Name______

Academic

H315

6 Core Principles of Government

CIVIC VIRTUE: A person looks out for the ______

Examples:

POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY

·  The ______are the highest ______;

·  “We the ______, ….”

Examples:

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY

·  ______--We ______leaders to ______on our ______

Examples:

PLURALISM

·  People are allowed and encouraged to be ______;

·  different ______views and ______are represented in government

·  Special ______groups (groups that focus on fixing specific problems in society or government)…can you think of any?

Examples of Special Interest Groups:

We ARE a nation of ______!

NATURAL RIGHTS

·  Rights for ______human at ______

·  1948-United Nations passed the Universal Declaration of ______this officially extends natural rights to all

John ______
(1600s) / VS. / Thomas Jefferson
·  Life, Liberty, and ______;
·  rights with which you are ______/ ·  wrote in the Declaration of ______that men were entitled to life, ______and the pursuit of ______
Examples:

SOCIAL CONTRACT

·  An ______that must be ______AND ______

·  The government will ______the rights of the people and the people will ______the government’s ______.

Examples:

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:

Declaration of Independence / ·  Written by ______on July 3, 1776
·  The USA formally expressed their status as a free and independent country, no longer colonies of England
TONE:
Articles of Confederation / ·  ______form of government and law ______the Constitution was adopted
·  Supreme law from 1781-1789
TONE:
Constitution / ·  The ______& ______law and structure of the US government. Created in 1787, approved in 1789 and has been amended/changed since.
·  ***______only crime dealt with in original!
TONE:
Bill of Rights / ·  First ______Amendments to the Constitution, added in 1791
·  Designed to protect certain essential ______of citizens.
TONE:
Federalist Papers / ·  LETTERS written by supporters of the Constitution(FEDERALIST) to convince others of its worth.

MUSICAL CHAIRS

REFLECTION:

RULES:

REFLECTON:

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The need to find the Balance

Between

Freedom and Order

The Constitution

&

Bill

Of

Rights

Of

1791

What is the purpose

of

government?

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The Purpose of US Government

Below is the Preamble to the Constitution. The Preamble to the Constitution identifies the 6 purposes/goals of government..

In the blank column interpret each purpose of government and provide 1 real world example of how government has met each goal.

We the people of the United States…

in order to form a more perfect ______, / Interpret & write in your own words / current example
justice,
insure ______tranquility,
provide for the common ______
promote the general ______,
secure the blessings of ______to ourselves and our posterity

…do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The Constitution & The Purpose of Government

DIRECTIONS: Read the following descriptions of six events involving the government of the United States. Apply the correct purpose/goals of government listed in the Preamble to each situation below. Write the purpose/goal of government that best fits the event in the blank space provided.

1.  On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, sinking several ships, destroying hundreds of planes, and killing and wounding thousands of Americans. The next day, at the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Congress passed a declaration of war against Japan, and the United States entered World War II.

Purpose of government:

2.  In the 1960’s and 1970’s, Congress passed several laws to help stop pollution and improve the environment. One of these laws was the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970, which provided federal funds for the construction of the new sewage treatment plants. Using federal funds, many cities throughout the United States built new sewage facilities, leading the significant improvements in our nation’s waterways.

Purpose of government:

3.  In the early 1800’s, several areas on the “western” frontier were admitted to the United States. These new states, including Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, were separated from the older eastern seaboard states by the Appalachian Mountains. In order to stimulate trade and improve transportation and communication to the new states, Congress approved the construction of the Cumberland, or National Road. By 1838, the road extended from Cumberland, Maryland, to Vandalia, Illinois. The National Road served to strengthen commerce in the new states and draw the different sections of the country closer together.

Purpose of government:

4.  In 1965, Mary Beth Rinker, an 8th grade student in Des Moines, Iowa, wore a black arm band to school to demonstrate her protest of the Vietnam War. School officials temporarily suspended Mary Beth and ruled that students could not wear arm bands or display other signs of protest in school. Mary Beth’s family took the case to court, and three years later the United States Supreme Court ruled against the Des Moines school officials. The Court declared that freedom of speech and expression to school settings and students have the right to peaceful protest.

Purpose of government:

5.  In 1877, railroad workers in several states east of the Mississippi River went on strike to protest cutbacks in their wages. In many cities, including Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Chicago, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri, open conflict occurred between strikers and officials of the railroad companies. Many trains did not run as scheduled, and a general breakdown of law and order seemed possible. President Rutherford B. Hayes responded to the crisis by sending federal troops to many cities to help restore order and keep the trains running.

Purpose of government:

6.  In 1962, the United States Congress approved the Twenty-Fourth Amendment to the Consitution and sent it to the states for ratification. The amendment stated that American citizens could not be denied the right to vote because they had failed to pay a poll tax or any other tax. Since the poll tax was used by some states as a means to prevent Black Americans from voting, the new amendment was an important step in extending political equality to Blacks. The legislatures of 38 states, the three-fourths of the 50 states required by law for ratification, approved the amendment. The Twenty-Fourth Amendment to the Constitution was formally adopted in 1964.

Purpose of government:

Branches of Government

Let’s put on our thinking caps….

http://www.peo.gov.au/multimedia/library/pages/0017.html

1.  http://www.peo.gov.au/multimedia/library/pages/0017.htmlWhy do you think the founding fathers separated the powers of government?

