a.
b.
Explain the concepts of separation of powers and checks
and balances.
c.
Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
Explain voting qualifications and elections in Georgia.
d.
e.
f.
Explain the basic structure of the Georgia state
constitution.
Explain the role of political parties in government.
Identify wisdom, justice, and moderation as the three
principles of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Georgia
Flag.
 Georgia was one of the original 13 colonies and became
a state after the American Revolution.
 Georgia adopted its first constitution in 1777 which
weakened the executive branch and strengthened the
legislature.
 In 1983, Georgia adopted its current constitution
which intended to be a shorter more modern
constitution for the state.
 Any power that the government has is given
to it by the citizens and is for the good of
everyone.
 Georgia’s government is meant to serve
people and the constitution allows the
people to change the government when it
fails to serve their needs.
The Constitution of 1983:
 It is broken up into 11 articles that demonstrate the
purpose of the Constitution.
 Article 1: (Bill of Rights)--- States specific rights
guaranteed by the constitution such as life, liberty,
and property.
 Article 2: (Voting and Elections)--- Sets
qualifications and rules for elections.
 Article 3: (Legislative Branch)--- describes the
structure and powers of the General Assembly
 Article 4: (Constitutional Boards and Commissions) Sets
up government bodies such as transportation and Public
Service
 Article 5: (Executive Branch)--- Establishes offices and
powers of Governor and Lieutenant Governor
 Article 6: (Judicial Branch)--- Establishes the state court
system
 Article 7: (Taxation and Finance)--- Authorizes power to
tax.
 Article 8: (Education)--- Establishes public education
system which is supported by taxes and the Board of
Education oversees it.
 Article 9: (Counties)--- Describes the structure and
powers of county government.
 Article 10: (Amendments to the Constitution)---
Describes the process for amending the constitution.
 Just like the United States constitution, the
Georgia constitution divides the
responsibilities of the government among
three different branches and is known as a
Separation of Powers.
 This process of separating powers creates a
“limited government”
 The executive branch enforces the laws set by the
General Assembly. The Governor, Lieutenant
Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, and
State Treasurer work under this branch.
 The legislative branch is in charge of making the
laws and confirming appointments made by the
governor. The General Assembly which consists of a
House of Representatives and a Senate fall under this
branch.
 The judicial branch determines if laws are
constitutional by interpreting the laws. The
Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Courts,
and Municipal Courts are created under this
branch.
 Most officials in each of the three branches are
directly elected by the voters which requires them
to be responsive to the citizens of Georgia.
 Dividing the basic functions of government into three
branches ensures that no single branch has more
power then the other. Each branch can check the
power of the others, ensuring that no branch becomes
too powerful. This system is called checks and
balances.
 Example 1: The General Assembly (Legislative) may
pass a bill, but the Governor (Executive) has the right
to veto it.
 Example 2: The Governor (Executive) may veto a
bill, but the General Assembly (Legislative) may
override the veto if they have enough votes.
 Example 3: The State Supreme Court (Judicial) can
declare laws passed by the General Assembly
(Legislative) to be unconstitutional.
 Both the U.S. Constitution and the GA Constitution
give all citizens basic rights and responsibilities
 Basic Rights of Citizens:
 Right to free speech
 Right to worship freely
 Right to trail by jury
 Basic Responsibilities of Citizens
 Take care of one’s self
 Respect the rights of others
 Obey rules and laws
 Neutralized citizens are foreign nationals (those
who were born in other countries) who chose to
become American citizens and give up their
citizenship in those other countries.
1. Buy a car
A. Don’t say things
that hurt other’s feelings
2. Say what you feel is true
B. Obey school’s
dress code
3. Dress in clothes you like
C. Obey traffic laws
4. Travel where you want
D. Do your homework
5. Go to school
E. Register car and pay
sales taxes
 Applying for Citizenship:
 You must be 18 years old
 You are required to have lived in the country for a
minimum of 5 years.
 You must have entered the country legally
 To become a citizen you must:
 Read and speak English
 Have a knowledge and understanding of U.S. History
 Display good moral character
 Believe in the principals of the U.S. Constitution
 If you are a U.S. Citizen, you are entitled to
all of the protection and rights afforded by
the federal and state constitutions
 Citizens of the U.S. have the right to free
speech, right to bear arms, freedom of
religion, and the right to a speedy and fair
trial
 One of the basic rights and responsibilities of all citizens is
the right and responsibility to VOTE:
In in the state of Georgia, you must meet the following
requirements in order to vote:
 You must be a citizen of the Unites States
 You must be a legal resident of Georgia and of the county
were you wish to vote
 You must be at least 18 years old on election day
BUT
 You can not vote if you are a convicted felon or if they are
declared, by a judge, to be mentally incompetent.
 Each state has its own set of election guidelines and
requirements:
 Elections on Georgia are run by the Secretary of State’s
office
 Voter registration deadlines are usually 30 days before an
election
 Presidential elections, according to the U.S. Constitution,
must be held every four years on the first Tuesday of
November
 Special elections may be held at other times throughout
the year
 If a voter can not vote on election day, there
are two options:
1. Absentee Ballot– Voting by mail before an election
2. Advance Voting– Voting the week prior to the
election day
 One other way that citizens can participate in their
government is through political parties:
 Political Parties are organized groups of
people who want to influence
government policies and decisions by
electing members of the parties they
support.
 Some of the basic functions of parties are:
1.
To recruit and nominate candidates
2. To help their candidates win elections
3. To educate the citizens about campaign issues
4. To monitor the actions of current office holders
 Since the birth of the United
States, their have been two major
political parties constantly
running against each other:
 The Republican Party and the
Democratic Party
 Members of these groups share
common beliefs about
government’s role in American
life.
 The people that are not members of either
the Republican or Democratic party are
usually referred to as independents.
 These people rarely win elections, but they
do introduce new ideas or bring attention to
important issues.
 There are 180 members of the House of
Representatives and 56 members of the Senate.
 Members of the legislature are elected by popular vote
to two-year terms of office.
 There is no limit to the number of terms a
representative or senator can serve.
 The Lieutenant Governor presides over the Senate.
Members of the House of Representatives elect a
speaker.
 The Senate rules and regulations:
1.
Members must be 25 years of age or older
2. Citizens of the United States
3. Citizens of Georgia for at least two years
4. Legal residents of the district they are representing
for at least one years.
 House of Representatives rules and regulations:
1.
Must be 21 years of age or older
2. Citizens of the Unites States
3. Citizens of Georgia for at least two years and legal
residents of the district they are representing for at
least one year.
 Casey Cagle is Georgia’s
Lieutenant Governor and
was elected to a four-year
term by popular vote.
 The Lieutenant Governor
does not have a vote in the
Senate but the Speaker of
the House (David Ralston)
votes when there is a need
to break a tie.
 Members of both the House of Representatives and
the Senate are organized into committees.
 All bills must be reviewed by a House or Senate
committee before they can be brought to either the
whole House or the whole Senate.
 Standing Committees– permanent committees that
last from one session to the next.