– Objective: • Explain how government has progressed throughout

history.

• Activity:– Using the “Brief History of Government” reading create a flow

chart showing the steps in government

A Brief History of Government

Progression of Government Systems The story through maps

First Civilizations

• Small communities spawned kingdoms• Political dynasties• War fought to control territory

Functions of Government

• Law codes– Ur-Nammu and Hammurabi

• Road systems– Control over large areas

• 2nd Century A.D.– Han Chinese, Kushan, Parthian, and Roman• Totalitarian

Patterns

• China ruled in recurring dynasties• Europe – no one revived the Roman Empire– Split into two parts

Fall of the Roman Empire

• Influence of Christianity• Barbarian invaders• Kings ruled western Europe– Became the territories of European nation states

Byzantine Empire

• Continued for almost 1,000 years beyond fall of the Roman Empire

• Taken by the Ottomans in 1454 A.D.• When Constantinople fell to the Muslims,

ecclesiastical power shifted to Moscow

Russian Empire

• Slavic people converted to the orthodox faith• Model became a partnership between church

and state– church subordinate– Russian czar means Caesar– Totalitarian

– Totalitarian rule was adaptable to communism

The Church

• The Pope became the spiritual leader of Christians

• Barbarian kings converted to Christianity• Church gave blessings to rule• Partnership in ruling– The Pope was the chief ecclesiastical official– Holy Roman Empire

Islam

• Ruling caliphs– Combined religious and political authority– Religious was preferred to secular

• Islamic empires extended from Turkey in south Asia

Changes in Government

• Protestant Reformation• Step toward democracy• Rise of Parliamentary governments

Revolutions

• American and French• After WWI three European dynasties fell• Democracy replaced hereditary monarchies

Rise of independent nations

• A rise in independent nations began in the 19th century

• Latin America• Former colonies in Africa and Asia

Modern Conquest

• Wars fought for economic objectives– Gain new territories, access to markets or control

of natural resources • Communism, a new economic religion• Industrialization is the key to strength• Access to oil• Educated citizenry

2010