CHAPTER 4
LOUISIANA’S GOVERNMENT:
RIGHTS AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
Pages 108-139
Focus on Skills
Reading Graphs
Page 110
Section 1
Democratic Government
Pages 111-113
Section 2
Structure of State Government
Pages 114-125
Section 3
Local Government
Pages 126-132
Section 4
Citizens and Government
Pages 133-135
Meeting Expectations
The Electoral College
Page 136
Chapter Summary
Page 137
Activities for Learning
Pages 138-139
Focus
4
Chapter
Chapter Preview
Terms: government, parish,
constitution, federalism, checks
and balances, veto, executive
branch, budget, legislative
branch, bicameral, census,
reapportionment, constituent,
bill, judicial branch, civil law,
criminal law, jury, taxes, police
jury, home rule, municipality,
open primary, lobbying
People: governor, lieutenant
governor, attorney general,
secretary of state, treasurer,
speaker of the house, president
of the senate
108
Lagniappe
• The Old 1882 State Capitol houses
many interesting educational and
interactive exhibits.
• The Capitol Complex includes the
Governor’s Mansion; the Old Arsenal
Powder Magazine from the Mexican
War; the present State Capitol; the
Pentagon Barracks, which served as
the campus of LSU from 1866
through 1932; and the Old
Governor’s Mansion, which was built
in 1930.
T
aylor Atkinson traveled from St. John Parish to Washington,
D.C., to receive a special citizenship award. The Prudential Insurance Company honored one middle school student from each
state. At the ceremony, Taylor and his family met Senator John
Breaux and film star Whoopi Goldberg, along with students from all over
the United States.
Taylor’s citizenship activity had begun when he was only a second grader.
He saw an Adopt a Highway sign and told his mother he wanted to do that.
She suggested they adapt his idea to his own environment, and so Taylor began a Clean Up Crew at his school. Soon, eight to ten students joined him after
school once a week to pick up litter.
Taylor remained at the same school, John L. Ory Communications Magnet,
and continued his project every year. He said students seemed to litter less
because they saw the Clean Up Crew in action. The school principal appreciated Taylor’s contribution to his community and nominated him for the citizenship award. She said Taylor “thinks of others before he thinks of himself.”
Another group of Louisiana students also showed that citizenship includes
thinking of others. Art students from LSU Laboratory School and the Louisiana School for the Deaf held a fundraiser for the Baton Rouge Food Bank. Each
student created a ceramic bowl to be filled with soup and sold at the event.
People from the community bought the bowls of soup to provide money to
feed the hungry.
These Louisiana young people understood the meaning of citizenship.
Louisiana The History of an American State
Internet Activity
Have students go to www.sec.
state.la.us/museums/osc/osc/chec
k/check-welcome.htm to find links
to “tour” the Old State Capitol. Have
them tour one of the exhibits or the
whole capitol. Ask them to list five
things they learned from their tour.
The Louisiana State Capitol
building, the tallest in the
nation, is the seat of
government for
the state.
Chapter 4
Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
109
Civic Participation
Class Discussion
Critical Thinking
Generate a list of volunteer
opportunities that exist at the
school. Have students identify
those that interest them.
Ask students
• if they have volunteered for
projects similar to Taylor
Atkinson’s.
• to describe the value of such
projects. (Evaluation)
• to tell how volunteering for
community projects is an example
of good citizenship. (Application)
Have students look at the map
of Louisiana on page 557 in the
Atlas and locate Baton Rouge.
Discuss if Baton Rouge is the best
location for the state capital. Give
reasons to support or oppose the
location.
You may want to have a
“required” civic school project,
e.g., picking up litter, planting a
flower garden, tutoring, assisting
students that need extra help.
T108
Ask students to
• identify the state capital.
(Knowledge)
• share any experiences they have
had when visiting the state capitol.
• brainstorm a list of offices found
at the state capitol. (Knowledge)
• discuss the type of work that is
done at the state capitol.
(Knowledge)
Louisiana’s
Government: Rights
and Responsibilities
Preview the terms and places in
the Chapter Preview. Assign
Vocabulary for Government on page
44 in the BLM book.
Tell students that as United States
citizens they have certain rights.
Ask them to list rights that they
have at school and at home. Write
the list on the chalkboard. Then tell
them that along with the rights
come responsibilities. Ask them to
list things they do at school or
home to demonstrate the
responsibilities of citizenship.
Record the list on the chalkboard.
Class Discussion
Prepare a scavenger hunt based
on the web site for the Old State
Capitol. Have students, individually
or in groups, search to find the
items.
Lagniappe
To find more information on the
present Louisiana capitol, go to
www.crt.state.la.us/crt/tourism/ca
pitol/capitol.htm.
T109
Each Focus on Skills defines a skill,
gives the teacher an opportunity to
conduct a guided practice on the
skill, and finally allows students to
apply their understanding by practicing the skill on their own.
Focus
Ask students to identify the various uses of graphs. Ask how often
they read or construct graphs. In
what classes do they use graphs?
Ask students to look through
newspapers or magazines or go to
the Internet to find examples of
different kinds of graphs. Have
them bring the examples they find
to share with the class. (Instead of
asking students to bring sample
graphs, you may want to bring a
number to show the students.)
Graph Activity
Collect data from students in the
classroom. You may ask for birth
dates, ages, shoe sizes, heights, etc.
After acquiring the information,
construct a class graph to display
the data. Ask students what type of
graph would be best to display certain data.
Try This!
1. Police and fire services
2. 4%
3. Police and fire, sanitation,
streets, recreation
4. Police and fire services
Focus
on
Skills
Reading
Graphs
Defining the Skill
Graphs provide a quick impression of data. Using
graphs to obtain information may be quicker and
easier than drawing conclusions or making comparisons from written information. Graphs can make learning more meaningful and increase the comprehension of written words. Graphs can be of several varieties, such as line graphs, bar graphs, and circle
graphs.
Chapter 4 contains two circle graphs on page 124.
A circle graph is best used to illustrate the parts of
something to the whole. A circle graph is also called
a pie graph. The whole circle represents 100 percent. Each part of the circle is referred to as a sector, section, or segment.
When reading a circle graph, notice
• the title, which tells you the subject of the
graph,
• the general parts of the graph,
• any trends, and
• any information that you can develop into
questions or use to answer questions about
the data.
Try This!
Look at the circle graph that displays the budget
for Smalltown. Use the information on the graph to
answer the following questions.
1. What service receives the largest amount of
money?
2. What percentage of the budget is set aside
for recreation?
3. What services are included in Smalltown’s
budget?
110
Budget for Smalltown, USA
Streets, $45,000, 13%
Sanitation Services,
Recreation,
$70,000, 20%
$15,000, 4%
Police and Fire Services,
$220,000, 63%
4. Which service receives more money than
the other three combined?
It’s Your Turn!
Look at Figure 11 on page 124 detailing Louisiana’s sources of revenue. Use the information on
the graph to answer the following questions.
1. What is the subject of the graph?
2. For what year does the graph reflect
revenue?
3. From what source does most of the state’s
revenue come?
4. From what source does a little more than
12 percent of the state’s revenue come?
5. What is Louisiana’s second largest source of
revenue?
1
Section
SECTION 1
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
Democratic
Government
Lagniappe
As you read, look for:
• the purposes of government,
• how Louisiana’s constitution sets out a plan for organizing
the government, and
• vocabulary terms government, parish, constitution, and
federalism.
Government is an organization in a society with the authority to make, carry out, and enforce laws. In the United
States, government is established by the people, and the
authority to govern comes from the people. Government is
established and organized to protect the individual rights
of the people and to promote the common good. As a result, the U.S. government is said to be a democracy.
Louisiana is the only state
that still refers to the
Napoleonic Code in its
state law.
The History of Louisiana Government
Louisiana’s government has been influenced by its colonial founders—France and Spain. When Louisiana was a
Spanish colony, the government established parishes as
geographical divisions of the Catholic Church. These parishes later formed Louisiana’s governmental divisions. Louisiana is the only state to have parishes instead of counties.
The French and Spanish influence on Louisiana government can also be seen in the legal system. Louisiana civil
laws are based on French and Spanish civil codes. These written guidelines
explain how individuals deal with each other. Judicial decisions are based on
these written laws.
On the other hand, the British common law system used decisions made in
earlier, similar cases as guidelines. These earlier decisions are known as precedents. Common law follows precedents, and civil law uses a written code. The
common law system has influenced Louisiana’s criminal laws, the laws that
protect society from criminals.
The common law system of the United States came to Louisiana with the
Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Laws in the United States were based on the British common law system.
Chapter 4 Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
Section 1
Addressing Learning
Styles
Verbal/Linguistic
Using the data on the graph of
Smalltown, USA, write a narrative
detailing the information given.
To debrief, ask students which
took more space — the graph or
narrative. Was it easier to make a
graph or write a narrative?
T110
Outline
A. The History of Louisiana
Government
B. Foundations of Government
C. The United States Constitution
D. The State Constitution
Materials
Textbook, pages 111-113
Blackline Masters
Comparing Constitutions,
page 45
A Bill of Rights, page 46
Teacher CD-ROM
Transparencies
Online textbook
mystatehistory.com
Focus
Above: Louisiana’s legal
system is based in part upon
the Napoleonic Code, the
name given to the written
civil laws of France. The code
was named after Napoleon
Bonaparte, emperor of
France in the early 1800s,
who helped formulate it.
Democratic Government
111
Have students make a list of all
the things they do in a 24-hour
period. How many of those activities
or actions are controlled by the government? Have them classify government control as federal or state.
Tell students that Louisiana’s
government reflects its cultural
heritage. NOTE: You may want to
review the various cultures that
have influenced Louisiana.
TEACH
Class Discussion
It’s Your Turn!
1. Louisiana’s budget revenues
2. Fiscal year 2004-2005
3. Taxes, fees, and licenses
4. Fees and self-generated revenues
5. Federal grants
INTRODUCE
Objectives
GLE 19: Describe the purposes of state constitutions and describe the relationship of the Louisiana Constitution and the U.S. Constitution.
GLE 31: Explain how the Louisiana Constitution reflects the principles of government set forth in the U.S. Constitution (e.g., checks and balances, separation of
powers).
