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This is a learning resource that has made to assist you with your learning and revision. (BUT that doesn’t mean you have to revise everything on this resource – use it to help you with your revision)
To use the resource, simply click on the mouse to move from slide to slide or use the action buttons when appropriate.
The resource also has links to other sites, model answers and exam style questions
Information
The people of the USA live in a
representative democracy which means they vote
for people to make decisions for them
Representative Democracy
Most democracies have a system of ‘representation’
Representative Democracy
• A constitution is a set of rules by which a country is governed
•The US Constitution describes what the government can do in America
• The document gives the powers to the different parts of government
• The US Constitution was signed in 1787 and outlines the rights of the people in the USA – Bill of Rights
• The Constitution is divided into a series of Articles
Did you know?
Representative Democracy
• The US Constitution has a section called the Bill of Rights which lays out some of the rights and responsibilities of American citizens
Checkfor ModelAnswer
One Federal Government:
1. The Federal Government makes laws for all the people in the USA
2. It is responsible for:
• The Armed Forces
• The Postal Service
• US currency
• Relations with foreign countries
Let’s look more closely at who represents the American people
Representative Democracy
Government in the USA:
50 State Governments:
1. State Government has power over issues which only affect that State including:
• Local laws such as age of consent and age of compulsory education
• Capital Punishment
• Local Taxes
• Provision of schools and roads
Federal Government
That person is:
1. President
2. Senator
3. Representative or Congressman/woman
Representative Democracy
So the American people have two types of representatives:
State Governments:
That person is:
1. A Governor
2. State Senators
3. State Assembly Members
US Government: President
President of the USA
George W Bush
• He is the most powerful man in the USA and possibly the world
• He lives in the White House in Washington DC
• The Constitution says that Presidents shall be elected every 4 years
• Presidents are only allowed to serve for 2 terms
US Government: President
Anyone born in the USA and is 35 years of age or over
A person who has lived in the
USA for at least the last
14 years before election
can stand as a candidate
for President
US Constitution
Who can become the President?
US Government: President
President George W Bush has had a controversial time as the American President – not everyone has supported his decisions
He has often been criticised in the media especially over the war in Iraq
US Government: President
Click on http://www.whitehouse.gov to find out more about the White House
Representative Democracy
What we already know:
1. There are two types of representatives in the USA: One Federal Government and 50 State Governments
2. The President is in charge of running the whole country
Now let’s look more closely at Federal Government (National Government)
Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch
Makes laws
Congress
House of Representatives (435)
Senate (100)
Carries out laws
White House
President and Vice-President
Interpret and apply laws
Supreme Court
Branches of US Government
Branches of US Government
Separation of Powers
There are 3 branches of government WHY?So power is not ‘in the hands’ of just one person
Legislative Branch
Executive Branch
Judicial Branch
• For a bill to become a law it has to pass both Houses of Congress and be signed by the President
• It might then not even be accepted as a law if the Supreme Court says it is unconstitutional
• Each branch of government can therefore act as a check on the power of the other two
Branches of US Government
Separation of Powers
• The timings of elections is arranged so that the electorate (voters) can change the balance of power should any one group become dominant
• If the electorate are unhappy about the work of the President, after two years they can elect a House of Representatives and enough Senators to prevent him or her making laws they do not like
Checks and Balances
• Checks and balances are built into the Constitution to stop any one group from becoming too powerful
Representative Democracy
Federal Government
That person is:
1. President
2. Senator
3. Representative or Congressman/woman
• Senators are elected by the people of a state
• Each state has two Senators to represent the people in that state
• There are a 100 Senators
• A Senator is elected for 6 years but every two years one-third of the Senate is up for election
Representative Democracy
Federal Government
That person is:
1. President
2. Senator
3. Representative or Congressman/woman
It costs a lot of money to be elected as a Senator – candidates spend a great deal of money on TV advertising and other methods of campaigning
Senator’s tend to be rich – so do they really represent the poor people of America?
Hillary Clinton, wife of ex-President Bill Clinton is the New York Senator
She spent $29.3 million on her election campaign in 2000 – she won the election
Representative Democracy
Federal Government
That person is:
1. President
2. Senator
3. Representative or Congressman/woman
• The people who are elected to sit in the House of Representatives are known as Representatives or Congressmen/women
• There are 435 Representatives – they can represent between 600,000 and 700,000 people
• A Representative is elected for two years
Women and Ethnic minorities tend to be better represented in the House of Representatives than in the Senate
House of Representatives
Representative Democracy
State Governments:
That person is:
1. A Governor
2. State Senators
3. State Assembly Members
• A State Governor is in charge of running the state
• A Governor has to work with the State Senate and State Assembly to pass laws
Arnold Schwarzenegger is the State Governor for California – he was elected in 2004
