2.1 Introduction to Government

Introduction to Government

Lesson Overview

Learners Will Be Able To:

• Identify the characteristics of a state.

• Distinguish between government and politics.

• Define government.

• Explain what makes a government democratic.

Vocabulary

• Democratic

• Government

• Politics

• Republic

• Rule of Law

• Sovereign
State

Prep for Success

​In today's lesson in edio- look in the "Prep for Success" tab to find your study guide and guided notes for the unit.

• Close your eyes and imagine a world
without any government at all....

• What would that look like?

• Do you think it would be a good idea or a
bad idea?

• Do you think you would feel safe or in
danger?

Imagine if you will...

Word Cloud

What do you think of when you think of a place with no government?

Essential question- What is government?

Think about what you
imagined and what you
saw in this video.

What is Government?

• Government- provides structure that keeps a society functioning

• It does this by having/holding authority over the people

• Examples-

• Monarchs (Kings and Queens)

• Elected Officials

•Judges

• Law Enforcement

 Authority (power) varies based on the type of government

Open Ended

What are some things we would NOT have in the United States if we didn't have a government?

2025 Supreme Court Justices

What is a "state"?

State- clearly defined place with its own government

• Sovereign- they have the authority to rule themselves

• The United States and Canada are separate, sovereign states so they have
their own laws and policies

When using the term this way "State" means literally the country, but you can also use it to refer to the 50 states that make up the US

•

State-Polticial

•

Country- Geogrpahic

•

Nation- Cultural

Multiple Select

Which of the following characteristics defines a state?

• It creates and enforces its own laws.

• Its population has a shared language.

• It was formed as a home for a specific ethnic group.

• Its territory has clear boundaries.

Nation

• A nation is different from a
country or state -
population defines a nation.

 NOT government
and geography like a state
• Nations are made up of a
population of people who share
the same culture.
• Culture? same language, the
same religion, same traditions,
etc.
• People can believe they belong
to a nation, even if that nation
does not have a state.

Chickasaw Nation - within Oklahoma

The Rule of Law

Laws have existed since ancient times

• Hammurabi's Code – Set of rules made by King Hammurabi around
1750 BCE

• Gave specific punishments for crimes

Written laws provide clarity about what is and is not a crime

Rule of Law- holds people accountable for following the law

• Protects people from the government just doing whatever it
wants

• We, the United States, have used this idea as well

Hammurabi's
Code

Listen for the
differences that
you hear about
"Government" and "Politics".

Government vs. Politics

Government

• Society's rules, structure and authority

• For example-

• Great Britain (England) used to be the government
that ruled the United States
• Kings and Monarchs (Remember your US History)

Politics

• Process of making decisions about government,
especially who has power

• For Example-

• Elections and voting to decide who will hold office
either in PA or the entire US

Democratic Theory

• The United States practices a type of government called a democratic republic

• Democratic- government where citizens are sovereign and make decisions

• Republic- form of government where citizens elect leaders to office, who in turn represent the citizens

• Democratic Theory

• Value and Equality of all people

• Majority Rule

• Rights of the Minority

• Freedom and Responsibility

What do these terms make you
think of?

• All people have worth. Common people do not exist simply to serve leaders
• All people deserve equal opportunity and should be held equal under the law.
• In practice, most societies fall short of the ideal
Value and Equality
of All People

• The people hold power, not leaders/elite
• decisions are made based on what the majority of people think is the best
option
• The purpose of voting is to make decisions through majority rule.
Majority Rule

• Democracy aims to protect the rights of the minority
• Why? If majority rule had no limits, injustices toward the minority could
result
• majority should respect the rights of the minority and listen to their opinions.
Rights of the
Minority

• personal freedom is an important part of democracy.
• However people do not have absolute freedom
• Democratic societies face the challenge of balancing personal freedom with
the protecting society
Freedom and
Responsibility

​Value and Equality of All People

​Majority Rule

​Rights of the Minority

​Freedom and Responsibility

Freedom and Responsibility

• People must also take civic
responsibility

• For a democratic society to
function, people must participate in
decision-making and promote ideas
that will benefit society.

• “government of the people”
requires the people to do their part
oEx. Voting, volunteering, etc.

Democratic Ideals

A) Majority Rule

B) Value and Equality for All
People

C) Freedom and
Responsibility

D) Rights of the Minority

A 52-year-old business executive and an 18-year-old high school
student receive the same fine for parking illegally.

Every 2 years, U.S. citizens may vote for the candidate they want
to represent them. The party with the most elected is
the majority in Congress.

Less than one percent of the United States’ population is
Buddhist, but the U.S. Constitution protects Buddhists’ freedom
of religion.

If a leader’s decisions are harming the people, the people can
remove the leader from office by voting for someone else in the
next election.

Draw

Match the "Democratic Ideal" to the situation that matches. You can draw a line from the "Ideal" to the "match" or write the matching letter in the box.

Democratic Ideals

Majority Rule

Value and Equality for All
People

Freedom and Responsibility

Rights of the Minority

A 52-year-old business executive and an 18-year-old high
school student receive the same fine for parking illegally.

Every 2 years, U.S. citizens may vote for the candidate they
want to represent them. The party with the most elected is the
majority in Congress.

Less than one percent of the United States’ population is
Buddhist, but the U.S. Constitution protects Buddhists’
freedom of religion.

If a leader’s decisions are harming the people, the people can
remove the leader from office by voting for someone else in
the next election.

Essential Question- What is a government?

• A government provides structure and rules to a society.

• A state is a place with clearly defined border and
a sovereign government.

• The rule of law ensures all people are accountable for following
laws, and people cannot be punished without reason.

• Politics determine which people or groups are in power.

• Major ideas of democratic theory include equality, majority
rules, minority rights, and the balance of freedom and
responsibility