Lesson 4: Studying Civics (Uncovering the Past)
Civics is the study of government — how people make rules, work together, and lead their country.
Governments help us stay safe, solve problems, and make life better for everyone. Let’s explore how!
🤝 Why We Need Government
👫 Helping People Cooperate
Imagine a village with no leader. One person wants to build a road. Another wants to farm there. Who decides? 😕
Government helps people work together. It organizes teams, like firefighters or soldiers, and helps solve conflicts.
🏺 Example: In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh helped organize farmers to build canals so everyone could get water from the Nile River.
🧺 Providing Services
Governments give services that help people, like:
Schools 🎒
Roads 🛣️
Police and fire departments 🚓🔥
🏰 Example: In ancient Rome, the government built public baths, aqueducts (water channels), and roads that people still visit today!
📜 Making and Enforcing Laws
Laws are rules to keep people safe and fair. Governments also make punishments if someone breaks the law.
⚖️ Example: Long ago in Babylon (Mesopotamia), King Hammurabi made 282 laws. One said: “If a builder builds a bad house and it falls, the builder will be punished.” Tough — but it kept buildings safe!
👑 Forms of Government
🏺 Ancient Governments
In the past, many cities had kings or rulers who had all the power. Some ruled fairly. Others were cruel.
🗡️ Example: In ancient Athens, kings ruled first. But the people wanted more say in decisions — so they created a new kind of government…
🗳️ Democracies and Republics
In a democracy, the people vote and help rule.
In a republic, people vote for leaders who then make decisions.
🧠 Example: In ancient Athens, free men could vote directly on laws. In ancient Rome, they created a republic — people voted for senators who made laws.
⚠️ But not everyone could vote — women, slaves, and the poor were often left out.
👑 Monarchies
A monarchy has a king or queen. Sometimes they have all the power (absolute monarchy). Other times, they share power with elected leaders (constitutional monarchy).
👸 Example: Queen Elizabeth II ruled the UK as a symbol, but the Parliament made the laws.
💵 Government and the Economy
💰 Taxes
Governments need money to build roads, schools, and armies. They collect taxes — small amounts of money — from the people.
🪙 Example: In ancient China, farmers gave grain as a tax. In Rome, tax collectors took part of people’s money or crops.
😡 Story: In 1773, American colonists were angry at British taxes on tea. They dumped tea into Boston Harbor — this became the Boston Tea Party, a step toward the American Revolution!
🌐 Trade and Government
Governments also help with trade — buying and selling between people and countries. They make rules to keep trade fair and safe.
🛳️ Example: Ancient Phoenicians were expert sailors. Their government helped them trade across the Mediterranean Sea. They spread goods, ideas, and even the alphabet!
🌍 Why Civics Matters
Government is not just rules. It’s how we:
Work together 🤲
Build safe and fair places 🏘️
Make decisions 📣
Trade and grow 💹
Whether it’s a pharaoh in Egypt or a president today, every society has leaders, laws, and choices.