GLE 39: Identify individual rights guaranteed in the Louisiana Constitution.
Ask students to
• list the purposes of government.
(Comprehension)
• describe how Louisiana’s government was affected by France and
Spain. (Comprehension)
• identify when British law came to
Louisiana. (Knowledge)
Guiding Question 3-2
T111
When Louisiana became a territory of the United States, the colonists had
to learn their role as citizens in a republic. The idea of self government—of the
people, by the people, and for the people—was new to them. Colonial Louisiana had been run by government officials, with little input from the people.
Adjusting to this new type of government deeply affected the developing
state in many ways. The colonists struggled to find their role, and the newly
arriving Americans expected to have a strong voice.
Class Discussion
Ask students to describe the purpose of a constitution.
(Comprehension)
Guiding Question 3-2
Reading Strategy
Foundations of Government
Building GLE Vocabulary
Limited government: A government
in which a constitution, statement
of rights, or other laws define the
limits of those in power. Everyone,
including all authority figures, must
obey the laws. The U.S. has a limited government with powers delegated to different branches of government by the U.S. Constitution and
its amendments.
Unlimited government: A government in which control is held solely
by the ruler and his or her
appointees, and there are no limits
imposed on the ruler’s authority.
Federalism: A form of political
organization in which governmental
power is divided between a central
government and various territorial
subdivision
Concurrent powers: Powers that may
be exercised by both the national
(federal) government and state governments (taxing)
Louisiana became the eighteenth state to enter the Union on April 30, 1812.
Just before it became a state, the people were given the authority to write a
state constitution. The constitution of a government explains its purpose,
describes its organization, and states its powers. The United States government, the state government, and local governments have specific powers and
responsibilities as described in the United States Constitution and the Louisiana constitution.
BLM Assign Comparing
Constitutions on page 45 in the BLM
book.
Guiding Question 3-2
Above: A statue of George
Washington stands in front
of Independence Hall in
Philadelphia. Washington
presided over the Constitutional Convention.
Lagniappe
Because of the dominance
of French in Louisiana,
Congress required the state’s
first constitution to
safeguard the rights of
English-speakers.
112
The United States Constitution
The first phrase of the Preamble to the United States Constitution is “We,
the People.” These words reflect a constitution for a government formed by its
citizens. The people agree on the power and purpose of the government.
The United States Constitution identifies powers given only to the United
States (federal) government, powers shared by the states and the federal government, and specific state powers. For example, only the federal government can print money and make treaties with other countries. Both the federal
government and the state governments can collect taxes. State governments
can establish schools and conduct elections. This division of powers is called
federalism. Article 4 of the U.S. Constitution discusses the relationship
between the states and the federal government. The U.S. Constitution also
guarantees citizens the right to elect people to represent them in a state
government.
The Tenth Amendment of the Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments to
the U.S. Constitution) states that all powers not given to the federal government or prohibited to the states belong to the states. This right is called the
reserved powers doctrine.
The State Constitution
The powers of the state government come from the constitution of the United
States and the citizens of the state. The constitution of each state provides
the framework for its government. Louisiana’s constitution establishes the power
of the government to act in the interest of the people. At the same time, it
includes limits to protect the rights of citizens.
The present Louisiana constitution follows the federal constitution more
closely than any of the earlier state constitutions. The bill of rights—the sec-
tion that guarantees basic rights—is
even stronger than the Bill of Rights
in the U.S. Constitution, adding the
right to individual dignity and freedom from discrimination. That protection is included because of the civil
rights struggle of the 1960s. It goes
on to say that laws cannot discriminate because of birth, age, sex, culture, physical conditions, or political
ideas or affiliations.
Although the current constitution
is more like a framework for government than the earlier state constitutions, it is still more specific than
critics think it should be. The state constitution should give a broad structure
for government; laws should provide the specific details.
The history of government in Louisiana includes eleven constitutions. No
other state has had so many constitutions. Why do you suppose the Louisiana
constitution has been rewritten so many times? Each time political power
shifted, the new controlling group used the constitution to protect its ideas of
government.
Constitutional protection is stronger than passing laws. Details of government were included in the constitution so they would be harder to change.
Our state constitutions have not been a broad framework for government like
the U.S. Constitution, but rather detailed plans imposing a very specific structure of government. Sometimes a new constitution led to more restrictions on
the people and sometimes rights were broadened.
The present constitution was approved by the voters in 1974. Louisiana voters
elected delegates to this constitutional convention. More than one hundred
people worked for over a year to develop the 1974 Louisiana constitution.
Check for Understanding
1. What is the purpose of democratic government?
2. What are Louisiana’s civil laws based on?
3. What are three functions of a constitution?
4. Name one power that is shared by the federal government
and the state government.
5. Why has the Louisiana constitution been rewritten so many
times?
Chapter 4 Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
Section 1
Using Photos and
Illustrations
• What seems to be the mood of
the delegates to the Constitutional
Convention?
• What is happening in the
picture?
• Who is the presiding officer?
• What might the delegates be
saying or what questions might
they be asking?
Above: This painting of
the members of the U.S.
Constitutional Convention
hangs in the east stairway
in the House wing of the
U.S. Capitol.
Lagniappe
Louisiana’s 1921
constitution was amended
more than 500 times in
50 years!
Democratic Government
113
Group Activity
Have the students write a class
constitution. Ask them to follow the
format of the U.S. Constitution —
include articles and a bill of rights.
Class Discussion
Ask students
• why the Bill of Rights was added
to the U.S. Constitution.
(Comprehension)
• to name the provisions of the Bill
of Rights. (Knowledge)
T112
BLM Assign The Bill of Rights on
page 46 in the BLM book.
Critical Thinking
Have students explain how the
Louisiana constitution reflects the
principles of government set forth
in the United States Constitution.
Guiding Question 3-10
Research Activity
Internet Activity
Class Discussion
Have students research the
method by which the United
States chooses its president. Make
a chart outlining the steps in the
electoral process, including the
role of the Electoral College. Have
students determine how many
electoral votes Louisiana has.
Guiding Question 3-12
Have students go to senate.
legis.state.la.us/Documents/Const
itution and www.law.cornell.
edu/constitution/constitution.
overview.html to find copies of
the Louisiana and U.S.
constitutions.
Guiding Question 3-10
Ask students
• what criticism has been made
of the Louisiana constitution.
(Knowledge)
• if a constitution should be very
definitive or should it be a loose
set of ideas. (Application)
• if it is a good idea to change a
constitution frequently.
(Evaluation)
Critical Thinking
Have students analyze the Bill
of Rights (use the copy in the BLM
book on page 46). Ask them to
decide which provision is the most
important. Have them give reasons
for their choice.
Ask students if anything should
be added to the Bill of Rights. Have
them propose an addition. Ask
students to share their ideas. Come
to a class consensus.
ASSESS
Check for Understanding
1. To protect the rights of the
people and provide for the
common good
2. French and Spanish civil codes
3. A constitution explains the
purpose of government,
describes its organization,
and states its powers.
4. Collect taxes
5. To protect the ideas of the
controlling group
Alternative Assessment
Have students tell how the U.S.
Constitution and the Louisiana
constitution are different.
Lesson Closure
Have students write a journal
entry explaining “What Government
Means to Me.” Have students
complete the thought: “Good
government is . . .” or “Good
government is like . . .”
T113
SECTION 2
STRUCTURE OF STATE
GOVERNMENT
INTRODUCE
Outline
A. Executive Branch
1. Governor
2. Lieutenant Governor
3. Attorney General
4. Secretary of State
5. Treasurer
6. Other Elected Officials
B. Legislative Branch
1. State Legislators
2. Legislative Sessions
3. Law Making
C. Judicial Branch
1. Civil and Criminal Law
2. Juries
3. Funding State Government
Materials
Textbook, pages 114-125
Blackline Masters
Checks and Balances, page 47
Requirements for Office,
page 48
How a Bill Becomes a Law,
page 49
Louisiana State Budget,
page 50
State Government on the
Internet, page 51
Teacher CD-ROM
Transparencies
Online textbook
mystatehistory.com
2
Section
Lagniappe
The election for governor is
held in the odd-numbered
year before a presidential
election—for example,
in 2007, 2011, and so on.
TEACH
Assign Requirements for Office
from page 48 in the BLM book. Tell
students to search for information
on the requirements of office, terms
of office, and duties of the president
of the United States, the U.S.
Senate, and the U.S. House of
Representatives. Have them record
the information they find on the
blackline master.
As you read, look for:
• the structure of Louisiana’s government,
• the responsibilities of each branch of government,
• how a bill becomes law, and
• vocabulary terms checks and balances, veto, executive
branch, governor, budget, lieutenant governor, attorney
general, secretary of state, treasurer, legislative branch,
bicameral, census, reapportionment, speaker of the house,
president of the senate, constituent, bill, judicial branch,
civil law, criminal law, jury, and taxes.
Louisiana’s constitution follows the pattern
of the U.S. Constitution, with three branches
of government and separation of powers
among these branches. Like the United States
government, the powers of the state governBranch
Responsibility
ment are divided among the executive, the
legislative, and the judicial branches.
Executive
Implements and enforces the laws passed
This arrangement creates a system of
by the legislature
checks and balances so that each branch
can use its powers to protect the rights of
Legislative Makes laws
the people. The powers of each branch are
Judicial
Interprets and applies the constitution
balanced by the powers of the other two
and laws of the state
branches. Each branch has checks (controls)
to keep the other branches from misusing
their powers. Each branch has the primary
responsibility for some functions of the government. But all branches share
the power and no branch can function without the others.
As part of the system of checks and balances, the governor can veto (refuse
to approve) bills passed by the legislature. The governor can also use a lineitem veto on any part of the budget passed by the legislature. This means the
governor can oppose specific items the legislature wants in the budget. The
one kind of legislation that the governor cannot veto is a proposed constitutional amendment. Also as part of the checks and balances, the legislature can
override the governor’s veto, but it must do so by a two-thirds vote.
