SIMPLIFYING SYSTEMS A GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING SYSTEMS OF

SIMPLIFYING SYSTEMS A GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT

FIRST THINGS FIRST Describe the images you see by either: Carousel Activity • Diagrams are posted around the classroom. • The class will be divided into three groups. • In your groups, rotate from poster to poster writing words you would use to describe the diagram. Power. Point ID • Take out a sheet of paper • Describe the diagrams on the following slides – you can use complete sentences or just descriptive words.

DIAGRAM #1 State/ Regional Government Central Government State/ Regional Government

DIAGRAM #2 State/ Regional Government

DIAGRAM #3 State/ Regional Government Central Government State/ Regional Government

DIAGRAMMING SYSTEMS The diagrams you just looked at were outlining three different systems of government: The diagrams of these systems of government show power is distributed among the central government and state/regional governments. The kind of system depends on the level of government which makes the decisions.

DISTRIBUTION V. SEPARATION What is the difference between distributing power and separating power? Distribution of Power • The distribution of power is about how the government divides power between a central authority and the people/states/regions; relationship between governments • Example: central government and state governments Separation of Power • The separation of power is about how the government is divided internally; relationship within government • Example: branches of government – legislative, executive, judicial

SYSTEMS OF THE PAST The United States is a federal system of government, but it has not always been that way. State/ • Under the Articles of Confederation, the Regional United States was a confederal Government Which diagram government. would represent • A confederal government is one where Central a confederal Government the state/regional governments have system of the concentration of power with a weak government? central State/government. The central State/ government is essentially run. Regional by the Regional state/regional governments. Government

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION • Under the Articles of Confederation, the state governments retained most of the power. • The central or national government commanded little respect and was not able to accomplish much because it had little jurisdiction/power over states or individuals. States Nat’l Gov.

PROBLEMS WITH THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION • Under the Articles of Confederation, states often argued amongst themselves. • They also refused to financially support the national government. • The national government was powerless to enforce any acts it did pass. • Some states began making agreements with foreign governments. • Most had their own military. • Most states printed their own money. There was no stable economy.

CONFLICT OVER THE CONFEDERAL SYSTEM There were major disagreements during the writing of the Constitution over the confederal system of government. Who was doing the disagreeing? Federalists • The Federalists wanted a stronger central government. They favored limiting state power. Anti-Federalists • The Anti-Federalists opposed a stronger central government. They worried that the states would lose influence with the growth of the national government’s power. The Articles needed to be amended not abandoned.

WHAT THE FEDERALISTS WANTED • State/ They believed in a unitary system of government where State/ Regional the concentration of power should be in the central. Regional Government government, with state governments having little power. Which diagram would represent a unitary system of government? State/ Regional Government Central Government Unitary System State/ Regional Government

UNITARY SYSTEM • A type (system) of government in which the central government holds all the power. State/ Regional Government Central Government State/ Regional

WHAT THE ANTI-FEDERALISTS WANTED • They believed in the confederal system, where the states State/ hold most of the power and the central government is Regional weak. Government Which diagram would represent a confederal State/ system of Regional government? Government Central Government Confederal System State/ Regional Government

CONFEDERAL SYSTEM • A system of government in which a group of State/ independent states form an association to cooperate. Regional Government Central Government State/ Regional Government

COMPROMISING IN THE CONSTITUTION • During the Philadelphia convention, the Federalists and Anti. Federalists had to reach a compromise about the distribution of power between the central government and the state governments. What would be the compromise between these two systems?

Confederal System State/ Regional Government Central Government State/ Regional Government Federal Unitary System In a Federal system, power is shared by the central State/ government and the Regional state/regional governments. Government State/ Regional Government Central Government State/ Both the central and state governments Regional have their own powers, in addition to the Government powers that they share. This system ensures that neither the central government nor the state governments can become too powerful. State/ Regional Government

FEDERAL SYSTEM • A system of government in which the central and State/ state/regional governments share powers. One State/ cannot Regional abolish the other. Government State/ Regional Government

LINE THEM UP! • These three systems of government, are all about the distribution of power. • How would you place these systems on a “power line”, from most centralized power to least centralized power?

FIRST OF ALL…. FOLDABLE NOTES! • Follow these steps to make foldable notes for this lesson: 1. Fold one sheet of paper in half, long ways (hot dog), to create a crease. Unfold paper and lie flat. 2. Cut one side in 3 equal parts, creating flaps. 3. When folded in half, it will look like the image below. FLREA Copyright 2012

LABEL YOUR FOLDABLE: Draw a line across your foldable. On the outside write the names of the systems of government in order from most centralized to least centralized. Most Centralized Least Centralized FLREA Copyright 2012

ON THE INSIDE: Draw a diagram of each system under the appropriate flap and a written description of each system of government. Diagram Description

Most Centralized Examples: • France • Japan • Saudi Arabia Least Centralized Examples: • Australia • Germany • United States Examples: • US under Articles of Confederation • Confederate States of America

HINTS • Federal= • “Friends” • Unitary= • “Unified” • Confederal= • A. O. C (Articles of Confederation)

PARLIAMENTARY • Parliament (not the people) elect the Prime Minister (president). • Diagram: