Build-A-Government Workshop!

Think about a scenario where you and your colleagues have been selected to design a new,
more functional system of government for a country that has decided to wipe the slate clean and start over. Your country is made up of several individual states that have their own ways of doing things and their own identities/cultures. These states are willing to unite as a country, but want their sovereignty respected. Prior
to this, your country had a plan of government similar to the Articles of Confederation. How will you do things differently?

Your Task: Write a report (should cover a page front and back) about what this new government would look like. Write as though you are making recommendations for creating this country's new Constitution.

Your report must be split into sections and cover the following:

Section 1: Structure of the Government - Explain the structure of your new government. Will you have different branches with certain given responsibilities/powers (think separation of powers)? What will be the process for passing laws in your new system? Will there be some kind of executive leader or president? Why or why not? What kind of public services (ex. Schools, police, roads, utilities) will your new government provide for its citizens? How will money be raised to pay for services and to run the new government?

Section 2: Sharing Power- how will the national government and state governments share power?
Will there be certain powers given specifically to only the national government? Will there be certain powers reserved for the states to exercise? What powers might you prohibit the government from having?

Section 3: Rights and Responsibilities - What will your government do to make sure the rights of its citizens are protected? What are some specific rights/liberties that you would want to make sure are
protected? What rights What responsibilities will your citizens have as members of your society (ex. Jury duty, voting, etc)? How will voting work - who will be eligible, how often will voting take place? Will your government allow political parties? Why or why not?

Section 4: Reflection - How do you feel your new government will work? Why? Do you think that your government's structure will withstand any kind of abuse of power? Did you give your national government a respectable amount of power or is it weak? Why did you choose this? Do you think the concept
of rule of law is important when forming a system of government? Why or why not?