Figure 8
Branches of State Government
114
Internet Activity
Structure of State
Government
Reading Strategy
Compare and Contrast
Have students locate the
requirements to serve as governor
of Louisiana. Ask them to draw a
graphic organizer on which to
compare the requirements for
governor and for president of the
United States.
The judicial branch also acts to limit the power of the other two
branches. If the legislature passes a law that some citizens consider unconstitutional, the Louisiana supreme court must decide if the law follows the state and federal constitutions. This power of judicial review is
an important part of the system of checks and balances.
Executive Branch
The executive branch implements the laws passed by the legislative branch. This branch also operates the state government and oversees state services.
The chief executive officer of the state is the governor. There are
other elected officials in the executive branch: lieutenant governor,
secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general, commissioner of agriculture and forestry, and commissioner of insurance.
President
to serve
Duties
Governor
The governor of Louisiana must be at least twenty-five years old
and a citizen of the United States and Louisiana for at least five years. The
governor is elected for a four-year term and can serve two consecutive
(back-to-back) terms.
One of the governor’s important duties is to prepare and submit a budget to
the legislature. This plan sets out how money should be obtained and spent by
the state government. In this way, the governor influences the way the state
spends its money.
Chapter 4 Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
Section 2
Top: The Louisiana Governor’s
Mansion is one of the most
beautiful in the nation.
Above: Governor Kathleen
Babineaux Blanco of Lafayette was elected in 2003.
Structure of State Government
115
T114
Guiding Question 3-6
Critical Thinking
Ask students to identify
personal and professional
qualities a governor should
possess. Have them rank the
qualities and come up with a
class list.
Research Activity
Focus
Remind students that, in a
representative democracy, they do
not directly interact with their
representatives on a day-to-day
basis. Rather, they elect
representatives to go to Washington
or Baton Rouge to work on their
behalf. Ask students why it is
impractical for the Louisiana
legislators to work directly with
the citizens of the state each day.
Governor
Requirements
Objectives
Objectives (Cont.)
GLE 18: Identify the powers of state government as defined in the Louisiana
constitution and compare/contrast those powers to the powers of the federal
government.
GLE 20: Identify the structure and powers of the three branches of the state
government, the limits of those powers, and key positions within each branch.
GLE 22: Describe the powers/responsibilities and limits of power for government
officials at the local and state levels in Louisiana.
GLE 23: Identify qualifications and terms of office for key leaders/representatives at the state and local levels.
GLE 24: Identify current government leaders at the state, local, and national levels in the United States.
GLE 25: Explain how a bill becomes law at the state level.
GLE 26: List and apply criteria for evaluating rules and laws.
GLE 28: Explain why taxes are needed and purposes for which tax monies/
revenues are used.
GLE 29: Identify types of taxes collected by the local, state, and federal government.
GLE 32: Describe various peaceful ways of resolving political or social conflicts,
including majority vote vs. consensus.
GLE 33: Analyze how the democratic process has been used to institute change in
Louisiana.
GLE 34: Explain how the U.S. Census is used in the political process and how it
affects Louisiana representation in Congress.
GLE 35: Describe the role of the Electoral College and how Louisiana participates
in that system.
GLE 56: Identify various types of taxes and user fees and predict their
consequences.
Have students research past
Louisiana governors and rank
them according to each class
criteria.
Research Activity
Ask students to select a
governor and prepare a report on
the person’s background as well
as accomplishments as governor.
Have each student give an oral
presentation. (NOTE: Develop a
rubric to assess the presentation
or use one from the BLM book.)
T115
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• identify duties of the governor.
(Knowledge)
• list other offices in the executive
branch of Louisiana’s government.
(Knowledge)
Guiding Question 3-5
Social Studies Skill
Reading a Chart
Have students look at the chart
in Figure 9. Ask them to
• identify which offices are
elective.
• identify which offices are
appointed.
• predict what various departments
do.
Guiding Question 3-3
Group Activity
Place students in groups of three
or four. Assign each group one
department of the state government
to research. Have students find out
who heads each department, what
agencies are within the department,
and what services are provided.
Multidisciplinary Activity
Art Make a chart or mobile illustrating one of the departments in
Louisiana state government. Include
various agencies that are included in
the department.
Guiding Question 3-3
Figure 9 Organization of the Executive Branch
Departments under direct control of the Governor
and the Department of Civil Service
Statewide elected officials and the
Department of Public Service
Governor
Being the lieutenant governor of Louisiana is somewhat like
being the vice president of the United States. If the governor is
out of the state, the lieutenant governor acts as governor. According to the constitution, if the governor leaves office or is
unable to act, the lieutenant governor becomes governor.
Addressing Learning Styles
Verbal/Linguistic
Have students write an essay in
which they identify a statewide
elective office they would like to
hold. Have them explain why they
would like to hold that office as well
as what goals they would like to
accomplish.
Attorney General
Division of
Administration
Department of
Civil Service
(Independent)
Department of
Economic
Development
Department of
Education
Office of
Lieutenant
Governor
Department of
Environmental
Quality
Department
of Health and
Hospitals
Department of
Labor
Department of
Culture, Recreation
and Tourism
Department of
Public Safety and
Corrections
Department of
Natural
Resources
Department of
Revenue
Department of
the Treasury
Department of
Agriculture and
Forestry
Department of
Social Services
Department of
Transportation and
Development
Department of
Wildlife
and Fisheries
Department of
Insurance
Public Service
Commission
Lagniappe
At the secretary of state’s
web site, you can get
the results of statewide
elections back to 1986.
Department
of State
Department of
Justice
Reading Skill
Compare and Contrast
Have students prepare a graphic
organizer on which they list elected
officials — lieutenant governor,
attorney general, secretary of state,
treasurer, commissioner of
agriculture, and commissioner of
insurance. Have them list the duties
of each.
Guiding Question 3-5
Secretary of State
The governor appoints citizens to hundreds of boards and commissions. These
appointments give the governor power and influence. The executive branch
can also influence the legislative branch through administration bills, laws the
governor wants passed. Legislators who support the governor introduce these
bills in the legislature.
The governor can also call special sessions of the legislature to discuss specific subjects. These special sessions are usually called when the governor believes the state has a need that cannot wait until the regular legislative session.
In recent years, special sessions have dealt with Medicaid funding problems,
the New Orleans land casino, and budget problems.
The salary of the governor is not as much as that paid to the heads of large
businesses, but the job has other benefits. The governor’s mansion and staff, a
car and driver, and bodyguards are all provided.
Lieutenant Governor
The lieutenant governor serves much like a public relations officer for the
state. The State Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism is headed by
this elected official.
116
The attorney general heads the state’s legal office, the Department of Justice. The attorney general provides opinions on
questions of law to all state agencies and other government
groups. The attorney general can also bring legal action on behalf of the state. In the late 1990s, the Louisiana attorney general joined with forty-five other states to sue tobacco companies
to recover the costs of treating smoking-related illnesses.
The Louisiana attorney general also defends Louisiana laws if
they are challenged in the federal courts. That might happen if
the legislature passes a law that a citizen thinks is a violation of
the U.S. Constitution. For example, in a 1975 case, Taylor v. Louisiana, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the state had to call
women to jury duty in the same way men were called. Before
this ruling, Louisiana juries were mostly men. The U.S. Supreme
Court said state law violated the right to have a jury from a cross
section of the community.
The secretary of state is the chief election officer for Louisiana. All duties
connected with elections are now supervised by the secretary of state. Some
of those duties had been handled by an elected commissioner of elections, an
office eliminated in 2003.
The secretary of state also keeps Louisiana’s official records and publishes
the acts and journals of the legislature. The secretary of state is the keeper of
the Great Seal of the state of Louisiana, which is used to give official approval
to documents.
All of Louisiana’s official records are now preserved at the State Archives
Building in Baton Rouge. These records include some of Louisiana’s historic
legal documents.
Above: Lt. Governor Mitch
Landrieu was elected in
2003.
Class Discussion
Ask students
• which elective office in the executive branch, excluding the governor, has the most power.
(Application)
Guiding Question 3-5
• which elective office is closer to
the people. (Comprehension)
Treasurer
The elected head of the Department of the Treasury, the state treasurer is
in charge of the state’s money. The treasurer keeps records of the state’s income and expenses. State money not needed immediately must be invested.
The law requires the treasurer to give the governor and the legislature a yearly
financial report, one month before each regular session of the legislature. The
treasurer also returns unclaimed property to citizens.
Section 2
Chapter 4 Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
Structure of State Government
Addressing Learning Styles
117
Critical Thinking
Ask students if they think the
requirements for governor or
president should be changed.
Ask if good, qualified persons
have been excluded from the
presidency because of the
requirements.
T116
Multidisciplinary Activity
Lagniappe
Language Arts Have students follow news stories about the governor and other public officials for
several days. Write a summary of
the activities involving these
persons.
Art Have students watch the
newspaper or Internet for political
cartoons. Ask students to develop
a political cartoon based on a
news story.
Louisiana’s state seal has
changed over the years. At one
point there were a dozen chicks in
the nest. Since pelicans normally
do not have large numbers of
chicks at one time, the present
version is more realistic. It also
makes you feel a bit better knowing that the pelican doesn't have
to pull itself apart for more than
three of the young.
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Have students look at the picture of the lieutenant governor.
Ask them to look at the list of
governors in the appendix or go to
www.sec.state.la.us/GOV-1.HTM
and determine which lieutenant
governors have become governor.
Have students find out under
what circumstances that
happened.
Visual/Spatial
The secretary of state is the keeper of the Great Seal. Have students
look at the State Seal on the title
page. The official state seal of
Louisiana was adopted in 1902. It
features a pelican tending its three
young chicks in their nest. The
story is that the pelican is actually
tearing some of its own flesh to feed
the chicks, which apparently a
pelican will do rather than allow
its young to starve. The Louisiana
motto "Union, justice, confidence"
surrounds the birds on the present
seal.
Ask students to design a new seal
for Louisiana.
T117
Class Discussion
Social Studies Skill
Ask students to
• name the two state boards that
have elective members. (Knowledge)
• describe who makes up the BESE.
(Knowledge)
• name the two bodies that make
up Louisiana’s legislature.
(Knowledge)
• identify the number of members
of each body.
