Unit 1:What are the foundations of US Government

Unit 1:What are the foundations of Unit 1:What are the foundations of US GovernmentUS Government

The Political StateThe Political State

The Basis of GovernmentThe Basis of Government


A StateA State State:State:

Identifies a political community that occupies a Identifies a political community that occupies a definite territory & has an organized government definite territory & has an organized government with the power to make and enforce laws without with the power to make and enforce laws without approval from any higher authorityapproval from any higher authority

According to this is According to this is NevadaNevada a state? a state? The The City of RenoCity of Reno?? RenoReno High High SchoolSchool??


A NationA Nation A Nation:A Nation:

Any sizeable group of people who are united by a Any sizeable group of people who are united by a common bond of race, language, customs, common bond of race, language, customs, traditions, and sometimes religiontraditions, and sometimes religion

According to this is According to this is NevadaNevada a nation? a nation? TheThe City of RenoCity of Reno?? RenoReno High High SchoolSchool?? Mr. Clark’s classroom?Mr. Clark’s classroom?

Nation-StateNation-State Both a state and a nationBoth a state and a nation

ObviouslyObviously The United States is a nation-stateThe United States is a nation-state The Vatican in RomeThe Vatican in RomeUnit 1:What are the foundations of Unit 1:What are the foundations of

US GovernmentUS Government

4 Major Features of a 4 Major Features of a StateState

1. Population1. Population Must have people in order to have a stateMust have people in order to have a state The direction, stability, political organization The direction, stability, political organization

and social consensus of a population are and social consensus of a population are important qualities for survival of a stateimportant qualities for survival of a state

A growing population as well as a population A growing population as well as a population that is mobile will contribute to the success of that is mobile will contribute to the success of a populationa population


TerritoryTerritory

2. Territory:2. Territory: A state has an established boundaryA state has an established boundary

How are boundaries established?How are boundaries established? In what ways can boundaries get bigger?In what ways can boundaries get bigger?

PurchasePurchase NegotiationNegotiation WarWar Volcano!?!?!?!Volcano!?!?!?!


SovereigntySovereignty

3. Sovereignty:3. Sovereignty: The state has supreme and absolute authority The state has supreme and absolute authority

within its territorial boundarieswithin its territorial boundaries

Complete independence, complete power to Complete independence, complete power to make laws, to shape foreign policy, and to make laws, to shape foreign policy, and to determine its own course of actiondetermine its own course of action

In theory a state has no right to interfere with the In theory a state has no right to interfere with the international affairs of another sovereign stateinternational affairs of another sovereign state


And finally, GovernmentAnd finally, Government 4. Government:4. Government:

Is the institution through which the state Is the institution through which the state maintains social order, provides public maintains social order, provides public service, and enforce decisions that are service, and enforce decisions that are binding on all people living in the state.binding on all people living in the state.

Most larger governments have several levels Most larger governments have several levels of governmentof government State, County, City, Town, Village, etcState, County, City, Town, Village, etc


Non-State International Non-State International GroupsGroups Groups that do not fall under one of the 4 features of a Groups that do not fall under one of the 4 features of a

statestate 1. Political Movements1. Political Movements

Palestinian Liberation Organization Palestinian Liberation Organization Hezbollah Hezbollah

2. Multinational Corporations2. Multinational Corporations Wal-Mart (The Death of America)Wal-Mart (The Death of America) NikeNike

3. International Organizations3. International Organizations United NationsUnited Nations Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International Little LeagueLittle League Unit 1:What are the foundations of Unit 1:What are the foundations of

US GovernmentUS Government

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Unit 1:What are the foundations of US Government