Unit 1 - Foundations of American Government

Living in America requires an understanding of its government and how it works. Unit 1 focuses on the philosophical roots of American government and the events and issues that led to the development of the United States Constitution, from the Enlightenment to Shays' Rebellion. Students will examine the Constitution in-depth, focusing on its main components and the framework for how the American governmental system is designed to work. Early interpretations and debates about the Constitution are also discussed.

At the end of this unit, you will understand the foundational principles that the American Government system was built on.

Study Guide for Unit 1

Unit 1: Foundations and Principles of United States Government (Textbook Topics 1, 2, and 3)

Click on the Target's below to access resources from class.

• Government and State (Topic 1.1)

• Democracy (Topic 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4)

• English Landmark Documents (2.1)

• Events of the Declaration of Independence (T 2.2)

• Articles of Confederation and its Weaknesses(2.3)

• Constitutional Compromises (2.4)

• The Ratification of the Constitution (2.4)

• Six principles of the Constitution (3.1)

• Amending the Constitution (3.2)

• Federalism (3.3, 3.4)

Readings

Macgruder's American Government Textbook, Topic 1.1-1.3, Topic 2, and Topic 3.

• • • Username: Bearsenior

    • password: MHSPride!

Two Treatises of Government by John Locke

Declaration of Independence

The Constitution of the United States

Mayflower Compact

Magna Carta

English Bill of Rights

Brutus 1 (CANCELLED)

Federalist 10 (CANCELLED)

Federalist 51 (CANCELLED)

Supreme Court Cases

Marbury v. Madison

McCulloch v. Maryland

United States v. Lopez (CANCELLED)

BIG Questions

1. After reading the Preamble and excerpts from John Locke, answer the following questions.

A) Describe the difference between Divine Right Theory and Social Contract Theory.

B) Explain a specific example of how the US Government today carries out the roles identified in the Preamble. 

C) If the government was unable to carry out the role you described in section B, do you think John Locke would consider this to be a reason for the “establishment of a new legislative… [to] provide for [the people’s] own safety and security. . . “? Use specific ideas from John Locke in your answer. 

2. “Like so many young people today, I was searching for a way out, or some might say a way in, and then I heard the voice of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on an old radio. He was talking about the philosophy and discipline of nonviolence. He said we are all complicit when we tolerate injustice. He said it is not enough to say it will get better by and by. He said each of us has a moral obligation to stand up, speak up and speak out. When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something. Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself.” -John Lewis

A) Describe the American system of government.

B) Using the 3 criteria to classify governments, compare American government to government of North Korea.

C) In the context of the John Lewis quote above, explain how a citizen must “act” to keep government power in the hands of the people, rather than a dictator.

3. Answer each of the lettered items below:

A) Identify 3 of the English Landmark documents that influenced the founders views on government.

B) Describe what the foundational documents say about two of the following ideas

1. 1. common law

   2. constitutionalism

   3. ordered government

   4. limited government

   5. representative government

   6. due process

C) Explain the impact that these two ideas had on our own Constitutional government. 

4. Answer each of the lettered items below:

 “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government,…” 

A) Identify the purpose of the Declaration of Independence and who it was written to. 

(B) Select two of the following documents that came before the Declaration of Independence:

• John Locke Two Treatises of Government

• Mayflower Compact

• Magna Carta

• English Bill of Rights

(C) Explain specifically how these documents helped the colonists justify breaking away from England.

5. Answer each of the lettered items below:

Review the two examples of problems that arose under the Articles of Confederation listed below:

• Under the Articles, every State had one vote, regardless of size.

• Under the Articles, Congress had no means to enforce its laws.

A) Identify one more weakness of the Articles of Confederation to add to the two above.

B) For each of the three problems, explain the solution that was devised by the Framers of the Constitution. In your answer, include the terms Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, and The Great Compromise (or Connecticut Compromise).

Unit 2 Elections