Guiding Question 3-3
Reading Maps
Have students look at Map 16.
Ask students
• to locate their house of
representatives district.
• to discuss why some districts are
larger than others.
Making a Map
Using an outline map of
Louisiana, have students label each
parish that is in their local house
district.
Social Studies Skill
Reading Maps
Have students look at Map 15.
Ask students
• to locate their senate district.
• to discuss why some districts are
larger than others.
• why there are eight districts in
New Orleans.
• why the districts have different
shapes.
Reading Skill
Decision Making
Louisiana legislators are limited
by law to three terms. Have
students list the advantages and
disadvantages of having term limits.
Have the class come to a consensus
as to whether this practice is good
or bad.
Guiding Question 3-5
Making a Map
Using an outline map of
Louisiana, have students label each
parish that is in their local senate
district.
Critical Thinking
Ask students if legislative districts should be based on land area
or population. Ask them who benefits the most from each configuration.
Internet Activity
Introduce students to the term
reapportionment. Use a search
engine or go to quickfacts.census
.gov/qfd/states/22000.html to
find the latest census figures. There
is a link from this site to each
parish in Louisiana. Population
trends since the 2000 census are
noted.
Based on the population shifts
since the state’s latest reapportionment, have students predict what
changes might occur in state senatorial districts in 2010.
T118
Class Discussion
Critical Thinking
Ask students
• how often the Louisiana legislature meets. (Knowledge)
• the names of the officials who
preside over the Louisiana legislature. (Knowledge)
• why the legislators take a break
after proposing laws.
Ask students to research the
population in each of Louisiana’s
parishes and propose new boundaries for the state’s senatorial districts.
T119
Research Project
Writing Activity
Tell students that they will be
participating in a mock legislature
in which some will
• serve as representatives in the
state senate or state house of representatives.
• write and submit a bill.
• serve on appropriate committees
to study bills.
• participate in committee
hearings.
• debate and pass or reject bills.
To begin the activity, have students brainstorm a list of possible
bills. (NOTE: Ask them to look at the
language and topics of bills they
examined in the research project.)
Have each student write a bill and
then ask the class to select a number of the bills to use in a role-playing activity.
Guiding Question 3-7
T120
Legislator introduces a bill
in the house or senate.
Bill is sent to a committee
for review.
Committee holds hearings
on the bill.
If passed, the bill is sent
to the other chamber,
where it goes through
the same process.
Members debate and
vote on the bill.
Committee discusses the
bill, makes any changes
to it, and reports the bill
to the full chamber.
Bill is introduced and
assigned to a committee
for discussion.
Above: The state senate
chamber has been the scene
of many political debates.
The state house and senate
chambers are at opposite
ends of the Capitol lobby.
Law Making
The legislature writes and approves laws. Proposed laws, called bills, may
be introduced in either chamber of the legislature. A bill becomes law only
when it is approved by both the house and the senate and is signed by the
governor. About 2,500 bills are introduced in a session. Only about one-third
of those become laws. When a bill becomes law, it becomes a numbered act of
the legislature.
Legislative committees study and debate the proposed laws. Some of the committees are permanent. These standing committees include education, finance,
health and welfare, natural resources, environment, insurance, and transportation. Other committees are temporary, appointed for a special purpose. Committees and committee chairs are appointed
by the speaker of the house and the
president of the senate. Each legislator
serves on at least one committee.
Suppose that a bill is introduced in
New laws take effect on the
the senate. It is assigned to a senate
60th day after the end of a
committee, either standing or tempolegislative session.
rary, for discussion and debate. The
committee may hold hearings so that
Lagniappe
Writing a Bill
Before students begin to write a
bill, have them brainstorm the
criteria for a good rule or bill,
such as
• the bill must have a title.
• the language of the bill must be
easily understood.
• the bill must have clearly stated
consequences.
• the consequences must be
appropriate for any infractions to
the bill.
• the bill must be fair to all the
citizens.
Social Studies Skill
Figure 10 How a Bill Becomes Law
Have students obtain a copy of
the bills that were passed in the last
state legislative session. Categorize
the types of bills that became law,
e.g., education, health and human
services. Have students also identify
unique laws as well as the subjects
of some bills that were not passed.
120
Chapter 4 Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
Members debate and vote
on the bill.
Reading a Chart
Have students examine Figure 10,
How a Bill Becomes Law. Be sure
they understand what happens in
each step so they can be prepared
to role play the process of how a bill
becomes a law.
Guiding Question 3-7
Reading Strategy
Building GLE Vocabulary
Laws: Regulations that are issued
and enforced by a government or
other authority and that bind every
member of society
If passed in identical
form, the bill is sent to
the governor.
Role-Playing
If signed, the bill becomes law.
If vetoed, legislature may override the veto
by a two-thirds vote of each chamber.
Governor may sign or veto
the bill.
interested persons can testify (speak) about the bill. After the hearings, the
committee members vote to (1) approve the bill and send it on to the full senate for consideration, (2) amend the original bill, or (3) kill it. If the bill is
approved by the full senate, it is sent to the house of representatives, where
the entire process is repeated. If either chamber votes no, the bill is dead.
A bill must pass both chambers in exactly the same form if it is to become
law. If the versions of the bill passed by each chamber are different, the two
versions are sent to a conference committee. The conference committee contains members from both the senate and the house. They work out the differences and return the revised bill to both chambers for another vote.
After the legislature passes a bill, it must be delivered to the governor within
three days. The governor has ten days (twenty if the legislative session has
ended) to act on the bill. The governor may sign the bill into law, veto it, or
allow the bill to become law without signing it. The absence of the governor’s
signature is a way of showing his or her opposition to the bill.
Section 2
Structure of State Government
121
Have students decide which
committees are needed to study the
bills the class has chosen. Assign
certain students to “serve” on
committees and other students to
represent citizens who will testify
before the committee during the
hearings. (NOTE: Be sure you
establish senate and house
committees.) After the committee
hearings, send the bill to the full
legislative body for discussion and
vote. If the bill passes, send it on to
the other legislative body and go
through the procedures again. If the
bill passes the second house, send it
to the governor. If the bill is amended in the second house, send it to a
conference committee to resolve the
differences.
Guiding Question 3-7
Critical Thinking
Writing a Bill (Cont.)
Internet Activity
Social Studies Skill
To illustrate the criteria, you
might want to list some class
rules and ask students to apply
the criteria to each, e.g., If you
are late to class, you will be
suspended for ten days. (This rule
does not have consequences that
are appropriate to the infraction.)
Have students use the criteria to
write bills for the mock legislative
session.
Guiding Question 3-8
Have students go to senate.
legis.state.la.us/Senators/seating.asp to find profiles of
Louisiana state senators. Ask
them to identify their state senator and find out something about
his or her background. This site
has links to each senator’s homepage, which contains information
about the person’s background as
well as information on issues.
Using Community Resources
Invite one of your state
legislators to visit the classroom
before or after the role-playing
activity. Have students generate a
number of questions to ask the
legislator about the law-making
process.
Ask students why a governor
might allow a bill to become law
without his signature.
BLM Assign How a Bill Becomes a
Law on page 49 in the BLM book.
Guiding Question 3-7
T121
Class Discussion
Ask students to define the purpose of the judicial branch of government. (Comprehension)
Guiding Question 3-3
Reading Strategy
Sometimes these cases are also appealed to the highest court in the state,
the Louisiana supreme court. This court hears appeals from lower-level courts.
If a lower court has declared a law unconstitutional, the supreme
court must evaluate that decision. If a defendant in a criminal case
has been sentenced to death, the case is always reviewed by the
state supreme court.
Juries
Have students make an
organizational chart to illustrate
the court system in Louisiana.
Guiding Question 3-5
A citizen may go to court as a witness, as a participant in a civil
lawsuit, or even as a person charged with a crime. But any citizen
may also be called to serve on a jury. This group of citizens hears
evidence on a legal case and makes a decision based on that evidence. Serving on a jury is an important responsibility. A person
accused of a crime has the right to be tried before a jury of his or
her peers.
Citizens may also serve on a grand jury. A grand jury consists of
twelve citizens who serve for six months. These citizens are involved
in the first step of legal action against an accused criminal. After
listening to the district attorney, the grand jury must decide if there
is enough evidence to indict a person (formally charge the person
with a crime). A regular trial jury would then hear the evidence
during the trial.
Social Studies Skill
Funding State Government
Making a Map
Have students look at Map 17
and locate the supreme court
district where they live. Ask them
to use an outline map to identify
the parishes that are located in
each district.
Governments need money to function. Louisiana, like other states and the
federal government, gets this money in several ways. Planning for the needs of
state government starts with a detailed budget.
Compare and Contrast
Have students make a graphic
organizer to compare and contrast
civil and criminal law.
Group Activity
Lagniappe
The Louisiana State Supreme
Court is located in New Orleans. It
is composed of seven justices who
are elected to ten-year terms. For
more information on Louisiana’s
supreme court, go to
www.lasc.org/.
Indict is pronounced to rhyme
with kite.
Class Discussion
Ask students
• what types of cases are heard in
the state supreme court.
(Knowledge)
• to describe two types of juries.
(Comprehension)
Using Photos and
Illustrations
Above: Both civil and
criminal cases are heard
in parish courthouses, like
this one in Alexandria in
Rapides Parish.
The State Budget
A budget is a detailed plan for receiving and spending money. Each year,
the state government estimates how much money (revenue) it will collect for
the year. Then the state can decide how to spend the money (distribute the
revenue) to meet the needs of the state.
The governor prepares the budget and presents it to the legislature. Revenue and expenditures (amounts spent) must match because the state constitution requires a balanced budget. In other words, the state government cannot
spend more than it takes in.
Look at the courthouse in
Alexandria. Have students discuss
what activities occur in the local
courthouse. Ask them to choose a
courthouse in a parish other than
their own to research. Ask them to
find out when the courthouse was
built, how much it cost, and any
special features that make it unique.
Internet Activity
Have students go to www.
colemanandhenderson.com/louisi
ana's_courthouses.htm to find
links to photographs of several
Louisiana courthouses. Ask students
to look at the pictures and compare
the architecture of the buildings.
