Georgia State Government

Responsibilities

Something you do to help your

country and protect your rights.

Responsibilities:

• Paying Taxes
• Serving on juries
• Volunteering
• Voting

Voting Qualifications in Georgia:

Rights

• Citizen of the United States
• 18 years old by election day
• Legal resident of Georgia and county in which they want to vote
• Cannot be convicted of a felony or mentally incompetent

Included in U.S. Bill of Rights

Examples:

• freedom of religion
• freedom of speech
• freedom of the press

Georgia has additional rights

Examples:

• Freedom of conscience
• Banishment and whipping as punishment for a crime
• hunting & fishing

ROLES OF THE BRANCHES:

• The executive branch is headed by the governor.

• The executive branch enforces the laws.

• If someone has been accused of breaking the law, the judicial branch decides whether they are guilty or not guilty.

• The courts also interpret the laws.

• The legislative branch is made up of state representatives and senators.

• These legislators make the rules, or laws, that people must obey.

• Responsibilities of Citizens - duties that all citizens have; some are mandatory, like paying taxes and serving on juries; others are voluntary, such as voting.

• Rights of Citizens - government protected rights found in the U.S. Bill of Rights and the Georgia Bill of Rights.

Separation of Powers

Voting qualifications in Georgia are determined by Georgia’s constitution.

• Both the United States and Georgia’s government is divided into three different parts, or branches:
• legislative
• executive
• judicial
• Each has a different role to play.
• Each shares powers with the others.
• Giving different branches of government different roles if called separation of powers.
• Separation of powers makes sure that government does not become too powerful.

SS8CG1 Describe the foundations of Georgia’s government

I CAN:

c. Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens according to the Georgia Constitution.

Checks and Balances

Like the federal government, the government of Georgia has separation of powers between the three branches of government, along with the powers to check and balance the actions of the other branches.

SS8CG1 Describe the foundations of Georgia’s government

• The three branches of government also place limits, or checks, on each other.

• If one branch makes an error, the other branch, will set it right or “balance” it.

• This system of limiting the roles of each branch is called checks and balances.

For example, a law passed by the legislative branch can be vetoed, or turned down, by the executive

branch. The members of the legislative branch can then try to keep the law alive by overriding the

veto with a vote. In addition, the judicial branch may decide that a law goes against the station

constitution and rule that the law should be changed.

SS8CG1 Describe the foundations of Georgia’s government

I CAN:

b. Explain separation of powers and checks and balances among Georgia’s three branches of

government.

I CAN:

d. List voting qualifications for elections in Georgia

“I pledge allegiance to the Georgia flag and to the principles for which it stands;

Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation.”

Georgia State Government

Georgia's Constitution

• Ten constitutions since 1777

• Set the guidelines for government and citizens

• Has preamble, bill of rights, 11 articles, and amendments

Structure of

Georgia's Constitution

• Legislators began writing Georgia’s current constitution in 1977: it was approved by the state’s citizens in 1983.
• the largest re-write of Georgia’s constitution since 1877.

• Goal: to create a brief, clear,and flexible constitution.

• The basic structure of the constitution includes the preamble, bill of rights, 11 articles, and amendments.

• Preamble: states the purpose of constitution

• Bill of Rights (Article I): outlines rights of individuals

• Articles: establishes structure of government; 11 total

• Amendments: changes to the constitution; found in Article X (10)

• The United States and Georgia constitutions serve the same function, but have very different formats.

• The United States has had the same constitution since it was written in 1789.

• Georgia has had ten constitutions, the most recent adopted in 1983.

• Georgia has had ten state constitutions since 1777.
• Each of these constitutions set the guidelines for those who governed the state and outlined the rights and responsibilities of Georgia’s citizens.

Key concepts concerning Georgia’s present constitution include

• the constitution’s basic structure
• the separation of powers
• checks and balances
• the rights and responsibilities of citizens
• voting qualifications and elections in Georgia.

The preamble is a brief statement that identifies the fundamental purposes and principles for which the Georgia Constitution stands.

• The preamble follows:
• To perpetuate the principles of free government, insure justice to all, preserve peace, promote the interest and happiness of the citizen and of the family, and transmit to posterity the enjoyment of liberty, we the people of Georgia, relying upon the protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

Governor Eugene Talmadge signed a resolution of the General Assembly adopting a pledge of allegiance to the Georgia flag on March 28, 1935.

The Georgia flag, at that time, featured three bars - two red and one white - and a vertical field of blue that featured the Georgia state seal. This pledge stated:

SS8CG1 Describe the foundations of Georgia’s government

• State constitutions have to meet the U.S. Constitution.
• The federal government does allow for states to make laws good for states as long as it follows the U.S. constitution.

• The Georgia Constitution contains many similarities as well as differences to the U. S. Constitution.

• The preambles of both constitutions clearly state that all government originates with the people and is founded by them.

• They also state that the purpose of government is for the protections, security, and benefit of the people. Both constitutions also have a series of Articles.

• The U.S. Constitution has seven while Georgia’s constitution has eleven.

I CAN:

e.Identify wisdom, justice, and moderation as the three principles in the Pledge of Allegiance

to the Georgia Flag.

I CAN:

a. Explain the basic structure of the Georgia state constitution (preamble, bill of rights, articles, and amendments) as well as its relationship to the United States Constitution.

Both constitutions include a method of amending the documents.

• In the United States Constitution, the amendment process is detailed in Article 5.

• In the Georgia Constitution, it is outlined in Article 10.
• Amendments in Georgia must be approved by Georgia voters in the next general election.

• The U.S. Bill of Rights protects individual rights of the people like:
• freedom of speech
• the right to bear arms

• The Georgia Constitution includes the rights listed in the U.S. Bill of Right, but is more specific.
• It includes rights like:
• hunting and fishing,
• no imprisonment for debt

UNIT 13: Foundations of Georgia State Government

SS8CG1