Government around the World
Government around the World
Guiding Questions: What is the relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution? How do these Founding documents reflect common republican principles?
- I can compare and contrast constitutional structures.
- I can analyze how republican principles are used in other constitutional structures.
Directions: Select one country in addition to the United States for which to research the answers to the following questions using the resources that follow.
| United States of America | Other Country: | |
|---|---|---|
| What form of government exists in this country? | ||
| Does the government have a written constitution? | ||
| Who wrote this constitution? | ||
| Does the constitution include a bill of rights? | ||
| Does the constitution limit the power of government? | ||
| Does the constitution protect individual rights? | ||
| Does the constitution separate the powers of government? | ||
| Does the constitution guarantee popular sovereignty? | ||
| Does the constitution describe an amendment process? | ||
| Does the constitution permit one part of government to check or balance another? | ||
| Does the constitution create a federal system? | ||
| Does the constitution create a republican government? |
Critical Thinking Questions
- How does the promise of a nation’s constitution compare to its reality?
- Are rights always protected just because a country has a bill of rights? If not, what else is needed to protect rights?
Suggested Countries to Research
- Africa
- Morocco
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Zimbabwe
- Asia/Asia Minor
- China
- Japan
- North Korea
- Saudi Arabia
- Australia
- Europe
- France
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- North America
- Canada
- Cuba
- Mexico
- South America
- Argentina
- Chile
- Venezuela
Resources
International Constitutional Law – https://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/
Freedom House – http://www.freedomhouse.org/
