Chapter 9 Section 1 Notes

Understanding the Constitution

Chapter 9 Section 1 Terms

Delegated Powers Elastic Clause Reserved Powers Concurrent Powers Representative Democracy Apportionment Impeach Veto Executive Orders Pardons Cabinet

The Federal System

Antifeds wanted to make sure the government didn’t have too much power, so the writers created a system of three separate branches

Delegated Powers are powers reserved for the federal government: coining money, running the postal system, regulating interstate commerce, providing for national defense, declaring war and conducting diplomacy

The Federal System Continued The elastic clause found in Article 1, Section 8

allows Congress to stretch is powers to address issues that the founders may not have been able to predict

Reserved powers are left to the state governments and individual citizens- conducting elections, establishing local governments and taking care of education

Concurrent powers are shared between the state and the national government- taking, borrowing money, enforcing laws, providing for citizen’s welfare

The Legislative Branch

The legislative branch makes the nation’s laws.

The duties and powers of the legislative branch are spelled out in Article 1. It is supposed to be a representative democracy, meaning government made up of representatives that the people vote for.

The Legislative Branch Continued The House and Senate make up Congress. The House has 435 reps (called the lower

house). The number of reps in the House, called apportionment, is based on pop.

The Senate has 100 members, two from each state (called the upper house).

House members represent a district of their state.

Senate members represent the entire state.

The Executive Branch

To become president, you have be born in the US and be at least 35 years old. He is elected every four years and, since 1951, is only allowed to serve 2 terms of 4 years each.

The House can impeach (bring charges against) the president if he violates the law.

Although Congress passes laws, the president can veto, or cancel, what Congress comes up with.

The president can also make laws with executive orders, which are not legislation but are carried out like laws.

The Executive Branch Continued The president is also in charge of the nation’s

military as the Commander-In-Chief. The president has to be the face of our diplomatic

relations with foreign nations. He can also grant pardons, meaning he can cancel

out punishments for people. There are 14 executive departments under the

president, and the leaders of these make up the cabinet. They advise the president. Some executive departments are the State Dept and the Dept of Education.

The Judicial Branch

The president appoints all judges for the federal court system.

The courts are supposed to interpret the law. The highest court in the land is the Supreme

Court, and usually deal with cases that are a national, constitutional or high interest issue (like segregation, abortion, etc)

There are 9 justices in the Supreme Court and they serve for life.