How does Obama get people to do what he wants? Not because he is President but

because… people…. GAVE him that power - Oprah, Ellen, Bill Gates,

Lady Gaga….. called legitimacy

Force theory - state/government

came from group of people forcing

themselves into power – this us?Evolutionary theory

- government came from a family,

evolved from there – this us?

If you are a politician how do you become powerful?Get people to do what you want!

More on legitimacy….

Mandate of Heaven – Similar to Divine Right… but heaven

would bless a good ruler and with a bad ruler withdraw its mandate and allow from an

overthrow – this us?

Divine Right theory - God created the state and royals

had “divine right” to rule – this us?

Social Contract theory - people came together to create a state, gave up

personal power and freedom to the state so it could protect us - state is

to serve us, we are the power behind it and we

can take it away if need – this us?

STATES IN THE WORLD….

“States” - called nation’s or country’s, need these 4 characteristics…

• Population• Territory - recognized boundaries

• Sovereignty - it has the power within its land to decide policies - what about 50

states?• Government

193, 195, or 196 “states” (countries) in the world - all different

in size, military strength, natural

resources, economies…

Government is…

An institution that allows a society to make and enforce

policies like… taxes, defense, education…

3 basic kinds of power in democracy:

Legislative Power-make laws

Executive Power- execute laws

Judicial Power- interpret laws

What the heck is government’s job? I mean really, what is the point?

Government is necessary… Remember

Somalia?

Specifically… government purpose is to…

Some of these you already mentioned… • Form a More Perfect Union – strength in

numbers!• Establish Justice – • Insure Domestic Tranquility –• Provide Defense – defend people, keep us

safe• Promote Welfare –• Secure Liberty (Freedom) – different

liberties are different issues at a time – an example… Gay Marriage Have you heard these purposes before?

Ring any bells?

“Equal Justice for All” – has to be fair

keep the peace at home

create schools, hospitals, clean air/H2O

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice,

insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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.

2. Checks and balances

6 principles of gov… NEED TO KNOW! 1. Federalism

3. Separation of powers

Division of power between federal/state

gov.

Federal gov. handle big issues, states have

“permission” or power to handle smaller issues (video 9)

Constitution distributes powers to legislative, executive, judicial branch – wanted to limit each’s

power

Each branch has constitutional checks on each other to keep power under control

(video 8)

4. Judicial reviewMake sure the gov. is acting within the Constitution

– they can decide if the gov. actions are lawful, if the gov. is acting within the law

And the last two….. 5. Popular sovereignty

The people are the ONLY source for any and all gov. power

Gov. can only govern with the people’s consent

6. Limited Government

No gov. is all powerful, gov. can only do those things the PEOPLE allow it to do!

These two are hand in hand…

The people are the only source of gov. power (#5) and the gov. only has the authority to do what the

people allow it to do! (#6)

Major players in establishing the first government’s

There were early, early government’s and early, early people who always questioned those

government’s and how to improve upon them

Those people and those government’s YOU are going to learn about and teach the rest of us!

Make your world history teacher’s feel good about

themselves….What do you remember about the Enlightenment in Europe?

• Believed in idea of natural law – set of moral principles that can be applied to any civilization – using reason and inborn sense of what is right and wrong

• Intellectual movement in Europe during 1600 – 1700s

• Thinkers stressed science and reason to improve society and government

• Wanted to develop new ideas about world, be open to progress and change, more emphasis put on human/individual rights and the common good, less on the king and “divine right”