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This is just for the two of you. I can delete it later.

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This is just for the two of you. I can delete it later.

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It has a game on it that you might be interested in.

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One of the most confusing things one can study is human government and economics. So after this little introduction we offer you the government match game to help you teach government types for kids.

The problem in understanding government is that every government is unique and none fit into nice neat categories. Political scientists, teachers and encyclopedias disagree on basic things like definitions. Confusing or not, government is also one of the most essential things a person can learn about since the government and economic system one lives under will affect the well being of a person more than almost anything else.

The Types of Government

There are three major types of governments:

1. Anarchy: no government

2. Limited government: constrained by constitutional law and deriving its power from the people

3. Totalitarian government: arbitrary and unconstrained, deriving its power by force

All sub-categories of government fit under one of these three or are mixed, but leaning toward one or the other.

Some major subcategories of government are:

Democracy: rule by the majority of the people in direct votes, with no safeguards to protect the minority (this type of government was popular in ancient Greece and always led to anarchy followed by tyranny).

Constitutional Monarchy: a monarch with severely limited powers and elected officials under a constitution that protects the rights of the people from government.

Constitutional Republic: elected officials and a Constitution that protects the people from the government.

Monarchy/Empire: A powerful monarch who rules with the help of an aristocracy and has total power over the people and may arbitrarily enact laws or punish subjects.

Oligarchy/ Dictatorship: In practice all dictatorships though they may have one person at their head are ruled by a small elite group, an oligarchy. They hold power by force and laws are made at the whim of the rulers.

Theocracy: a dictatorship which claims its authority comes from God and that they act under the direction of God.

The Types of Economies

Sometimes economic systems are confused with government types and though they are closely related to government types they are not synonymous. For example a constitutional monarchy may practice either socialism or free market economics.

There are two major types of economic systems:

Several types of economies fit under these two major types:

Capitalistic: individuals retain all control and power and responsibility in this type of economy, with very little government involvement.

Socialistic: Government takes wealth from citizens by force in order to redistribute it to others for purposes such as education, health care, retirement funds, food banks, child care and so on. Government also regulates industries and standards heavily to meet the goals of the the political elite.

Communistic: Government owns the means of production and controls all the wealth.

Fascist: Government controls the means of production, sets prices and quotas, while ownership ostensibly remains to the people, though the people have no power to buy, sell, or trade freely.

Mixed: Economies that contain elements of one or more of the above major systems. For example the United States is partially capitalist, partially socialist, and partially fascist in some sectors, leaning most heavily toward capitalism, but moving toward more controlled economies.

Government Match Game

Play this printable Government Match Game to get familiar with the major types of governments and economies.

Cut apart the cards, remove the cards in ALL CAPS. Place these face up on the table above the other cards, which you will place face down on a table. Take turns turning over two cards at a time to find matches between definitions and names of government and economic types.

When you get a match, place it under the ALL CAPS heading you think it belongs with.

For beginners you may want to separate economic cards from government cards for simplification. This game is suitable for about 10 and up.

The Answers

And here are the answers. First, the whole thing laid out:

Now, because you can't see the tiny writing on half the cards, close ups of each section:

Additional Layers

A discussion of governments leads into country studies. Study some of the countries that have the types of governments you've learned about.

Learn about the constitution of your own country.

A study of governments leads naturally to a discussion of human nature-the reason we have government- and religious belief. Discuss your own religious beliefs and how they tie to government with your kids. Do you believe people should have as much freedom as possible or do you believe people need to be controlled for their own good? Why? Which government and economic types fit with your beliefs most closely?

The thing that may surprise you most from the above lesson (and possibly offend you) is that we placed "Democracy" under the "Totalitarian" heading. That's because when most people use the word "democracy" they mean a government where people get to vote. But that is not what a democracy really is. (See the above definition.) Definitions matter because if people don't understand the terms we're using when we talk to one another, we will experience nothing but frustration and confusion. You can't solve problems if you're speaking different languages.

More From Layers of Learning

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One of the most confusing things one can study is human government and economics. So after this little introduction we offer you the government match game to help you teach government types for kids. The problem in understanding government is that every government is unique and none fit into nice neat categories.