Critical Thinking
Taxes
Ask students if they think
Louisiana should maintain a
balanced budget. Ask them what
might happen if the state budget
exceeded the state’s revenue.
Much of the state revenue comes from taxes. Taxes are amounts charged
citizens by their governments (federal, state, and local) to help provide government services. A sales tax is charged on items as they are purchased; it is
the largest single source of tax revenue. An excise tax is imposed on specific
products such as gasoline, alcohol, soft drinks, and cigarettes.
Section 2
Structure of State Government
123
Class Discussion
Addressing Learning Styles
Ask students to identify which
members of the state court system
are elected and which ones are
appointed.
Guiding Question 3-3
Logical/Mathematical
Help students understand the
concept of sales tax by giving them
problems in which they have to figure sales tax. Tell them that Mary
purchased a new dress for $42.50, a
new sweater for $28.75, and a new
pair of shoes for $39.90. Ask them
how much Mary had to pay for her
purchases when she added the 4%
state sales tax. You may also want
students to add local sales taxes to
the purchase amount.
Guiding Question 3-14
Critical Thinking
Ask students if judges should be
elected. Have them give reasons for
their choices.
T122
Class Discussion
Ask students to
• describe how Louisiana gets
funds to operate its government.
(Comprehension)
• identify taxes and fees that are
included in the state’s revenue.
(Knowledge)
Guiding Question 3-9
• identify the person who has the
responsibility for making the
budget. (Knowledge)
T123
Internet Activity
Have students go to www.sec.
state.la.us/museums/osc/exhibits/
people/budget/budgetscreen.htm
to connect with an interactive site
that gives them an opportunity to
create a budget for Louisiana. The
site gives information on budget
categories and students have the
opportunity to assign a percentage
of state funds to each category.
BLM Assign students Louisiana’s
State Budget from page 50 in the
BLM book.
Guiding Question 3-9
Reading Strategy
Compare and Contrast
Have students create a graphic
organizer to compare and contrast
the various types of taxes and fees
that Louisiana citizens pay.
Type of Tax
Excise tax
Sales tax
Severance tax
Income tax
Description
Imposed on
products like
gasoline, alcohol,
soft drinks, and
cigarettes
Imposed on
purchased items
Imposed on the
removal of natural
resources, ie.,
timber, oil, and gas
Imposed on the
amount of money
one makes
Figure 11
Budget Revenues, 2004-2005
Figure 12
Budget Expenditures, 2004-2005
General fund nonrecurring
revenue, 0.08%
Executive Capital Outlay,
Ancillary
Department,
4.76%
Appropriations,
2.71%
7.16%
Public
safety,
All others,
1.62%
10.78%
Dept. of Health
and Hospitals,
31.41%
Interagency
transfers,
7.51%
Federal grants,
31.01%
Taxes, fees, and
licenses, 40.83%
Education,
31.37%
Other
funds, 8.37%
Corrections,
2.12%
Social Services, 4.52%
Transportation/
Development, 2.06% Elected officials, 1.5%
Fees and self-generated
revenues, 12.21%
Lagniappe
The budget is prepared for
a fiscal year. Louisiana’s
fiscal year runs from July 1
to June 30.
Louisiana also has a severance tax, a charge for removing (severing) natural
resources from the state. Louisiana’s severance tax is imposed on timber
and on minerals such as oil and gas. The severance tax is based on the idea
that resources taken from the environment will not be available for future
generations.
Individual citizens pay a state income tax each year. Louisiana businesses
also pay income taxes. Other taxes include taxes on vehicles.
Louisiana has lower property taxes than most other states. One reason for
this is the homestead exemption, which excuses part of the value of the home
from the property tax. In other words, the homeowner pays property tax only
on the value of a home above the level set by the homestead exemption. For
example, with a $75,000 homestead exemption, a home valued at $100,000
would pay property tax on $25,000.
Other Sources of Revenue
In addition to taxes, the state receives other revenue. This includes fees
such as drivers’ licenses and business licenses. The state also earns interest by
investing state funds.
Oil and gas royalties also bring more money to the state. Companies that
extract these resources pay the landowner for them. Louisiana collects royalties from state-owned land. The state has won court disputes with two major
oil companies about royalties owed on state land. The companies paid hundreds of millions of dollars to the state in these settlements.
124
Chapter 4 Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
Who owns the oil in the Gulf of Mexico? This dispute
between the federal government and the state has gone
on for years. The federal government claimed the land—
and its valuable oil deposits—that was three miles or more
off the coast. Louisiana considered this too close and said
the three-mile limit would deprive the state of its fair share
of the royalties. Congress finally settled this dispute in 1986.
From 1986 through 2001, the state received millions of
dollars each year for past royalties. (The funds had been
held until the issue was decided.) This money is called the
8g fund because 8g is the federal law that established the
royalty settlement. The money was invested in a special
fund for education, called the Louisiana Education Quality
Trust Fund.
Another special fund invested for Louisiana came from
the settlement of a nationwide lawsuit against the tobacco
industry. The money from this settlement is invested in
the Millennium Trust Fund and is divided between health
and education needs.
Louisiana and other states also receive money from the
federal government. These funds help the state carry out
programs required by Congress. Federal matching funds require the state to
add money for the programs. About one-third of Louisiana’s budget comes from
federal funds.
The government also borrows money by selling bonds to investors. Bonds
are a way to borrow money for projects that require more money than the state
has available.
Another source of money for the state budget is gaming, the legal term for
gambling. Louisiana has joined other states in holding weekly lotteries.
Riverboat casinos also pay special taxes. The state receives huge revenues from
these sources, but critics say problems make it a bad decision.
Check for Understanding
Class Discussion
Ask students
• what funds the state of Louisiana
receives from royalties. (Knowledge)
• what funds the state receives
from a tobacco settlement.
(Knowledge)
• what funds the state receives
from the federal government.
(Knowledge)
• how the government can borrow
money. (Comprehension)
ASSESS
Check for Understanding
Top: Homeowners pay
property taxes on the value
of any real estate they own.
However, the homestead
exemption excludes a
portion of a home’s value
from taxation. Owners of
smaller homes, like this one
in Cheneyville, may pay
little or no property tax at
all. Above: Natural resources, such as the timber
shown here, that are removed from the land are
subject to a severance tax.
1. What are two functions of the executive branch? The
legislative branch? The judicial branch?
2. What are the two parts of the legislative branch?
3. What are the two categories of state law? What is the
purpose of each?
4. What is meant by a balanced budget?
5. Name three kinds of taxes.
Section 2
Structure of State Government
125
1. Executive: sign or veto bills,
prepare budget, make
appointments
Legislative: pass bills,
override executive veto
Judicial: judicial review,
enforce laws
2. Senate and House of
Representatives
3. Criminal law protects society
from wrongdoing by an
individual; Civil law brings a
lawsuit to settle a dispute
between two people or
between an individual and a
business or government.
4. A budget where revenues
(amounts of money collected)
and expenditures (amounts
spent) match
5. Sales, income, excise,
severance
Alternative Assessment
Guiding Question 3-9
Class Discussion
Ask students which taxes most
directly affect Louisiana’s citizens.
Guiding Question 3-9
T124
Addressing Learning Styles
Internet Activity
Logical/Mathematical
To help students understand
income tax, give them a salary
figure and ask them to withhold
28% for federal income tax and
7% for state income tax. How
much of their salary is left?
Guiding Question 3-14
Assign students State
Government on the Internet from
page 51 in the BLM book.
Guiding Question 3-6
Have students outline the major
divisions of the three branches of
state government.
Guiding Question 3-3
Lesson Closure
Go around the room and ask each
student to name a position in state
government. Have them identify the
name of the person who holds that
position.
T125
SECTION 3
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Using Photos and
Illustrations
INTRODUCE
Compare the photo of the courthouse in DeSoto Parish with those
described in Section 2.
Outline
Research Project
A. Parish Government
1. Police Jury
2. Other Parish Government
Plans
3. School Boards
B. Municipalities
Have students research to find
information on the history of one
of Louisiana’s parishes. Have them
complete a poster highlighting the
information they find, including
population statistics, geographical
features, industry, and fairs and
festivals.
Materials
Textbook, pages 126-132
Blackline Masters
Parish Government, page 52
How the Parishes Got Their
Names, page 53
Local Officials, page 54
Teacher CD-ROM
Transparencies
Online textbook
mystatehistory.com
Class Discussion
Parish Government
The primary local government division is the parish. Louisiana has had its
present number of sixty-four parishes since 1912. The parish government and
courthouse are located in the town or city known as the parish seat. In other
states, these are called counties and county seats.
Why does Louisiana have parishes instead of counties? During Spanish colonial Louisiana, the church divisions were called parishes, and local government followed these divisions. In 1807, the territory of Louisiana used these
parishes for local government divisions.
Focus
Have students locate the parish
in which they live. Ask them to
brainstorm information about their
home parish.
Ask them to complete a KWL
chart to determine what they know
about local government.
Ask students
• to describe the purpose of the
police jury. (Comprehension)
• how identifying local divisions of
government as parishes is a reflection of their cultural heritage.
(Application)
Above: The parish courthouse is the seat of
government for a parish.
This is the DeSoto Parish
courthouse in Mansfield.
Police Jury
During Louisiana’s Spanish colonial days, the local government resembled
today’s parish police jury. A group of citizens was chosen to supervise or police the parish. This group was referred to as a jury. Forty-six of Louisiana’s
parishes still refer to the parish-elected government as the police jury. Today,
the police jury has five to fifteen elected members.
The police jury passes local laws for the parish government. The police jury
is also responsible for building and maintaining parish roads and buildings such
TEACH
Section 3
Local Governments
127
Research Activity
Have students create a chart
containing the various forms of local
government in Louisiana. They may
use the textbook or the Internet to
find information. Two good Internet
sites are www.lpgov.org/facts.htm
and www.lpgov.org/directory.
Lagniappe
Forty-six of Louisiana’s sixty-four
parishes have the traditional police
jury form of government. The other
eighteen operate under home rule
charters, including four city-parish
consolidations—Orleans, East Baton
Rouge, Terrebonne, and Lafayette.
