Origins of Democracy
What is Representative Democracy?
Representative Democracy is when people elect representatives who then decide the laws and represent the citizen's ideas in the governement
A city is considering the construction of a railway system. The city's mayor appoints a panel to study several proposed railroad plan. Six months later, the panel publishes a 30-page report documenting its findings.
Which factor will contribute to the credibility of the report as a source on the topic?
The qualifications of the writers of the report
What is Public Policy?
A system of laws, regulatory measures, courses of action, and funding priorities concerning a given topic promulgated by a governmental entity or its representatives
Define consensus building
Consensus building is working together to reach an agreement that all members of the discussion agree with
What is mass media?
Mass media is a way of communicating information in a way that reaches a lot of people.
What is direct democracy?
Direct Democracy is when people vote on laws themselves, without representatives
A city government is holding a vote to decide whether to construct a new skyscraper downtown. An undecided voter has gathered several sources of information about the proposed building to help her decide how to vote.
Which source of information about the issue is both credible and relevant?
a report on the impact of the building authored by a group of civil engineers and urban planners
What are three appropriate ways a citizen can influence the government?
Volunteering on a candidates campaign
Direct meetings with elected officials
Writing letters to elected officials
Calling elected officials
What do compromise and consensus building have in common?
They are both nonviolent means of conflict resolution
They both end with both parties being happy
How does the media play a role in the creation of public policy?
What was the Mayflower Compact?
The Mayflower Compact was the rules set by the pilgrims as they landed in Massachusetts
What are ways to tell if a source is credible?
Presents objective facts
It is focused on the specific issue at hand
Written by a qualified source
What branch and level of government is this?
An organization begins a phone call campaign to get a law passed requiring people who ride skateboards in a community park to wear protective helmets.
Local - it's a community park
Legislative Branch - The passage of a law
Ohio's General Assembly is considering a proposal to expand the state agricultural land and are listening to presentations about the topic.
One concerned citizen who opposes the proposal gives a presentation that describes the potential consequences of the expansion. Another citizen who supports the proposal gives a presentation that describes the potential benefits of the expansion.
Which conflict resolution process is being used by both citizens?
Persuasion
How do interest groups use lobbyists?
Interest Groups Often employ lobbyists to try and influence politicians to support their preferred policy positions.
What is the Magna Carta and what idea did it establish?
The first document stating that the government is not above the law
it established the idea that the power of the government should be limited
Which of these sources is likely to provide the most credible source of information about events taking place during a senators term?
A. A novel from the senator's spouse
B. A timeline of events from during the senator's term
C. A Hollywood film by someone who supported the senator
D. Essay's from the senator's staff
Essay's from senator's staff
- gives a wide range of information from a variety of perspectives, helping to weed out bias, and increase the likelihood of getting all the information
What branch and level of government is this?
A national coal company lobbyist meets with a state agency about to enact rules restricting natural gas use in the state.
State - It is a state agency that is discussing the rules
Executive Branch - because it deals with enacting and enforcing the rules
Define
- compromise
- persuasion
- negotiation
- compromise - each side gives up something in order to come to an agreement
- persuasion - trying to convince the other side of something through the use of logic or reasoning
- negotiation - having a discussion aimed at coming to an agreement of sorts
What type of interest group is this and why?
Mothers Against Drunk Driving's mission is to end drugged and drunk driving, support the victims of these violent crimes, and prevent underage drinking.
Single issue interest group
They focus on one issue, preventing impaired driving