Module 1: Government Foundations

What if people were free to do whatever they wanted? It may sound like a good idea, at first. But if there were no rules to abide by, the world would be full of chaos. Who should make up the rules of a society? Who should enforce them? What happens if people break the rules? Deciding the answers to these questions is foundation of government. The WUSG News team is here to help you navigate these topics, led by anchors Demi Tracy and Glover Mint.

In this module, you will learn about the beginnings of government. You will discover how the distribution of power and the structure of government affect the everyday lives of citizens. You will also be introduced to the origins of democracy, and the global economy.

Getting Started

Before you examine the foundations of government, take a moment to look at the images in the box below. In your opinion, how are the images below related? What do each of these images represent? What do they have to do with government?

Key Vocabulary

To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.