The Three Branches of Government

By: Kimberly Fissette

What we will be covering:

What are the Three Branches of Government

Why we have Three Branches of Government

An introduction of each branch What each branch doesChecks and Balances of each branch

What are the Three Branches?

The Executive Brancho The President,

Vice President, and Cabinet

The Judicial Brancho Made up of the

Supreme Court

• The Legislative Brancho Comprised of Congress, which includes the

House of Representatives and the Senate

Why do we have Three Branches?

One reason being so that we do not have a monarchy with only one house in power

Another reason being the three branches provide checks and balances to each other, that way all branches have equal power

Question for thought: Do you believe that each branch is indeed equal, or does it seem that one branch hold more power than the others?

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

Introduction: Legislative Branch

House of Representatives and the Senate House:

House of Representatives holds 435 members, the number of members is based on a states population

EX: Michigan has 15 house members while California has 53 members because of the population difference

House members hold two years terms Members of the House must be 25 years of

age, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and a resident of the state they represent

Legislative introduction continued:

Senate: The Senate is composed of 100 Senators

o two senators from each state of the 50 states Senators hold six year terms Senators must be 30 years of age, U.S. citizens for at

least nine years, and residents of the state they plan to represent

Introduction: Executive Branch

The Executive branch consists of the: President Vice President The Secretary of State, and all of the Federal Executive

DepartmentsPresident:

The U.S has had 44 presidents (including Barack Obama) The President must be at least a natural born citizen of the

U.S, at least 35-years old, and a resident of the U.S for at least 14 years

The President serves a four year term with the eligibility for one four year reelection

Executive introduction continued:Vice President:

The main responsibility of the Vice President is to take on the Presidency in the case the current President cannot

The Vice President is elected along with the President by the Electoral College

Cabinet: Cabinet is made up of the15 executive departments.

o Cabinet members are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate

o The Cabinet and independent federal agencies are responsible for the day-to-day enforcement and administration of federal laws.

Introduction: Judicial Branch

The Judicial branch is made up of the Supreme Court and other courtso Members of the Judicial Branch are appointed by

the President and confirmed by the Senateo Federal judges can only

be removed by impeachment o Impeachment from the House

of Representatives and conviction in the Senate

Judicial introduction continued:

• Supreme Court: The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court

and the only part of the federal judiciary specifically required by the Constitution

Judges do not hold traditional terms, they can serve until they retire, are impeached, or until there

death There are 9 supreme court judges In order to hear a case only 4 out of the 9

judges have to agree to do so, but to make a ruling on a case, 5 out of the 9 have to agree

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF

EACH BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT?

What does the Legislative Branch do?Congress:

Constitution specifically gives congress its most important power: the authority to make lawso No bill can become law without the approval of both houseso The House and the Senate must pass the same bill by

majority vote in order for it to be sent to the President for confirmation

o Congress had the power to declare war, raise and army and navy

o Set the value of Coin moneyo Establish the federal courts and their

jurisdiction o Establish rules of immigration and

naturalization

Legislative continued:

House of Representatives: o The House has several powers assigned exclusively

to it, including the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an electoral college tie

o House is solely responsible for starting the impeachment process

Senate:o The Senate has the sole power to confirm those of

the President's appointments that require consent, and to ratify treaties

o Senate is solely responsible for holding trials of impeachment

What does the Executive Branch do?President

The President is responsible for employing and enforcing the laws written by Congress and, appoints the heads of the federal agencies, including the Cabinet

The President has the power to sign legislation into law or to veto bills enacted by Congress

The President can pardon anyone at anytime, except in cases of impeachment

Vice president: The Vice President serves as the President of the United

States Senate The duties of the Vice President are decided by the President

in which they serve under

What does the Judicial Branch do?Federal courts have the sole power to

interpret the law: Determine the constitutionality of the law, and apply it

to individual casesAlthough the Judicial branch does not make

laws it does have the power to change the laws due to Judicial review Judicial branch can only change a

law if it is found to be u unconstitutional

of each Branch

Checks and Balances of the Legislative Branch:

Executive Branch: May override presidential

vetoes with a two-thirds vote from congress

Has the power over the purse strings to actually fund any executive actions

May remove the president through impeachment

Senate approves treaties Senate approves presidential

appointments

Judicial Branch:• Creates lower courts • May remove judges through impeachment • Senate approves appointments of judges

Checks and Balances of the Executive Branch

Legislative Branch: Veto power Ability to call special

sessions of Congress Can recommend

legislation Can appeal to the

people concerning legislation and more

Judicial Branch: • President appoints Supreme Court and other federal judges

Checks and Balances of the Judicial Branch

Executive Branch: Judges, once appointed

for life, are free from controls from the executive branch

Courts can judge executive actions to be unconstitutional through the power of judicial review

Legislative Branch:• Courts can judge legislative acts to be unconstitutional

Works cited: Slide 1, picture of Executive Branch: Credit: Public domain, http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/executive-branch Slide 1, picture of Legislative Branch: Credit: Public domain, http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/legislative-branch Slide 1, picture of Judicial Branch: Credit: Public domain, http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/judicial-branch Information form slides 6 ,7,13, and 14: Credit: Public domain,

http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/legislative-branch Information from slides 8, 9, and 15: Credit: public domain, http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/executive-branch Information from slides 10, 11, and 16: Credit: Public domain, http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/judicial-branch Information from slides 18, 19, and 20: Credit: Public domain,

http://americanhistory.about.com/od/usconstitution/a/checks_balances.htm Slide 3, picture of Three Branches: http://www.evgschool.org/three_branches_of_government.htm Slide 6, picture of Congress Seal: Credit: Public domain, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_Congressional_Seal.svg Slide 7 picture: http://www.treehugger.com/us-senate-climate-treaty.jpg Slide 8, picture of Presidents Seal: Credit: Public domain,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Seal_Of_The_President_Of_The_United_States_Of_America.svg Slide 10, Courts diagram: http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/scales/court.html Slide 11, picture of the Supreme Court Judges: http://www.alexanderz.net/scotus/images/justices.jpg Slide 13 picture: http://www.goodcleantech.com/images/I%27m%20just%20a%20bill.jpg Slide 16, picture of the Constitution: http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/links/constitution.jpg Slide 17, picture of Checks and balances: http://data.lambdalegal.org/images/fcp_checks-balances_lg.gif Slide 18, picture of Congress: http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/AboutCongress/Image%20-%20Joint%20Session.jpg Slide 19, picture of the Presidents:

http://www.ineedmotivation.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/2400-1432american-presidents-posters.jpg Slide 20 picture: http://www.rockingham.k12.va.us/jfhms/gavel.jpg