2.  What do you think they may have been afraid of?

3.  Under what kind of conditions do you think the president takes more control of the government?

Part 2 Visit the websites below. Use the information on these site to understand the purpose for separating the powers in government and to learn some of the responsibilities that relate to each branch of government. Use these sites to fill in the next few pages.

·  http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0774837.html

·  http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/government/branches.html

·  www.regentsprep.org/.../government/3branches.htm

Legislative Branch

1.  Congress is a BICAMERAL system. Bicameral means? ______

Two houses of the Legislative Branch / House of Representatives / Senate
Years in Office / 2 / 6
Qualifications / 1.
2.
3. / 1.
2.
3.
Current total # of members / 100
How is representation for each house determined? / POPULATION OF THE STATE / 2 PER STATE
2 current Pennsylvania representatives and senators / 1.
2. / 1.
2.
Who is in charge of the Senate? What is there title?

2.  How do we get laws? Let’s watch this video to identify the process of taking an idea and making into a law!

3.  4 important powers given to Congress are:

Executive Branch

This branch includes the ______, ______, & the ______.

3 Basic Qualifications to be President of the United States of America
1.
2.
3.

The Presidential Candidate must win a majority vote from his/her political party in something called a

PRIMARY. The winner of the primary election will then spend the following year campaigning around the country for the job of president.

There is a two step process to winning the Presidential election. They are listed below.

Popular Vote / Electoral College
Briefly define
each:

Which one, the Electoral College or popular vote, ultimately decides who becomes president?

How many electoral votes does

·  Pennsylvania have? ______

·  California have? ______

·  Alaska have? ______

·  Texas have? ______

·  Florida have? ______

If you were running for President in what states would you spend the most time and money campaigning? Why?

If a candidate A wins more popular votes than candidate B, does candidate A win the presidential election? Why or Why not?

List 4 powers and responsibilities of the president:

1.
2.
3.
4.
Federal government is divided and organized into many departments, all of which report to and help the president. Four of the departments are listed below. Who is currently in each position?
Secretary
of
State / Department
of
Treasury / Department
of
Defense / Department
of
Justice

Judicial Branch

There are 9 members of the Supreme Court.

Chief Justice ______

·  Elena Kagan

·  Sonia M. Sotomayor

·  Samuel Alito

·  Antonin Scalia

·  Stephen Breyer

·  Ruth Bader Ginsberg

·  Anthony M. Kennedy

·  Clarence Thomas

1.  Why do Supreme Court Justices, once appointed by the president, stay in the job until they retire?

2.  What motivates the Supreme Court to hear a particular case?

The primary job of the Supreme Court is to ______this is called Judicial Review.

3.  Define Habeas Corpus:

Your rights and the Supreme Court of the United States of America

Visit any or all of the following websites to learn the significance of the following Supreme Court Cases…

·  http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0101289.html

·  http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/specials/articles/0,28285,1104234,00.html

·  http://www.landmarkcases.org/

Case / Court Ruling/Decision / What does the ruling mean for you or society in general?
*Miranda vs. Arizona
Roe vs. Wade
*Plessy vs. Ferguson
*Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas

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CIVIL RIGHTS/LIBERTIES

1.  1st Amendment:

a.  SPEECH:

b.  RELIGION

c.  PRESS

d.  PETITION

2.  2nd Amendment:

3.  4th Amendment:

4.  5th Amendment

5.  6th Amendment:

6.  8th Amendment:

The Bill Of Rights

1.  Freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly and petition

2.  Need for a militia; the right to keep and bear arms

3.  No placing of soldiers in private homes

4.  No unreasonable search and seizure

5.  Due process; protection against self-incrimination and being tried twice for the same crime

6.  Rights of the accused; speedy public trial, assistance of counsel

7.  Right to a jury trial in civil cases

8.  No excessive bail or cruel and unusual punishments

9.  The people’s rights are not limited to those spelled out

10. Powers not given to the federal government belong to the states or the people

13. No more slavery in the United States or in territories ruled by the US

14. Persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens of the US and of their home states and have rights to due process and equal protection under the law

15. Adult male citizens, regardless of race, can vote

19. Adult female citizens may vote

24. Payment of a poll tax is not required for voting

25. Citizens 18 and over have a right to vote

Identify the Amendment

BILL OF RIGHTS

Directions: State which amendment to the U.S. Constitution grants each of the following rights.

1. / the right to own a gun
2. / the right to a trial by jury in a civil case
3. / the right to practice your own religion free from government interference
4. / the right to remain silent
5. / the right the publicly state your opinions
6. / the right to a public trial
7. / the right to not suffer from cruel or unusual punishment
8. / the right to have your house searched only if the police have a warrant
9. / the right to have a lawyer defend you in a criminal case
10. / the right to possess rights not directly mentioned in the Constitution
11. / the right to not be tried repeatedly for the same crime
12. / the right to refuse to house soldiers
13. / the right of states to possess all powers not claimed for the federal government in the U.S. Constitution
14. / the right to confront witnesses against you in a criminal case
15. / the right to just compensation if your property is needed by the government

CIVIC DUTIES

1.  Taxes:

a.  LOCAL

b.  STATE

c.  FEDERAL

2.  Political Participation and Voting:

3.  Abide by the Laws:

4.  Military Service:

5.  Volunteer:

6.  Virtuous Institutions:

ACTIVISM

METHODS OF PROTEST/ACTIVISM:

FAMOUS AMERICAN ACTIVISTS

ACTIVIST ORGANIZATIONS

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