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Gully cricket is popular amongst young boys in India. They just troop into a street with little traffic outside their homes and start hitting the ball with the bat. Now, there are a number of ways in which this can be organized.

When only one boy brings a bat, he rules. He keeps batting even when he gets out and he lets his close friends also bat or as long as they want. If he wants to end the game, he simply walks away with the bat. Let's call this the Bossy Bully system.

Sometimes all the cricket equipment - bat, ball, stump, gloves, etc is contributed by all. So each boy gets a good batting chance, a chance to wear the pads and gloves. Let's call this the Just Friends system.

Sometimes there is a coach. In that case, the coach monitors and improves the game of each and every boy in his tutelage. But you don't get to say whether you like the way he coaches. This can be the Big Brother system.

If we think of these teams as forms of government and of course you have to imagine that there are extremely many boys playing in the street, then the 'bossy bully' is a dictatorship; 'just friends' is a socialist government and or could even be a democracy depending on how you look at it; a 'big brother' is totalitarian and if one of the players owns the street where the boys are playing, it would be a monarchy.

There are 7 Types of Government

DEMOCRACY

Modern governments are complex and are shaped by historical and political events like wars and colonialism. A democracy is governed of the people, by the people and for the people. Here citizens of the country can run for public office. This means the boys in the street get to decide who is in charge of what equipment is in the pile. Of course, each boy will nominate the person who best represents his interests.

Democratic elections could be city-wide for municipal governance, state-wide for state governance or nation-wide for central governance. When the population goes to vote, they vote for a candidate in their area. When the candidate wins, the political party he belongs to also wins. The party with maximum votes forms the government.
What happens here? People enjoy freedom.

DICTATORSHIP

In contrast, a dictatorship where a single individual has gained power through force and everyone has to follow his policies. He's the big bully. The boys have little to no voice in such a system. Oftentimes the advisors who control the equipment kit are his close friends. Examples of dictators are Adolf Hitler in Germany and Fidel Castro of Cuba.

Sometimes you have what is known as a 'benevolent dictatorship.' This is when the dictator maintains his position as the head of the country for the sake of the country instead of self interest. Most dictatorships like to portray themselves in the international community as benevolent but it is not always so.
What happens here? Many people are unhappy in this system.

MONARCHY

A monarchy is another form of government where there is one head of state. In this system a king or queen rules the country for as long as they are alive. The crown is inherited, usually by the first born of the family.

In earlier days, monarchs used to have absolute powers and owned all the public land. Pharaohs for example, claimed to be representatives of the Gods on earth. But nowadays, even democracies like Great Britain, Sweden, and Spain have kings who are nominal heads of state. Still it is their signature that turns a bill into a law.
What happens here? Things work well if the king is a good sportsman and cares about street cricket by choosing the right boys to be prefect of the equipment kit.

THEOCRACY

In countries where any religious institution holds power over the king, the form of government is called a theocracy. Several Islamic nations fall into this category.
What happens here? It's like saying everyone must eat cucumber sandwiches for lunch every day.

TOTALITARIAN

There are totalitarian governments where a single group of friends have had control of the pile of equipment for decades. It is like dictatorship by a party instead of an individual. The regime maintains complete control of the country by not allowing any other people to form a political party.

They control all aspects of a citizen's public and private life through art, science, and educational propaganda. The former Soviet Union and Vietnam are examples of totalitarian governments.
What happens here? It's like having the same class prefect term after term.

REPUBLIC

Some nations are republics, such as the USA. It is a democratic model - people are elected to government office by voters. It is however, headed by a single individual whose office is also elected by the people - the President.

What happens here? This is nicer - everyone gets to be prefect for a while.

ANARCHY

And finally, a country that is usually in the throes of a war or civil unrest and no functioning government is said to be in a state of anarchy.

What happens here? This is somewhat like the snack at someone's place after a particularly gruelling game of street cricket- mum has a tough time cleaning up afterwards.

Project
Ask your teacher to divide you into teams. The size of each team will depend on how many people are in the class, of course. Each team must pick a form of government and get to rule for the day. Discuss what happens in the classroom during the rule of each government. Is the room cleaner? Is the blackboard / whiteboard kept ready for the teacher's use? Is there less bullying? Which rule is more fun for ALL?