Guiding Questions 3-4 and 3-6
T126
Objectives
GLE 21: Describe the various forms of local government in Louisiana.
GLE 22: Describe the powers/responsibilities and limits of power for government
officials at the local and state levels in Louisiana.
GLE 23: Identify qualifications and terms of office for key leaders/
representatives at the state and local levels.
GLE 24: Identify current government leaders at the state, local, and national
levels in the United States.
GLE 29: Identify types of taxes collected by the local, state, and federal
government.
GLE 56: Identify various types of taxes and user fees and predict their
consequences.
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Internet Activity
Have students email an 8th grade
classroom in a school in each of
Louisiana’s 64 parishes. Ask students
in each of the other parishes to
take a photograph of their local
courthouse and email it to your
classroom. Make a bulletin board
display or calendar using the photos
of the courthouses found throughout Louisiana.
Writing Activity
Have students write a description
of their local courthouse. Share the
description and photos with students in neighboring parishes.
Addressing Learning Styles
Verbal/Linguistic
Have students interview a local
government official who has an
office in the local courthouse. Ask
what services that department
offers.
Spotlight
Louisiana’s
Oldest
Courthouses
The courthouse is the government
building in each parish. Each
courthouse is located in the town
or city known as the parish seat,
meaning the seat of justice and
government. In some parishes, the
earliest court trials were held in
rough log buildings that were also
homes.
The oldest courthouse building
in the state is no longer used as a
courthouse because the parish
seat was moved to another town.
The town of Jackson was the first
seat of Feliciana Parish. Jackson’s
small courthouse, dating from
1820, still stands today. When the
parish was divided into East and
West Feliciana, the courthouse
was relocated to Clinton.
The Clinton courthouse was
built in 1840 and is the oldest
Louisiana courthouse still in use
today. Three other courthouses
were also built before the Civil
War. The Lafourche Parish Courthouse was built in 1856, the St.
Martin Parish Courthouse was built
in 1859, and the Claiborne Parish
Courthouse was built in 1860.
All of these buildings have the Greek columns that
reflect the strong interest in the classic Greek culture that was part of antebellum Louisiana. This ar-
128
T128
chitectural style also shows the connection between
American democracy and the democratic ideals of
the Greek philosophers.
Chapter 4 Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
The courthouse in Jackson is the oldest courthouse
building in the state (opposite page, above).
Only four courthouses built before the Civil War are
still being used. They are in Clinton (above left),
Thibodaux (above right), St. Martinville (opposite
page, below), and Homer (below).
Section 3
Local Governments
Civic Participation
Ask students to attend a meeting
of the local government. Have them
make note of the issues that are discussed.
Guiding Question 3-11
Addressing Learning Styles
Logical/Mathematical
Have students identify the ten
fastest-growing parishes in
Louisiana and show that growth on
a graph detailing population from
1950 through 2000.
(NOTE: Have students access census
information on the Internet to find
the data.) You might want them to
also look at data since the 2000
census.
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T129
forms of government include an elected parish president and an
elected parish council or an elected parish council and an administrator selected by this council. Some of the largest urban areas,
including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, have one combined government for the city and the parish government.
BLM Assign How the Parishes Got
Their Names on page 53 in the BLM
book.
Social Studies Skill
Louisiana’s local school systems have the same political boundaries as the parishes, except that there are four additional city
districts in Baker, Bogalusa, Monroe, and Zachary. A school board
is elected from districts based on population, and the members
serve four-year concurrent terms. In other words, all school board
members are elected at the same time and their terms all end at
the same time.
The school boards are special local governments that are not
part of parish governments. However, they are more closely regulated by the state than the other local governments. Local school
boards receive money from the state for the education of the children in the district. A local school board can also collect funds
through taxes and bonds. The board appoints a superintendent
to supervise the school system.
Critical Thinking
Above: The courthouse in
Houma is the center of
Terrebonne Parish government, a home rule parish.
Civic Participation
Have students select a local
concern, e.g., potholes, a stop sign
blocked by a tree, missed trash pickup. Have them write a letter to local
government officials asking that
they look into correcting the problem.
Guiding Questions 3-5 and 3-11
Lagniappe
In 1810, the office of sheriff was
created.
T130
Addressing Learning Styles
Logical/Mathematical
Find out how much money the
school system budgeted and how
the funds were expended. Prepare a
circle graph illustrating the expenditures. Prepare a bar graph to illustrate sources of revenue for the
school system.
Above: The West Feliciana
Parish government is a
police jury. Left: School
districts are separate bodies,
which are not controlled by
the local government.
as the jail and the courthouse. The jury has the authority to raise money for
parish expenses. The police jury also appoints the parish registrar of voters
and the treasurer.
Parishes have other elected officials. The sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer and tax collector. The assessor determines the value of property
for tax purposes. The district attorney is the chief prosecutor who represents
the parish in criminal cases. The clerk of court maintains the court records and
other official records such as marriage licenses. These officials are not under
the control of local government; they report only to the voters.
The parish police juries sometimes create special districts to perform a specific service for a local area. The most common special districts include school,
fire protection, levee, and water districts.
Chapter 4 Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
Ask students to describe the
advantages and disadvantages of
having all members of the board of
education serve concurrently.
Ask students to brainstorm ways
in which their local school is regulated by the state.
Research Activity
Louisiana’s current constitution gave local governments more power than
did earlier constitutions. This power of political subdivisions to govern themselves is known as home rule. In other words, parishes and municipalities can
manage their own affairs unless specifically prohibited by the state constitution or state law. Before this constitutional change, the legislature directed
much of the business of local governments.
Some parishes have a home rule charter, which allows a community to organize its local government in a form other than the police jury. These other
130
Critical Thinking
Class Discussion
Other Parish Government Plans
Internet Activity
Have students log on to
www.lpgov.org/ to access the home
page for each of Louisiana’s
parishes. Have each student go
to a different parish home page
to find information including the
type of local government, the
names of local government officials.
Guiding Questions 3-4, 3-6
Have students find the names of
current members of their school
board as well as the name of the
local superintendent of schools.
Guiding Question 3-6
School Boards
Being an Informed Citizen
Have students follow stories in
the local newspaper or local television news concerning local government offices and/or officials. Set
aside 5-10 minutes on certain days
to have students bring in their news
stories to share with the class.
Have students brainstorm services that are provided from tax
monies. Ask them if parish money
should pay for these services.
Guiding Question 3-14
Research Activity
Ask students to check the agenda
of the school board. Find what types
of issues are discussed at school
board meetings.
Section 3
Local Governments
131
BLM Assign Local Officials on page
54 in the BLM book.
Guiding Question 3-6
Critical Thinking
Multidisciplinary Activity
Art Have students use magazines to make a mobile illustrating at least twelve services that
are provided to citizens by their
parish government. Ask students
if there are some services that
your parish does not provide that
you think are needed. What are
they? Students might add a line
to their mobile and designate it
as Desired Services.
If your school has a student
council, ask students
• how student councils are like
local government, i.e., is there a
president or other executive figures.
• what services a student council
provides.
• how a student council is similar
to a city council.
• in what ways a student council
can serve students.
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Class Discussion
Write the name of your community (town or city) on the overhead
in large letters. Go around the room
and ask each student to contribute
one fact they know about their
community. Record the facts on the
overhead or chalkboard. Add to the
list as you continue a discussion of
municipalities.
1. New Orleans
484,674
2. Baton Rouge
227,818
3. Shreveport
200,145
4. Lafayette
110,257
ASSESS
5. Lake Charles
71,757
6. Kenner
70,517
7. Bossier City
56,461
8. Monroe
53,107
9. Alexandria
46,342
10. New Iberia
32,623
Check for Understanding
1. Police jury
2. Sheriff, assessor, district
attorney, clerk of court
3. President and council; council
and administrator;
city/parish consolidation
4. To administer local schools
Have students reflect on their
parish and community. Have them
describe at least five positive factors
associated with each.
Have students tell at least three
things they learned about their
parish or community.
T132
A person must register to
vote at least 30 days before
an election in order to vote
in that election.
• the rights and responsibilities of citizens, and
• vocabulary terms open primary and lobbying.
Abraham Lincoln described American democracy as a government of the people,
by the people, and for the people. When people join together to form a government, each citizen is an equal member of that government. All have rights and
Civic: Relating to a citizen
responsibilities.
Responsibility for personal actions and respect for the rights of others are expected from
citizens. Civic responsibilities include obeying
the law, paying taxes, and serving on a jury.
To register to vote in Louisiana, a citizen must be
Citizens have personal rights that are named
• A U.S. citizen
in the U.S. Constitution and the state constitution. These include free speech, freedom of
• At least 18 years old prior to the next election
religion, and the right to vote. Voting is both a
right and a responsibility of citizens.
• Not in prison or have been convicted of a felony
Figure 14 Voter Qualifications
Municipalities
Within the political boundaries of the parishes are municipalities (cities
and towns) of different sizes. Some people who live in a parish also live in a
municipality, while others live in the rural area of the parish and have no
municipal government.
The smallest municipalities are villages, with a population from 150 to 999.
A village becomes a town when the population reaches 1,000. An increase to
5,000 earns the label of city. Each local government elects a mayor and a council or a group of commissioners.
1. What kind of government do most parishes have?
2. Name two officials elected for a parish.
3. What is one other kind of parish government?
4. What is the purpose of the school board?
132
Lagniappe
As you read, look for:
Check for Understanding
Alternative Assessment
Lesson Closure
Citizens and
Government
Figure 13
Louisiana’s Ten
Largest Cities,
2000
Write the words SERVICES and
PROTECTION on the chalkboard or
overhead. Have students define the
two terms and discuss ways their
municipal government serves them
and protects them. List their
responses on the board. Make sure
their examples include a range of
fire and police protection, transportation, parks and recreation.
Have students list a service provided by parish or municipal
government.
Have students name a local
government position and identify
the person who currently holds
that position.
4
Section
Right: Municipalities, such
as Gretna, provide such
services as police and fire
protection to residents.
Voting and Elections
• Not judged mentally incompetent
In 1971, the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the
• A resident of Louisiana and the parish in which the
U.S. Constitution lowered the voting age from
person seeks to vote
twenty-one to eighteen. This is now the legal age
for voting in every state, including Louisiana.
