Key Question •What is government? •What’s the purpose?•Who’s involved?•How is it funded?•How is it monitored?

The purpose is..

•To protect the rights of people

•To make and enforce laws•To provide leadership•To keep people safe•To provide public services

What are the Questions a

Political Scientist would

ask?

•Why is a government needed?•What does the government do?

•How is the government organized?

•On what values and principles is the government based?

•What role do citizens play in the government?

Three Levels of Government …

Local (city and county)

State

Federal

Local governments help with…

Pet lawsTrash pick up Water service

Police & Fire protection Libraries

Parks

State government helps with …

Affects the WHOLE state: Marriage laws Driver’s licenseState Lottery

Schools State Parks

Federal government helps

with…Deals with issues for the WHOLE country

Trading with other nations

Mail service Armed services

Some issues are handled at all 3

levels• Local parks (city/county)

• State parks

• National parks

• Taxes

How is Michigan’s government

organized? Work in cooperative groups to cut / paste words into the correct boxes.

Michigan Government Graphic Organizer

MichiganGovernment

LegislativeBranch

ExecutiveBranch

Judicial Branch

Makelaws

Enforcelaws

Interpret the laws

LegislatureSenateHouse of Representatives

Governor Supreme Court and

other courts

Values

On what values and principles is our

government based?

Core Democratic Values

•Discuss each of the values in your envelope.

•Paste the correct definition to the right value.

•AS A GROUP- be ready to share which one is the MOST important value to American citizens and why.

Representative Government

•This is the type of government we have in the USA.

•What do you think this means?

Acting out the principles

•Each table group will get a scenario to ACT out an impromptu skit.

•You will have 10 minutes to prepare.

•All groups will share in 10 minutes.

Think About It

•What questions might you have about the USA government and its citizens?

•Make a list in your thinking log.