Chapter 10
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159
Our County and Local
Government
L E S S O N 3 1
Key Questions
1. What is local government?
2. What are the four kinds of
local government?
3. What are themain functions
for local governments?
4. What are themain differences
between national, state, and
local governments?
KeyWords
county
county seat
commissioners
boroughs
townships
council
mayor
citymanager
township supervisors
district justices
searchwarrants
Our Local
Governments
L
aws! Laws! Laws! They are all around
us. We are also surrounded by
government. We have governments
at thenational and state levels. Yes,wehave
different kinds of local government, too.
Life would really be a mess if we did not
have government and laws.
Local governments were created to serve
the people of a smaller area or place within
the state. Local governments are divided
among counties, cities, boroughs, and
townships. This allowsmore people tohave
a say inhow their local government should
operate. This also makes running the state
government an easier job. William Penn
first created these forms of local
government whenhe started our colony.
A borough is a type of local
government found in Pennsylvania.