Voters must live in the parish where they are
registering to vote. They may register at the registrar of voters’ office, by mail,
or even at the Office of Motor Vehicles. Seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds at
some Caddo Parish high schools registered to vote at school on a special voter
registration day. They wanted to be ready to vote in the next election.
Statewide elections in Louisiana are held as open primaries. All candidates
from all parties compete in the first, or primary, election. There are no limits
based on political party in the Louisiana open primary.
Voters can vote for any candidate and are not limited to voting for a candidate from their political party. A voter can register as a member of the Republican Party and vote for a candidate from the Democratic Party. The reverse is
also true.
Section 4
Chapter 4 Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
Citizens and Government
133
Critical Thinking
Multidisciplinary Activity
Objectives
Have students compare the
services provided by their community to the services provided by
their parish. Discuss whether
there is a duplication of services.
Ask if it would be more economical to the taxpayers to have one
local government (parish) rather
than two local governments
(parish and municipality). Why or
why not?
Economics Ask students where
municipal governments get the
money to provide goods and
services. Ask students to research
their local city or town’s budget
for the past year. Make two circle
graphs showing where the revenue
comes from and how the money is
spent.
Guiding Question 3-9
GLE 27: Describe ways by which public policies are formed, including the role of
lobbyists, special interest groups, and constituents.
GLE 36: Explain how political parties, campaigns, and elections provide
opportunities for citizens to participate in government.
GLE 40: Describe ways by which citizens can organize, monitor, or influence
government and politics at the local, state, and national levels.
GLE 41: Explain the importance of being an informed citizen on public issues,
recognizing propaganda, and knowing the voting issues.
SECTION 4
CITIZENS AND
GOVERNMENT
INTRODUCE
Outline
A. Voting and Elections
B. Political Parties
C. Campaigns
D. Lobbying
Materials
Textbook, pages 133-135
Blackline Masters
Oath of Allegiance, page 55
The Electoral College, page 56
Responsibilities of
Citizenship, page 57
Being Informed, page 58
Teacher CD-ROM
Transparencies
Online textbook
mystatehistory.com
Focus
Have students complete a citizenship acrostic. Have them write
CITIZENSHIP vertically on a piece of
paper and then write a word that
describes citizenship for each letter.
TEACH
Class Discussion
Ask students to brainstorm
specific things they can do during
the next several weeks to improve
their school or community.
Guiding Question 3-13
BLM Assign Oath of Allegiance on
page 55 in the BLM book.
Internet Activity
Have students go to uscis.gov/
graphics/exec/natz/natztest.asp to
take a sample test that is given to
immigrants who want to become
U.S. citizens.
BLM Assign The Electoral College
from page 56 in the BLM book.
T133
Campaigns
BLM Assign Responsibilities of
Citizenship on page 57 in the BLM
book.
Guiding Question 3-13
Class Discussion
Ask students
• why they are asked to choose a
political party when they register to
vote. (Comprehension)
• what is the purpose of political
parties. (Comprehension)
• to identify pros and cons of going
to the polls to vote. (Analysis)
Lobbying
Critical Thinking
Ask students to discuss how they
would feel if they were not
permitted to vote. Compare their
right to vote to voting in other
countries around the world.
Above: Democrat Kathleen
Blanco and Republican
Bobby Jindal held several
debates during the 2003
runoff election for governor.
Multidisciplinary Activity
Art Have students brainstorm a
list of reasons why people do not
vote. Suggest ways to assure that
citizens do vote. Ask students to
make a poster encouraging people
to vote. (NOTE: You may want to
present their ideas to Louisiana’s
secretary of state.)
Civic Participation
Have students describe ways by
which citizens can organize, monitor, or influence government and
politics at the local, state, and
national levels. Have them identify
one or more ways they as individuals impact government and politics.
Guiding Question 3-13
T134
Group Activity
All candidates for public office campaign to win votes. Technology has changed
campaign styles. In the past, the best way to get votes was to speak directly to
the people in the town square. Candidates once walked the streets of the town,
going door to door to ask for votes. Today districts are larger, people are busier,
and television reaches many more people than personal contacts can.
Candidates hire political consultants to run their campaigns. These consultants use public opinion polls—surveys of a random group of people—to help
their candidates. The consultants also plan the television spots and newspaper
advertisements. This increased use of the media requires much more money.
Television, radio, and newspaper advertising are expensive. Fund-raising is now
essential for candidates and political parties.
Concern about campaign financing has increased as more and more money
is spent. Campaign finance laws limit the amount of money an individual or
group can contribute. Candidates must also report their campaign spending
and contributors’ names to a state campaign board.
Lagniappe
In addition to campaign
buttons, political candidates
have given away nail
files, pocket combs, paper
fans, and rulers printed
with their names
and campaign slogans.
134
The two candidates receiving the most votes then have a runoff election.
The two candidates could be from the same political party or from different
political parties.
Political Parties
Political parties are organizations of people who have similar ideas about
how government should be run. The political party system in the United States
developed early in our country’s history. The first two political parties formed
around Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. These two men who served
in the cabinet of President George Washington had very different views on the
role of government. Since that time, parties have come and gone, but the United
States has, for the most part, a two-party system.
Today, the two major political parties are the Republican Party and the
Democratic Party. More Louisiana voters are registered as Democrats than as
Republicans. In recent years, however, many of those Democrats have voted
for Republican candidates.
Louisiana voters often vote more by faction than by party. Groups of voters
with common interests, attitudes, and goals tend to vote alike. Factions in Louisiana have included Catholics, Protestants, Acadians, African Americans; North
Louisiana, South Louisiana, New Orleans; and urban or rural. Some of these groups
overlap; for example, North Louisiana is mostly rural and Protestant.
Trying to influence a legislator about a proposed law is called lobbying.
Every citizen can be a lobbyist. Lobbyists write letters to legislators or visit
them at the Capitol. Some lobbyists work as volunteers, while others are paid
to speak on behalf of organizations. Paid and volunteer lobbyists may testify
at committee hearings about the possible effects of proposed laws.
Citizens with a common interest or concern form groups to lobby the legislature for their cause. In the early 1980s, citizens lobbied for laws to reduce
the high number of accidents and deaths caused by drunk drivers. Mothers
Against Drunk Driving (MADD) convinced the legislature to increase the penalties for DWI (driving while under the influence).
The influence of paid lobbyists is part of the political debate in Baton Rouge
and in Washington. Laws have been passed to set guidelines and limits on the
actions of lobbyists. Paid lobbyists often have large sums of money available
from the groups they represent. Using that money to buy influence is illegal.
Check for Understanding
1. What is one responsibility of a citizen?
2. What is one right of a citizen?
3. What is an open primary?
4. What is a political party?
5. What is the purpose of a political campaign?
6. What is the debate about the influence of lobbyists?
Have students conduct a mock
election. Tell students they will
select candidates, have a campaign,
and choose the winner.
Critical Thinking
Above: Citizens show their
interest and involvement
in elections in various
ways. These homemade
signs appeared on a St.
Martinville lawn.
Lagniappe
The term lobbyist is said
to have been coined by
President Ulysses Grant.
He used the term to
describe the people who
waited in the lobby of
the Willard Hotel hoping
to get his attention.
One major concern of today’s
political process is the amount of
money spent on campaigning. Ask
students how campaign funds are
raised and if there should be spending limits.
Group Activity
Divide the class into groups of
four. Have each group represent a
special interest group that wants to
lobby the legislature (e.g., Division
of Tourism, Chamber of Commerce,
Louisiana Education Association,
seafood industry). Have the group
develop a proposal to enact into law
and choose one of its members to
speak to the whole class (which will
represent the lawmakers) in an
attempt to gain their support for a
specific bill. Have the class vote for
the group that made the most effective argument.
Guiding Question 3-8
ASSESS
Check for Understanding
Chapter 4 Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
Section 4
Citizens and Government
135
Internet Activity
Lesson Closure
Alternative Assessment
Have students access www.democrats.org/about/ or www.gop.com/About/ to
find historical as well as current information on the Democratic and Republican
Parties. Divide the students into groups. Have each group research one of these
topics:
• History of the Democratic Party
• History of the Republican Party
• Current Platform of the Democrats
• Current Platform of the Republicans
• History of the Donkey symbol
• History of the Elephant symbol
Have students write a
description of what they would
change about the election
process. Or, you may want them
to describe how they, as students,
could become involved in the
election process.
Have students give an example
of how the democratic process has
been used to institute change in
Louisiana.
Guiding Question 3-11
Use the mock election as an
alternative assessment. Evaluate
students on how well they display
their understanding of the election process. You may want to
develop a rubric to assess their
understanding.
1. Obey laws, pay taxes, serve on
juries
2. Freedom of speech and
religion, right to vote
3. Voters can vote for any
candidate and are not
limited to voting for a
candidate from their own
political party.
4. An organization of people
with similar ideas about
how government should be
run
5. To win votes
6. How much influence they
should have
T135
Answers to Questions
1. All the electors from every state
2. To elect the president of the
United States based on the votes
cast in each state
3. The number of representatives in
Congress
4. The system has worked well for
200 years, and changing it may
cause new problems
5. The system is not fair because
the candidate who won the
popular vote might not win the
electoral vote
6. Bush/Cheney
Addressing Learning Styles
Verbal/Linguistic
Have students debate or discuss
the Electorial College system. Give
students the following arguments for
and against the College. Students
can decide the point of view they
will represent and prepare
comments.
Against
• A candidate may win the popular
vote but lose the electoral vote.
• There may be “faithless” electors
who would not vote according to
their state’s election.
• The possibility of having the
election decided by the House of
Representatives is not a democratic
vote by the citizens. In the House,
each state has one vote, which
penalizes states with large
populations.
• Since each state has two electors
that are not based on population,
rural states have an advantage.
For
• Despite some problems, the
system has worked.
• Changing the system may have
unforeseen and unintended
consequences.
• The system encourages a two
party system. A direct election
could lead to many parties, making
it harder to govern.
• The system acknowledges
population centers by giving urban
areas electoral power.
