WEEK ONE

Unit Questions:
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What is government?
What is the purpose of government?
What are the different forms of government that exist?
Who rules or is in charge of these different forms of government?

C1.1.3 Identify and explain competing arguments about the necessity and
purposes of government.
C1.1.4 Explain the purposes of politics, why people engage in the political
process, and what the political process can achieve.
C1.2.1 Identify, distinguish among, and provide examples of different forms
of governmental structures including anarchy, monarchy, military junta,
aristocracy, democracy, authoritarian, constitutional republic, fascist,
communist, socialist, and theocratic states.

Objectives:

Instructions: Welcome to Week 1 of the online U.S. Government course! Please complete the
following activities for this week. Make sure that you complete each activity by the time it is
due. Due dates are located at the end of each activity listed below.
(1) Read Chapter 1 Section 1 and 2 (pages 18-29). Create a new document with your
Google Drive account and title it Your Name Week 1 Activities. On this new
document you will type out each of the Key Terms and Concepts for both Section 1
and 2 as well as their definitions. Make sure to label this section Vocabulary Terms:
Sections 1 & 2. Watch the 2 videos on Purposes of Government and Theories of
Government. Complete this activity by 11:59pm Monday of Week 1.
(2) Visit the website Why Do We Need a Government located on the Week 1 Page of the
course website and read through the lesson. On your Google Drive document you
created named Your Name Week 1 Activities, create a new section with a heading
titled Government Philosophy. Under this section, answer questions 1-3 under the
section Problem Solving: Its your turn to think like a philosopher. Read Chapter 1
Section 3 (pages 30-34). Watch the videos on Forms of Government. Complete this
activity by 11:59pm Tuesday of Week 1.
(3) On your document Your Name Week 1 Activities you created Monday, type out
each of the Key Terms and Concepts for Section 3 as well as their definitions. Make
sure to label this section Vocabulary Terms: Sec 3. Read Chapter 1 Section 4 (pages
36-40). Watch the video on Distribution of Government Power. Complete this
activity by 11:59pm Wednesday of Week 1.
(4) On your document Your Name Week 1 Activities you created Monday, type out
each of the Key Terms and Concepts for Section 4 as well as their definitions. Make
sure to label this section Vocabulary Terms: Sec 4. Go to the Discussion Blog and

answer the questions under the heading Week 1. Make sure that you are logged-in
with your Google account before you continue. Answer each of the questions in
complete sentences and include at least 3-5 sentences for each response. Create your
US Government Online Folder. Transfer Week 1 Activities Document into newly
created folder. Share your folder with me. Complete this activity by 11:59pm
Thursday of Week 1.
(5) Review your Week 1 Google Drive document and re-watch the lesson videos if
needed. Complete the Week 1 Quiz. Complete this activity by 11:59pm Friday of
Week 1.
Resources:
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Chapters to read in Textbook: Ch. 1 Sec.s 1 and 2 (pgs. 18 - 29).

Why Do We Need a Government lesson located on the Week 1 Activities
page of the class website
(http://www.civiced.org/resources/curriculum/lesson-plans/454-why-do-weneed-a-government).
Unit 1 Historical Foundations YouTube videos [4 videos in total]
(http://www.youtube.com/playlist?
list=PLNrbWuXJI4h5XEgsu3b6TDatsvl4H4Snn)
FLVS Civics: Going Global Forms of Government YouTube video.
(http://youtu.be/vdh9xo47OWM)
Discussion Questions located on the class blog.
A Google Forms Quiz located at the bottom of the Week 1 Activities page of
the class website.

Discussion Questions:
1. In your own words, what is the purpose of government?
2. Compare and contrast unitary and federal systems of governments. How are they
the same? How are they different from each other? Please provide an example
country for each system (e.g. The United States has a federal system of
government).
3. In your opinion, and in your own words, what is the best form of government?
Make sure to provide at least 2 reasons why you believe your form of government
to be the best.