Purpose of Government

Purpose of Government

-  Civics: Study of citizenship and government.

-  Citizen: Member of a community with government and laws.

-  Government: The power that rules a country.

-  Governments make laws, provide services, and keep order.

-  Government services include the armed forces, police, fire department, schools, hospitals, and road construction.

-  Not only do governments make laws, they also enforce them.

-  Courts are established to decide truth in certain cases.

Democracy

-  Direct democracy: Citizens have the power to rule and make laws. It was established in Athens, Greece.

-  Representative democracy: Citizens elect representatives to make laws. This is also known as a republic.

-  Citizens still hold power in a republic because they elect the leaders.

Dictatorship

-  Controlled by a small group or a single person.

-  Leaders have complete control over laws and government and therefore control the citizens.

American citizen influence

-  Vote. Citizens vote for national, state, and local officials.

-  Join political parties and interest groups to express views with others that share the same beliefs.

-  Government is put in place by the people to serve the people.

Citizens

-  Anyone born in US boundaries is a US citizen.

-  If both parents are US citizens, their children are US citizens.

-  Dual citizenship: Citizen of two countries. This occurs when a child is born outside US boundaries and has only one parent that is a US citizen.

Aliens and restrictions

-  Alien: Person from another country who has not become a US citizen.

-  Immigrant: An alien with the intention of staying in the country permanently without becoming a US citizen.

-  The government restricts the amount of immigrants that come to the country. This is called a quota.

-  Legal Immigration and Revision Act (1990): Increased the quota on immigrants allowed to enter the US and gave special considerations to those with needed job skills.

Illegal aliens

-  People in the country without permission from the US government.

-  Can not legally hold a job in the United States.

-  If they are found, they will be deported, sent back to their country. The Immigration and Naturalization Service investigates cases.

Legal aliens

-  Lives are similar to US citizens.

-  Must obey US laws and pay taxes.

-  Can not vote in elections or run for office.

-  They can not work most government jobs.

-  Some eventually become US citizens but, this is not required.

Naturalization

-  Process where an alien becomes a US citizen.

-  Must file a declaration of intention: alien intends on becoming a US citizen.

-  They must file an application for naturalization. (Must be 18).

-  Application is reviewed by the INS.

-  After approval of the application, an examiner will ask questions about US government and history that must be answered in English.

-  The immigrant must take an oath of loyalty in court. After the oath, the person is a US citizen.

-  All children of the naturalized citizen under 18 get automatic status as citizens.

English Government

-  In 1215, King John was forced by nobles to sign the Magna Carta. This document showed that the king had limits to his power.

-  King Henry III met with a group of advisors. The meetings were called parliaments. By 1300, Parliament grew in size and had legislative power.

-  In 1688, Parliament removed King James. This showed that Parliament was the true power of England.

-  The English Bill of Rights (1689) gave Parliament the power to raise taxes, make laws, and control the army.

-  Common law is based on precedents, an earlier ruling in a similar situation.

-  America copied several ideas from England: Ruler is not above the law, people have a voice in government, and citizens have basic rights.

A British Colony

- Colony: A group of people ruled by the government of another country.

- British citizens left England to settle in a new land. This made governing very difficult.

- Colonists began to develop their own laws.

House of Burgesses

-  Colonists arrived in Jamestown in 1607.

-  In 1619, each area elected two representatives (22).

-  They had little power.

Mayflower Compact

-  In 1620, the Pilgrims arrived in Massachusetts.

-  The members signed the compact, agreement, saying the government would make “just and equal laws”.

-  Established direct democracy in the colonies.

Colonial Governments

-  By 1733, all 13 colonies had established a government.

-  All had a governor and a legislature. Most legislatures were bicameral.

-  Colonists began to separate themselves from England.

-  In the mid-1700’s, England decided to strengthen its control.

British Taxes

-  King George III began introducing high taxes in the colonies.

-  All materials produced in the colonies belonged to England and colonists were forced to buy British goods.

-  British war debts with France increased taxes on the colonists.

Virtual Representation

-  The colonists had no representatives in Parliament. They argued that because their views were not presented, they should not have to pay taxes.

-  Britain argued that because the colonies were part of the British Empire, and Parliament made laws for the good of the empire, the colonies were virtually represented.

Increased Tension

-  Colonists began boycotting British goods. This led to the repeal of the Stamp Act.

-  In 1774, Britain passed the Coercive Acts. These were known as the Intolerable acts in the colonies.

First Continental Congress

-  Sept., 1774, 12 colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia.

-  Delegates demanded that King George III restore the rights of the colonists. He was given one year.

-  King George III sent soldiers to the colonies.

Lexington and Concord

-  Lexington: 70 Massachusetts Minutemen waited for the British, which numbered 750. After a stare down, a shot was fired. The colonists dispersed. There were 18 American casualties and 1 British casualty.

-  Concord: Colonists began firing at the British. There were 250 British casualties and 100 American casualties.

-  Independence was openly discussed.

Second Continental Congress

-  May, 1775, Colonial leaders met in Philadelphia.

-  In 1776, the leaders decided on Independence.

Declaration of Independence

-  Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the statement.

-  He used the ideas of European philosophers Jean-Jacques Rousseau (All men are created equal) and John Locke (Natural Rights).

-  Four Parts:

1. Preamble: Introduction.

2. Declaration of Rights: Explained the rights that all people

should have.

3. List of Grievances: Explained everything that England did

to the colonists.

4. Formal Declaration: Declared independence.