T136
Meeting Expectations
What is the Electoral College?
The president of the United States is elected state by
state, using a system based on population. Each state’s
official vote is cast by a representative group of people
called electors. The Electoral College is the name for
the entire group of electors from every state.
The concept of the Electoral College was established by the U.S. Constitution. The members of the
Constitutional Convention debated several methods
of selecting the president. They considered the role
of the states in the new republic and balanced the
interests of small states and large states. They compromised to create the plan that provides for an indirect election of the president.
The Constitution sets the number of electors for
each state equal to the number of its senators and
representatives in Congress. Louisiana has 9 electors
(for its 2 senators + 7 representatives). Each state
legislature decides how the electors are chosen for
the state and how the votes will be distributed.
How are state electors chosen, and how do they
decide who to vote for? First, each political party
chooses a list of electors for its candidate. Then, on
election day, the registered voters vote for their candidates. In most states, including Louisiana, there is
a winner-take-all system. That is, the winner in the
election gets all the state’s electoral votes.
The winning candidate’s electors become the official state electors. They cast their state’s electoral
votes for their party’s candidate. After the electors
from all states vote, the candidate who wins a majority of the electoral votes is elected president.
The Electoral College system has been debated since
its beginning. In the elections of 1824, 1876, 1888,
and 2000, the candidate who won the popular vote
did not win the electoral vote. Critics of the Electoral
College say this shows that the system is not fair because more people voted for the other candidate. Supporters say the system has worked for two hundred
years and changing it may create new concerns.
1. What is the Electoral College?
2. What is its main purpose?
3. What determines how many electors a state has?
4. What is one argument for keeping the Electoral
College system?
5. Why do some people want to do away with the
Electoral College system?
6. Which candidate won Louisiana’s electoral votes
in the 2004 presidential election?
2004 United States Presidential Election
United States
Popular Vote
Electoral Vote
Bush/Cheney (R)
62,039,073
286
Kerry/Edwards (D) 59,027,478
251
Other
1,157,859
1
Totals
122,284,939
538
136
Louisiana
Popular Vote
Electoral Vote
1,102,169
9
820,299
0
20,638
0
1,943,106
9
Chapter 4 Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
Reading Strategy
Critical Thinking
Ask students to define college.
Remind them that some words can
have more than one definition.
Explain the Electoral College as a
group of people who serve to
elect the president. Another
college that elects a leader is the
College of Cardinals, which elects
the Pope. Ask them to connect
this with their definition of a college. Point out that an academic
college is also a group of people
with a common purpose.
In Maine and Nebraska, two
electors vote for the statewide
winner and the other electors vote
by congressional district. Another
proposal for changing the
electoral vote would have each
state’s electors cast votes in
proportion to the distribution of
votes in the state. Ask students
how this is different and what
impact it might have.
Think, Pair, Share
Chapter Summary
Ask students to review the main
points covered in the chapter. Then
pair students and ask them to discuss the main points with one
another.
Democratic Government
• Government is an organization in a society with
the authority to make, carry out, and enforce
laws. In a democracy, this power comes from the
people and is limited by the people.
• A democratic government protects individual
rights and promotes the common good.
• Louisiana government has roots in the state’s
colonial days, with some of today’s laws based
on French and Spanish ideas.
• When Louisiana became a state in 1812, a
constitution was written.
• The United States government, the state government, and local governments have specific powers
and responsibilities as described in the U.S.
Constitution and the Louisiana constitution.
• The U.S. Constitution gives some powers to
states, shares other powers with the states, and
keeps some powers only for the federal government. The state constitution receives its power
from the U.S. Constitution and the people of the
state.
The Structure of State Government
• The state government has three branches—the
executive branch, the legislative branch, and the
judicial branch—and a separation of powers
among those branches.
• Each branch of state government checks and
balances the power of the other two branches.
• The executive branch carries out the laws and
runs the government.
• The legislative branch makes the laws. The
Louisiana legislature has two bodies—the house
of representatives and the senate.
• The judicial branch interprets and applies the
laws. Louisiana has two kinds of law—civil
and criminal.
Addressing Learning Styles
Above: There is a seat for each of the 105 members
in the state house of representatives chamber.
• The state court system has three levels: district
courts, courts of appeal, and the Louisiana
supreme court.
• The state budget is an annual plan for receiving
and spending money. The money comes mainly
from taxes but also from some other sources.
Local Governments
• The state has sixty-four parishes, and most
parishes have a police jury form of government.
• Cities and towns also have local governments.
• A school board is a special local government.
Citizens and Government
• Citizens have rights and responsibilities.
• You can vote when you are 18.
• Candidates campaign to win votes. A candidate is
usually a member of a political party.
• Elections in Louisiana have the open primary
system.
Chapter Summary
Body/Kinesthetic
Have students write questions to
illustrate the main points in the
chapter. You might divide the class
into four groups and assign one of
these main headings — Democratic
Government, The Structure of State
Government, Local Governments,
and Citizens and Government — to
each group.
After they have written the
questions, organize them into four
levels of difficulty. Then play
baseball. Divide the class into two
teams. Name two captains.
Determine which team will be at bat
first and allow the captains to
submit a batting order. Then follow
the batting order and ask one
question at a time. Allow each
“batter” to choose anything from a
single (easiest question) to a home
run (most difficult question). Follow
the rules of regular baseball to
determine outs and runs.
137
T137
REVIEW
1. You might have students check
their explanations against the
definitions in the glossary.
2. a. Checks and balances
b. Checks and balances
c. Executive
d. Legislative
e. Judicial
f. Civil
g. Criminal
h. Lobbyists
i. Political party
j. Campaign
k. Open primary
l. Constitution
m. Bill
n. Legislators
o. Census
3. a. For protection, for the common
good, to provide services
b. To establish the power of the
government and to limit that
power to protect the individual
c. The U.S. Constitution states
which powers are shared with
states.
d. To make and carry out laws,
to tax
e. Printing money
f. To operate the government
and pay for the public goods
and services
g. Because oil is extracted from
land owned by the state
h. Louisiana was divided into
parishes when it was a
Spanish colony.
i. The local people can vote to
decide how they want the
local government to be
organized.
j. To oversee the operation of
the public schools in the
parish
4. Answers will vary.
T138
Activities
for
Learning
A
Review
1. Explain each term in the Chapter Preview.
2. Identify the term that relates to each of the
following statements.
a. The governor can veto a proposed law.
b. Only the legislature can make laws.
n. Both senators and representatives are
given this title.
o. The people in the United States are
counted every ten years.
3. Answer these questions.
c. The secretary of state carries out some of
the duties of this branch.
a. Give two reasons why people agree to form
a government.
d. This branch has yearly meetings to make
laws.
b. What is the main purpose of the state
constitution?
e. People on a jury are working with this
branch.
c. What is the connection between the U.S.
Constitution and the state constitution?
f. These laws apply if one neighbor sues
another neighbor because a tree fell over
the fence.
d. What are three main powers of the state
government?
g. These laws apply to a bank robber.
e. Name a power that the U.S. Constitution
reserves for the federal government only.
h. These people went to the legislature to
oppose a new tax law.
f. Why does the government need taxes?
i. The Democrats met in Alexandria to discuss
some party issues.
j. The woman running for mayor bought a
television ad.
k. The runoff election had two Republicans
and no Democrats even though the primary
election had two Republicans and three
Democrats.
l. The people voted on an amendment to
change taxes.
138
m. One legislator proposed a law to require a
statewide curfew.
g. Why does the state get oil royalties?
h. Why does Louisiana have parishes instead
of counties?
i. What does home rule for local government
mean?
j. What is the purpose of the school board?
4. Prepare visual organizers.
a. Create a chart showing the functions of the
three branches of government.
b. Create a chart with the major elected state
officials and their duties.
Chapter 4 Louisiana’s Government: Rights and Responsibilities
w
o
Connect
With Your World
1. In what month and year will you be old
enough to vote?
2. What are three reasons why you should vote?
3. What kind of government does your parish
have?
4. What is one specific way the local school
board affects you?
5. You are a constituent. What does this mean?
With Economics
6. List two ways the state government affects
the economy.
7. Why do producers want to lower taxes on
businesses?
With Geography
8. What are two actions the government can
take to help protect the environment?
9. The state capital is not located in the
geographic center of the state. However, it is
located in the area where the most people
live. Is this a fair location or should the
capital be in the center of the state? Explain
your answer.
Extend
1. Become a lobbyist. Write a short message to
your state senator or representative. Give
your opinion about a current issue.
2. Collect pictures of state officials and create a
visual about state government.
3. Write five questions you would ask the
governor if you could do an interview.
4. Write five questions you would ask a
legislator if you could do an interview.
5. Locate the official state government web site
on the Internet, www.louisiana.gov. Browse to
find three facts about state government that
are not in your text.
6. Locate the web site of another state’s
government. List three ways the two
governments are alike and three ways they
are different.
7. Use the Internet to find the name of the
state that has only one legislative body. This
state has a unicameral legislature. Can you
find a reason for this?
8. People have many different ideas about
taxes. Research to find a recent controversy
about taxes. What are two different opinions
about the issue?
9. Some people have proposed that the voting
age should be lower than 18. Research for
more information on this issue. Then write a
statement of your opinion.
With History
10. Why has Louisiana had more than one
constitution?
11. Use the index of your text to find each date
of a new state constitution.
Activities for Learning
139
CONNECT
With Your World
1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.
5. A constituent is a citizen in a
legislative district.
With Economics
6. Provides tax breaks to attract
new business, spends money on
large projects such as highways
7. So the businesses can make
more profit
With Geography
8. Pass laws to protect the
environment and fine companies
that violate the laws
9. Answers will vary.
With History
10. Because the different political
factions wanted their power and
point of view protected in the
constitution
11. 1812, 1845, 1852, 1864, 1868,
1879, 1898, 1913, 1921, 1974
EXTEND
1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.
5. Answers will vary.
6. Answers will vary.
7. Nebraska; the unicameral
legislature cuts government
costs, is more efficient, is
nonpartisan.
8. Answers will vary.
9. Answers will vary.
10. Answers will vary
T139