GOVERNMENT

THERE ARE 2 MAIN TYPES OF GOVERNMENT

LIMITED• Power of the government is

“limited” by the people• Power is limited by a constitution,

laws, or statement of rights• Keeps government from taking

advantage of the people• People have more rights &

freedoms• People elect government

representatives• Ex: Democracy, Constitutional

Republic

UNLIMITED• Power of the government is

“unlimited”• No rules or laws exist to limit what

the ruler can or cannot do—they have total control over citizens’ lives

• People have few to no rights or freedoms

• People do not elect representatives

• Ex: Totalitarianism, Dictatorships, Absolute monarchy

• The United States has a LIMITED government because the people elect government officials to protect their rights & freedoms.

• The U.S. is often described as both a Constitutional Republic AND a Representative Democracy

WHAT TYPE OF GOVERNMENT DOES THE UNITED STATES HAVE?

• The U.S. Government is divided into 3 separate, but equal branches. “Checks & Balances”

THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

One of the main functions of the U.S. Constitution is to make sure government power is SHARED so a single person or group does not have all the power.

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

• Makes laws for the nation• CONGRESS: made up of Senate

& House of Representatives• Elected by the people and come

from all 50 states

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

• Office of the President• Carries out laws, lead the military, appoint

Supreme Court judges, plan national budget, meet with foreign leaders

• Elected by the people every four years• Can serve a maximum of 2 terms

JUDICIAL BRANCH• Made up of state & federal courts• Decide if laws are fair and if they

follow the Constitution• Supreme Court—most powerful court

in the U.S. has 9 judges (Justices) appointed by the President

CITIZENSHIP & DUTIES OF UNITED STATES CITIZENS

RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENSHIPCitizenship – the combination of duties and rights of a citizen. Good citizenship means

U.S. Citizens rights come with responsibilities…we call these responsibilities, “civic duties.”

MAKE A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER IN YOUR JOURNAL LIKE THE ONE BELOW…

Civic Duties

1. PAY TAXES

• Pay for the benefits and services that citizens receive from the government

(income tax, social security tax, property tax, medicare tax, etc.)

2. CAST AN INFORMED VOTE

• Citizens should learn about candidates and issues to make informed decisions when they vote.

3. SERVE ON JURIES• Serve on juries to decide court cases (jury

duty)

4. SERVE IN THE MILITARY• May need to serve in defense of your

country

5. VOLUNTEER FOR ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE THE COMMON GOOD

• Work to protect the environment, support communities, and help the underprivileged.

6. OBEY LAWS• Live within the laws