Governments have taken many forms throughout history. It is important for students to understand the differences between governments and how they function in order to create a foundation for future units in history and social studies! Learn more and engage students with Storyboard That!
Forms of Government Lesson Plans - Governments of the World
Storyboard Text
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
OLIGARCHY
Whites Only No Blacks Allowed
Cape Town High School
The government of the United States is a representative democracy. The citizens of the US are responsible for voting on leaders who will best reflect the interests of the people. Some accomplishments of the government of the United States has been the abolition of slavery, the passage of the Bill of Rights, and the end of segregation in schools.
DICTATORSHIP
GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD
An example of an oligarchy is the government of South Africa from 1948-1994. This government is known as the apartheid system. Power and rights were given to the white citizens of the country, and the black majority were denied access to numerous educational and political rights.
THEOCRACY
Nazi Germany under Adolph Hitler was a dictatorship. Hitler led the government known as the Third Reich where complete control of the law and military was in his power. This led to both World War II and an attempted annihilation of European Jews.
Ancient Egypt was a theocracy. The ruling pharaoh was both the religious and political leader. The pharaohs would claim "divine right". This is the political concept that a ruler is selected from a god rather than the people.