What is Government?

The power or authority that rules a country

Why do we need it?

Keep law and order

Provide security

Provide public services

Guide the Community

What are the Levels of Government?

Local (city, town, county) Huntersville or Charlotte

State: North Carolina National/Federal: United States

**highest level of authority over its citizens

Where did government come from? Evolution -

 Family ► Clan ► Tribe ► Nation

  Force - develops as 1 person or group seizes

control  Divine Right - develops based on direct rule

received from God  Social Contract - two or more people unite to

form a contract allowing themselves to be ruled Magna Carta Mayflower Compact English Bill of Rights

Citizenship Citizens of a state must perform duties,

should perform responsibilities, and should be granted rights

Duty – an action required by law from a citizen; Ex. Jury duty, obeying the law, paying taxes, selective service duty, compulsory schooling

Responsibility – an action that a citizen should take; Ex. Volunteering, voting, staying informed, service in the military

Right – a “freedom” granted by the government that should not be limited by the government but should be protected by the government and not infringed on by others

How become a Citizen?1. Birth

a. By Blood – parents are citizens

b. By Soil – born on the recognized territory of the nation-state

2. Naturalization

a. Sign a declaration of intention with Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS)

b. File an application

c. Interview

d. Pass Citizenship Test

e. Pledges an oath of allegiance

3. Socialization

a. Taught belief system and culture

“E Pluribus Unum”

Out of many, One We are a nation state A nation of Citizens, Immigrants,

Aliens and Illegal immigrants Immigrant – people legally admitted as permanent

residents Alien – a foreigner non-citizen who has permission

(VISA) to be in the nation Illegal immigrant – residing in a nation without

permission from the government

A Melting Pot or A Tossed Salad? Melting pot – a metaphor used to

describe a culture in which diverse groups of people have lost their specific original cultures or identities to a new dominate culture; assimilated into a new culture

Tossed Salad – a metaphor used to describe a culture within a culture where groups of people maintain their unique identities with the larger groups identities

Anarchy

No Government

Theocracy

Power to rule comes from God

Monarchy

King or Queen rules—typically inherits the crown (JORDAN)

Dictator

One person rules—typically gains power through force (CUBA)

Aristocracy

Government controlled by nobility (wealthy)

Oligarchy

Rule by a few: govt contolled by merchants & nobles

Representative Democracy (Republic) Elected officials control government

—they represent citizens UNITED STATES—citizens elect reps

to make laws

Direct Democracy

All citizens vote directly on issues (citizens control government)

(MAYFLOWER COMPACT, ANCIENT GREECE)

 

What is the United States?Cracy = power

A democracy? An infantocracy? A gerontocracy? An argentocracy? An aristocracy? A foolocracy? An albocracy? A meritocracy? A theocracy?

Archy = lead by

An oligarchy? An anarchy? An aristararchy? A monarchy? A Corpoarchy? A diaboloarchy? A kleptoarchy? A autoarchy? A republic?