Branches of the Government

3 branches of government

The United States has three branches of government: the executive, the legislative and the judicial.

Each of these branches has a distinct and essential role in the function of the government

Executive Branch

Cabinet – group of advisers to the president Chief Executive – the person who holds the

office of head of state of the United States government

Pardon – the power to forgive someone who has committed a crime

Reprieve - Cancel or postpone the punishment Impeach - to accuse an official of a crime while

in office

President Qualifications

You have to be 35 years old to run for President.

You must be born in the United States.

You must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years.

President

Term of office – 4 years No one may be elected President more than

twice.

Salary – $400,000

What if the President dies…

Vice President of the United States

Speaker of the House

President pro tempore of the Senate

Secretary of State

What does he do?

Main Job: enforcing the laws of the land Duties

Commander-in-Chief Negotiate treaties Appoint ambassadors Prepare national budget Veto/sign bills State of the Union Grand pardons Suggest laws

Cabinet

The Department of Agriculture

The Department of Commerce 

The Department of Defense

The Department of Education 

The Department of Energy 

Health and Human Services 

The Department of Homeland Security

Housing and Urban Development .

Interior 

Justice

The Department of Labor 

State 

The Department of Transportation 

Treasury

 Veterans Affairs

Welcome future Voters

Make sure you name is on your packet and pass it forward.

Get out paper for notes and something to write with.

Legislative Branch - Congress

Senate – Small states favor

-Every state gets two representatives

House of Representatives – Large states favor

-The number of representatives are based on the states population

Become a Senator

at least 30 years old.

a U.S. citizen for at least nine years at the time of election to the Senate.

a resident of the state one is elected to represent in the Senate. 

House of Representatives

must be at least 25 years of age

must have been a citizen of the United States for at least seven years

must be an inhabitant of the State from which he or she is elected.

Congress Facts

Congress makes and spends taxes

Senators serve 6 year termsHouse Reps serve 2 year terms

Vocab to know Elastic clause –grants Congress the power to

pass any law necessary for the carrying out of the previously listed powers.

Legislative Branch – congress: makes the laws, controls the money, and has the power to declare war.

Bill – A draft or idea for a law

Ex post facto law – "after the fact" laws passed to stop a behavior that was once legal.

Vocab continued Veto – reject

Quorum –number of members who must be present to legally conduct business

Amend – change or add

Pigeonhole – to postpone action on a bill

Conference committee – Senators and Representatives trying to reach a compromise

How does a bill become a law?

Congress helps make Laws

Bill is introduced to the House Bill goes to committee – researched Bill is debated The House votes on the bill Sent to the Senate (repeat steps 1-4) Sent to the President to be signed

If vetoed Bill returns to congress and must be passed again.

Powers of congress

Declare war

Regulate trade between states

Print and coin money

Make laws for the US

Approve treaties

TOMORROW

Homework: Using yournotes fill out the Legislative Packet

Final branch of the

government

Checks and balances

Welcome!

Please pass your packets to the windows then up to Natalia.

I am passing out your note sheet for today you need to get out a pencil or pen to write with.

Judicial Branch “Characters” Witness –

presents any info concerning the case

Defendant – defends against charges

Jury – Hears evidence in the case and determines guilty or innocent

Prosecutor – tries to prove guilty

Judge – Maintains order and makes sure rules are followed

Vocabulary

Appellate Jurisdiction – Authority to hear and decide a case from a lower court

Original Jurisdiction – Authority to hear and decide a case for the first time

Impeach – Accusing government of crime in office

Judicial Review – examine a law and decide if it is constitutional

Due Process of Law – Legal procedures which every citizen is entitled to

Judicial Branch

Main job: enforce laws

Federal courts – don’t have to hear every case Jurisdiction –

if a law is constitutional cases involving treaties ambassadors and public ministers problems between two or more states Violation of federal law

lowest to highest: 1. District Courts

original jurisdiction 2. Courts or Appeal (In the middle)

original 3. Supreme Court 

original & appellate

Judges

Term: for LIFE

Appointed by the President

The Constitution sets no requirements.

Check and Balances

Congress Judicial Impeach/remove federal judges Establish courts & set number of judges

Congress Judicial Declare laws unconditional

President Judicial Appoints federal judges Grant pardons, reprieves Can commute sentences

Civil VS Criminal

Civil – breach of contract, Divorce, damages, loss/injury of something

Criminal - committing a crime against the government Murder, assault, bribery, kidnapping, shoplifting

Federal – national level

State – specific to the state

Checks and Balances Important to the Constitution

Limits the power of the other branches

Each branch “checks” the power of the other branches to make sure that the power is balanced between them.

Lets talk Homework

This weekend…

You each will get one amendment (addition/chance to the Constitution)

You need to make a poster for that amendment Number Picture – how do you visualize it? What does it mean?