1

people form governments to establish order, provide security and accomplish common goals. Governments in the world vary in terms of their sources of power, purposes and effectiveness. 

2

the Government of the United States, established by the Constitution, embodies the purposes, values and principles (e.g., liberty, justice, individual human dignity, the rules of law) of American representative democracy.

3

the Constitution of the United States establishes a government of limited powers that are shared among different levels and branches. The provisions of the U.S. Constitution have allowed our government to change over time to meet the changing needs of our society.

4

all citizens of the United States have certain rights and responsibilities as members of a democratic society.

5

individual rights in a democracy may, at times, be in conflict with others’ individual rights, as well as with the responsibility of government to protect the “common good.”

6

the United States does not exist in isolation; its democratic form of government has played and continues to play a considerable role in our interconnected world.

7

the level of individual civic engagement in a democracy can impact the government’s effectiveness.

8

the development and ongoing functions of a political system (e.g., elections, political parties, campaigns, political identity and culture, the role of the media) is necessary for a democratic form of government to be effective.