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Types of Government - Civics for kids | Mocomi

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Gully cricket is popular amongst young boys in India. They just troop into a street with little traffic outside their homes and start hitting the ball with the bat. Now, there are a number of ways in which this can be organized. When only one boy brings a bat, he rules.

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A short video

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Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms: What is it and how does it protect the rights of all Canadians?

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Kids.Net.Au - Encyclopedia > Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

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Kids.Net.Au - Encyclopedia > Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

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Humanium * We make children's rights happen

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Today, there are more than 2.2 billion children on Earth. Nearly two billion of these live in a developing country.
Depending on the country in which they reside, a child will not enjoy the same rights or conditions of life as their Western counterparts. Many regions and countries in the Third World face great disparities, and the factors in question, whether political, economic, social, cultural, ethnic or religious, can have a different impact on each child.

Despite the progress that has been made in recent years, the situation faced by the children of our world is still desperate. The most fundamental rights of minors are violated in most parts of the world, and even in the most economically developed countries not all children benefit from the same rights.

Poverty remains the principal cause of the violation of the Rights of the Child because lack of funds seriously impedes access to their basic human needs: healthcare, water, food and education. In the countries which are least affected by poverty, children generally have the chance to enjoy these rights, although many are still victims of violence, abuse or discrimination.

To learn more about the situation of children in a particular country, click on a continent:

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Children in the World - Humanium * We make children's rights happen

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Children in the World Today, there are more than 2.2 billion children on Earth. Nearly two billion of these live in a developing country. Depending on the country in which they reside, a child will not enjoy the same rights or conditions of life as their Western counterparts.

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Introduction

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ( Charter)was enacted in 1984 and it effectively replaced the Bill of Rights of 1960. Although many of the same rights and freedoms are protected by the Charter as by the Bill of Rights, the Charter enhances the protections provided to Canadians by increasing the number and the extent of our rights and freedoms. In addition, the Charter now forms part of our Constitution, making it difficult for future governments to decrease or limit the rights and freedoms we currently enjoy. It applies when the government tries to infringe upon the rights of Canadians.

Why was the Charter Enacted?

A look back: In the 1960s and 1970s, Canadian political issues often focused on discontent in Quebec over language and social policy and the concern in the western provinces over natural resources. By May 1980, it seemed apparent to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau that a renewed effort for constitutional change was needed - Quebec had issued a referendum on sovereignty-association. Many in the province wanted Quebec to become a separate country.

To keep Quebec within Confederation, Prime Minister Trudeau assured the province its rights would be protected under a new constitutional arrangement. In October of 1980, without the support of eight provinces, Prime Minister Trudeau requested that the British government amend the BNA Act by adding an amending formula and a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. By November 1981, the Prime Minister had brought nine provinces on board. Quebec, still not happy, held out. In April of 1982, the amendments were signed off by Queen Elizabeth II and the constitution of Canada officially became our own. The process of "bringing home" the Constitution from Britain is called patriation.

The constitution of Canada contains the Canada Act, 1982, which has two parts: the Constitution Act, 1982 and the British North America Act, 1867 (later renamed the Constitution Act, 1867).

It is the Constitution Act, 1982 that contains the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter). Because the Charter is part of the constitution, no part of it can be changed by a federal or provincial government. The House of Commons, the Senate, and two thirds of the provinces representing over 50 percent of Canadians must approve any changes to the Charter or any part of the constitution.

What is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

It is a document that protects the interests of Canadians and provides a way to challenge perceived abuses of basic rights and freedoms through our court system.

The Charter falls into seven distinct categories: fundamental freedoms, democratic rights, language rights, mobility rights, minority language educational rights, legal rights, and equality rights.

Section 25 protects the rights, customs, traditions, and land claim agreements of the Aboriginal peoples, which includes Indian, Inuit, and Métis. This section, however, confers no new rights but does recognize Aboriginal Rights as distinct from the Charter provisions.

Definitions of a Right and a Freedom

A right is a legal, moral, or social expectation that Canadians are entitled to from the government. For example, a person accused of committing an offence is entitled to a lawyer and a fair trial within a reasonable amount of time.

A freedom is a right to live your life without interference from the government unless you impinge on the freedoms of others.

