Social Studies - World Geography
Lesson Plans

WG Strand 4: POLITICAL SYSTEMS

People organize themselves into distinctive groups. Geographers examine how the interactions between these groups influence the division and control of the earth's surface. Political systems have profound influences on the lives of people, including their access to resources, economic opportunities, and basic rights.

Possible Guiding Questions to Consider:

• How and why do people organize themselves into political entities?
• How do people distribute power and define roles?
• How do political structures interact on a global scale?
• Who holds the power at a variety of scales and how are decisions made?
• Why is power concentrated in certain parts of the globe?
• How do political systems protect or deny the rights of marginalized peoples?

WG Standard 4.1:

Students will explain why and how people organize into a range of political structures at different scales.

• Government 101: What Is A Government?
  This lesson from the anti-defamation league explores the definition of different types of governments; Monarchy, Oligarchy, Totalitarianism, Democracy, Dictatorship, Authoritarianism.

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