Lesson 15
Assess the need to obey laws, analyze tax and voting system, and recognize the need for selective service
So far we've talked a lot about how the United State's Government works. When you talk about the government, with your friends and family, usually a lot of intense emotions arise. A lot of people strongly dislike the government.
Some people say 'we don't need government'. What do you think? You've learned about the purpose of government and what the absence of government is called... But what would life be like without it? If you remember from last term, one of the main reasons that government is important is that it PROTECTS THE COMMON WELFARE. Or in more modern terms- the government keeps you safe. If there was no government there would be no rules. People could do whatever they wanted because there would be no one making laws or regulations. There would be no police force. Government gives authority to the police. If the police didn't have the government behind them, people wouldn't listen to them because they wouldn't have consequences for breaking the law.
You might argue that if there was no government police could rule by force. But any type of system where one group controls another is considered GOVERNMENT.
So, for a government to function for the good of the people, people need to realize the need to obey laws. The citizens of the United States are what gives the government it's power. We obey the laws and we follow procedures that the government puts in place. Because we do these things, the government can function. If everyone decided that they didn't want the authority of the government, the government would lose its power.
Some people say 'we don't need government'. What do you think? You've learned about the purpose of government and what the absence of government is called... But what would life be like without it? If you remember from last term, one of the main reasons that government is important is that it PROTECTS THE COMMON WELFARE. Or in more modern terms- the government keeps you safe. If there was no government there would be no rules. People could do whatever they wanted because there would be no one making laws or regulations. There would be no police force. Government gives authority to the police. If the police didn't have the government behind them, people wouldn't listen to them because they wouldn't have consequences for breaking the law.
You might argue that if there was no government police could rule by force. But any type of system where one group controls another is considered GOVERNMENT.
So, for a government to function for the good of the people, people need to realize the need to obey laws. The citizens of the United States are what gives the government it's power. We obey the laws and we follow procedures that the government puts in place. Because we do these things, the government can function. If everyone decided that they didn't want the authority of the government, the government would lose its power.
When the government loses power it leads to a CIVIL WAR. That's what happened in the United States in the 1860's. The Southern States decided they didn't want to be told what to do by the Federal Government so they succeeded and separated from the rest of the country. Their plan was to make their own government. Ultimately it didn't work and they re-joined the Union (the rest of the country).
The United States prides itself on having a fair and representative government. In many countries the people don't have a say in the way their government works and who is in charge.
Some people in the United States think that citizens should have more control over what laws are made. The fact that people can voice that opinion is a freedom that citizens in some countries don't have.
You have a voice in your government. You can officially vote at the age of 18. Watch this YouTube video to see how an election works.
The United States prides itself on having a fair and representative government. In many countries the people don't have a say in the way their government works and who is in charge.
Some people in the United States think that citizens should have more control over what laws are made. The fact that people can voice that opinion is a freedom that citizens in some countries don't have.
You have a voice in your government. You can officially vote at the age of 18. Watch this YouTube video to see how an election works.
You may have noticed when they were explaining the election process they had a little star that said *except for Nebraska and Maine. Nebraska and Maine work a little differently. Remember how they showed you that each state has a number of districts that depend on population? That should sound really familiar to you- those are the districts that members in the House of Representatives represent.
So in the presidential election, if the Republican party candidate wins by 51% of the popular vote... then the state's 6 votes (4 districts and 2 that every state gets) go towards the Republican candidate.
In Nebraska and Maine, they split the votes up by district. So if one district in Nebraska has more people vote for a Republican candidate and another district has more people vote for a Democratic candidate- the votes are split. So Nebraska has 3 districts so they have a total of 5 votes (3+ the 2 that every state gets). Their state could cast 2 of their votes for the Democrat and 3 for Republican. Nebraska and Maine are the only states that do it this way.
So in the presidential election, if the Republican party candidate wins by 51% of the popular vote... then the state's 6 votes (4 districts and 2 that every state gets) go towards the Republican candidate.
In Nebraska and Maine, they split the votes up by district. So if one district in Nebraska has more people vote for a Republican candidate and another district has more people vote for a Democratic candidate- the votes are split. So Nebraska has 3 districts so they have a total of 5 votes (3+ the 2 that every state gets). Their state could cast 2 of their votes for the Democrat and 3 for Republican. Nebraska and Maine are the only states that do it this way.
So you've learned a little about the need for laws and how voting works. Next I want you to look at Selective Service and how to participate in politics. Even though most of you aren't 18 yet, you can still have a political voice.
To learn the rest of the material for this lesson, I'm going to have you do your own research. Download the document below and fill out the questions.
To learn the rest of the material for this lesson, I'm going to have you do your own research. Download the document below and fill out the questions.
selective_services_and_political_participation.odt | |
File Size: | 285 kb |
File Type: | odt |
The second half of the document asks you to create a pamphlet using a word processing document. You'll need to upload 2 documents to the submission box below- one where you edit the document by adding the answers to the questions, and one with your political pamphlet. The instructions for this pamphlet are in the document above.
Standard 4: Objective 1 A, B, & D