Principles of Government #1

Evolution of Government

Next, get started answering the journal question on the overhead.

Title your paper as you see above!

Say – MeanSAY: What does this cartoon tell us or

show us? What do you actually SEE?

MEAN: What is the author’s message? What is he/she saying about politics? What is its significance? How does it relate to the world around us?

Political Cartoons

In-Class Note-Taking Tips!

Informal language

• Don’t write every word!!!! Summarize

• But also, don’t just write what’s on the board. Add in teacher examples & explanations.

• Use your best text messaging skills – abbrev. everything! Ppl, enuf, &, thot,

• Only copy what’s in a black font.

In the beginning….

• Anarchy

–Advantages:

–Disadvantages:

• Anarchy = no gov. do what I

want chaos,

confusion, etc.

Then, one person gains power…

• One person w/complete control:–Dictatorship–Authoritarian regime–Autocracy

• A few people control gov–Oligarchy

• Sometimes, one person controls ALL aspects of life –Totalitarian gov. –Examples:

• Often this power is handed down through the family

–Monarchy

–Ex:

• Power is based on religion–Theocracy –Ex:

Out of these forms of government, which

one would you prefer? Why?

PofG #2: Compare & Contrast

1. Compare and contrast a monarchy and a totalitarian regime.

2. Compare and contrast anarchy and a dictatorship.

3. Why do you think that for so many centuries most people tolerated living under dictatorships?

PofG #3DofI

• Start with cartoons on overhead…..

People Fight Back!• Since many gov’s were based on

Divine Right (God given power to rule), few ppl questioned their authority

• Until the Enlightenment (1700s) – philosophers developed concept of limited gov – ruler is NOT all powerful

Back to the Greeks & RomansBack to the Greeks & Romans

• Democracy – people rule (not just one single ruler) by majority

• Republic / Representative Democracy – people elect representatives to make decisions for them, what the US has

Enlightenment

John Locke: described the social contract: people will support government as long as it protects one’s natural rights – life, liberty, and property

Declaration of Independence

• American colonists began to rebel against their country & king ---

• Decided to separate from --------- b/c the king refused to recognize their natural rights

----- writes a document explaining their reasoning called the DofI

DofI: Your Rights

•“all men are created equal”: no one is born better than another–No one has to follow a tyrant

Your Rights

•“unalienable rights” : life, liberty & pursuit of happiness

DofI: People Power•“consent of the governed” : gov only works when ppl agree to it

•“right of the people to altar or abolish it”: ppl can change or get rid of bad gov

Declaration of Independencedo not do!

1. Who wrote it?

2. When?

3. What does the preamble say this will do?

4. What two truths are “self-evident”?

5. Where does gov get its power?

6. What should the people do if the gov does not listen to the people?

More to think about….More to think about….

1. What similarities do you see between this document and what John Locke said?

2. Jefferson said that “all men are equal.” What do you think he meant by this? Do you think we are equal today?