Fundamental Freedoms: Section 2

Freedom of conscience and religion

Freedom of thought, belief, and expression

Freedom of peaceful assembly

Freedom of association

Rights and freedoms are not without limits. Sometimes they have to be limited in order to protect the rights and freedoms of others. For example, prisoners have some of their rights and freedoms taken away because they have broken the law. An example occurred during the Stanley Cup Riots in downtown Vancouver in 2011. People gathered to celebrate (protected under "freedom of peaceful assembly") with other hockey fans (protected under "freedom of association"). However, when the assembly turned into a riot the freedoms of others (such as those of shopkeepers whose windows were broken) were compromised. The police had to arrest some rioters who were then charged with breaking the law. Freedoms are guaranteed only to such reasonable limits as can be justified in a free and democratic society.

Democratic Rights: Section 3

Every Canadian citizen of age has the right to vote

Every Canadian citizen of age has the right to run for public office

Elections, both federal and provincial, must be called every five years

Parliament and legislatures must sit at least once every 12 months

Right to Vote

Throughout much of history, people have been willing to fight and die for the right to vote in order to hold the government accountable for its actions. Today, countries voting in "free elections" for the first time (where an election has a true opponent) often invite representatives from other countries to oversee the administration of their polling booths in order to ensure that the votes are counted accurately. In Canada, our right to vote is a birthright or an automatic right when a person obtains citizenship status and becomes of age.

Mobility Rights: Section 3

Canadians are allowed to move freely within the country and they also have the right to enter and remain in Canada. Mobility rights affect those wanting to move from one province to another in order to seek employment. Wide mobility rights allow people to go anywhere to seek opportunities in their field of expertise. In some professions such as teaching and law, the applicant must meet the required standards of the province they are moving into in order to work there.

Some provinces had previously tried to limit these rights in order to guarantee that local residents would get available jobs first. They were concerned that people would move to provinces where there was easier access to social services, thereby increasing the tax burden on local residents.

Legal Rights: Section 7-14

Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure.

The police must have reasonable grounds for searching you or your home and any evidence that is unlawfully obtained may be excluded at trial.

Everyone has the right not to be arbitrarily detained or imprisoned. A person must be held in custody on reasonable grounds and must be brought before a judge or justice as soon as possible or within 24 hours of detention to decide if the detention is lawful ( habeas corpus).

Everyone has the right on arrest or detention to be informed promptly of the reasons and to consult counsel without delay and to be informed of that right. The police use the Charter warning to provide this information.

Everyone has the right to a fair trial within a reasonable time.

Everyone is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Crown counsel must present evidence to an unbiased judge or jury in an open court to prove the accused's guilt. The accused does not have to prove anything or call any evidence.

Everyone has the right to be tried by a judge and jury where the punishment for the offence charged is over five years imprisonment. This provision guarantees the right to be judged by one's peers and it keeps our justice system in touch with the opinions of ordinary people and with changing community standards.

Everyone has the right not to be compelled as a witness and to remain silent when accused of a crime.

Everyone has the right not to be subjected to any cruel and unusual treatment or punishment. The punishment should fit the crime and it should meet with the broad public standard of acceptability.

Equality Rights: Section 15

The Charter guarantees equality rights. Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law without discrimination based on race, nationality, or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability.

It may be surprising to note that this clause was one of the more controversial issues of the constitutional debate. Some provinces did not see the need for equality rights to be written into the Charter, since provincially human rights codes were seen as protection enough.

The phrase "before and under the law" is significant because it means that not only do people have equal access to the courts and to equal administration of justice (the "before" part) but that the laws that are discriminatory will be struck down by the courts (the "under" part).

Language Rights: Section 16-22

Either English or French may be used in Parliament

All documents of Parliament must be published in both languages

Members of the public can communicate with the federal government in either language

The federal government must provide services in English and French

Either language can be used in court

Minority Language Education Rights: Section 23

Canadians have a right to have their children educated in French if:

Their first language is French

They received their own primary education in French

They have a child already receiving education in French

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Topic 1: Overview of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

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The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ( Charter)was enacted in 1984 and it effectively replaced the Bill of Rights of 1960.

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Charter of Rights and Freedoms | Legal Rights for Youth

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The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (also called "The Charter") guarantees the rights and freedoms of all Canadians and residents of Canada. The Charter is part of the Canadian Constitution.