of some of the greatest

thinkers, educators, statesmen, and
politicians of the day
These men were collectively

known as “The Framers”

38. Purpose of the Convention
Initial purpose was to revise the Articles of

Confederation .
Delegates quickly realized they were meeting to

create a new government (with 3 branches!)

39. Several plans were proposed to correct
the weaknesses of the AOC…
a Bundle of
Compromise…

40. ISSUE OF REPRESENTATION
Virginia Plan v. New Jersey Plan
Major similarities between the 2 plans:
Three branches of government
1.
Congress retains powers granted
2.
under AOC
Executive chosen by Congress
3.

41. Virginia Plan
“Large State Plan”
Strong central gov’t

L: Bicameral Congress

 Representation based on population
E: “President”

 Chosen by Congress
J: 1+ supreme courts with lower courts

 Chosen by Congress

42. New Jersey Plan
“Small State Plan”
Strong state government

L: Unicameral Congress

 Each state would have = representation
 Expand power to tax & regulate trade
E: Two-person presidency

 Chosen by Congress; able to be removed
J: Single Supreme Court

 Chosen by Executive

43. Your Task
Create a billboard advertisement detailing the
features of one of the plans – NJ or VA - the
choice is yours!
 GOAL: “sell” your plan to the people – persuade
them to choose your plan!!!
 Use catchy phrases/slogans and be sure to include
the historical features of your plan (VA or NJ).
 At the end of the period, we will vote on the most
persuasive and appealing billboard – this group will
receive extra credit on the Unit Assessment!!!

44. Closing Activity
Survival Simulation Game…

45. A Bundle of Compromise
Complete the graphic organizer
-
Big Idea:
The main disagreement was over small points,
not the fundamental questions. Nearly all
delegates had agreed that a new national
government had to be created (Federal
Government), but it needed the powers
necessary to deal with the nation’s problems.

46. Though the final draft was created after much debate, it
had to be ratified (approved) by 9 of the 13 colonies …
and this would be another difficult task.

47. FIGHT FOR
RATIFICATION
complete the graphic organizer …

48. Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
Anti-Federalists
Federalists
- Opposed Constitution
- Favored Constitution
- Believed Constitution was too
- Believed Constitution was strong
strong enough to solve
- Wanted a Bill of Rights added to
country’s problems
protect individual freedoms
- Supported a
- Supported a
Federal Government
Confederate Government
- Led by Alexander Hamilton and
- Led by Patrick Henry and
James Madison
John Hancock

49. Your Turn…
Working with one partner, you will create an

advertisement to support either the Federalists,
or the Anti-Federalists. You will use this Ad to
help debate / argue the Fed v. Anti-Fed P.O.V.
Requirements:

Must convey an appropriate message
Must make use of historical content
Must FILL one blank sheet of paper
Must use color
NO STICK FIGURES 15 pts

50. Debating …
Pair up with an opposing group

Engage in a debate, making sound arguments

in support of your position
(using your Ad as supplemental evidence).
Propose rebuttal questions to the opposing

team.

51. Closing Activity
A compromise was eventually reached. To get

the Anti-Federalists to support the Constitution,
the Federalists agreed that it would draft a Bill
of Rights, listing the rights of citizens that were
not to be violated by the federal government.
Today, the Bill of Rights has proved to be vitally

important to the protection of basic rights of the
American people… let’s take a look at this now

52. THE UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION

53. Daily Enduring Understanding
The United States was founded on a set of ideas

and principles developed over many centuries.
Those ideas helped give rise to a system of
representative government based on the rule of
law and a respect for individual rights and
liberties.

54. Structure of Constitution
Constitution

 Provides basic
framework for U.S.
government
 Outlines basic
principles, structure
and processes
 Three part document:
 Preamble
 Articles
 Amendments

55. F.Y.I.
The U.S. Constitution, adopted in 1788, is the
oldest written constitution still in use
anywhere in the world.

56. Structure of Constitution
Preamble

 Introduction to the Constitution
 Lists ideas that the government should stand for
and states purposes
 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.”

57. Purpose of Government
Form a More Perfect Union

Establish Justice

Insure Domestic Tranquility

Provide for the Common Defense

Promote the General Welfare

Secure the Blessings of Liberty


58. Preamble Homework Discussion

59. Structure of Constitution
Articles

 Main body of the Constitution
 Lay out basic structure of the national government
 Further broken down into sections and clauses
 Article I: Legislative branch
 Article II: Executive branch
 Article III: Judicial branch
 Articles IV: Relations among the states
 Article V: Amendment process
 Article VI: Payment of debts; Supremacy Clause;
oaths of office
 Article VII: Ratification

60. Structure of Constitution
Amendments

 Formal changes made to the Constitution
 Twenty-seven in total
 First ten referred to as the Bill of Rights

61. Structure of U.S. Government
Legislative
Branch
Three
Branches of
Government
Executive Judicial
Branch Branch

62. PRINCIPLES OF THE
CONSTITUTION

63. Six Principles of the Constitution
Principle - rule of action or conduct

Six principles established in the Constitution

Popular Sovereignty

Limited Government

Separation of Powers

Checks and Balances

Judicial Review

Federalism


64. Constitutional Principle Explanation
Idea that people are the source of all power
Popular Sovereignty
held by the government
Government possesses only the powers the
Limited Government people give it—it must obey the Constitution
Establishes three separate branches, that
share the government’s power. These
Separation of Powers
branches are the executive, the legislative and
the judicial
Ensures that none of the three branches can
become too powerful. Each branch has ways
Checks and Balances
to limit the power of the other two (ex.
President veto power)
Power of the courts to decide what the
Constitution means. The courts also have the
Judicial Review
power to declare a government action to be
against the Constitution (unconstitutional).
Divides the power between the central
Federalism
government and the States

65. EXPECTATIONS
OBJECTIVE
- All group members are
Create & perform a skit that
expected to work
depicts a constitutional
collaboratively to create the
principle … providing a way
skit
for your classmates to
remember the meaning come - All group members must
exam and final time. participate in the exhibition
See rubric for grading
requirements
Skits should be 2-3 minutes
in length You are required to create and
turn-in a script that will be
Humor is appreciated!
evaluated.
SIX PRINCIPLE SKITS

66. THE UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION

67. Daily Enduring Understanding
For more than 200 years, the Constitution has

served as a blueprint for republican government
and a guarantor of basic rights and freedoms for
the American people. It has endured because of
its flexibility and the strength of its underlying
principles.

68. Warm-Up Activity
quot;The Constitution belongs to the
living and not to the dead.“
- Thomas Jefferson
Considering the quote above, explain how the
Constitution has endured for over 200 years.
In other words,
what is Jefferson implying in this quote?

69. Checks and Balances HW Check

70. What you should be doing…
Get out a blank piece of paper

 Divide your papers into three hot dog style
columns
 Label the first column “principle”, label the
middle column “suggestion or kudos” and label
the last column “how it will help me remember
for the test”
 As your classmates present, fill out these
columns
 This will be collected and evaluated as part of
your “attention to other presentations” grade.

71. PRINCIPLES OF
DEMOCRACY
Admit Ticket

72. Principles of American Democracy
Notions of American Democracy
• Equality of All Persons
• Majority Rule, Minority Rights Protected
• Necessity of Compromise
•Individual Freedom
• Choose 2 of the 4 principles of democracy listed above.
• Draw two circles on your piece of paper.
• Create PINs that illustrate YOUR OWN representation of
each principle.
Total of two pins will be created…

73. What does it mean to
be an American?
Ideals
Values
Goals
Symbols