Separation of Powers
The United States government is divided into three branches, each
with different powers. Each branch is given some powers which
enables it to “check” or limit the power of the other two branches.
The Legislative Branch
Congress, makes our laws
The Executive Branch
The President, enforces our laws
The Judicial Branch
The Supreme Court and Federal Courts,
interpret our laws
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Executive Branch
The White House,
Home of the
President and his
family
The nation’s Chief Executive is the President
of the United States. Article 2 of theConstitution
outlines the Powers and duties of the President.
The President’s Cabinet is a group of people who
George Washington
head 14 executive departments. They serve as
advisors to the President and help him carry out his duties.
Learn about some Famous Past Presidents.
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Chief Executive
President of The United States
Barack Obama
Vice President of the United States
Joseph Biden
Four Year Term of Office
Qualifications:
35 Years Old
Natural born Citizen
14 year resident of the US
Executive Branch
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Presidential Powers and Duties
Primary Powers
Chief Executive- decides how laws are enforced,
Chief of State - oversees running of the federal government
Chief Diplomat - Directs relations between the US and
other nations
Makes treaties
Appoints ambassadors
Commander in Chief
of armed forces
Continued on next page
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Presidential Powers and Duties
page 2
Additional Powers
Approves or vetoes(rejects) laws passed by
Congress
Appoints Supreme Court Justices and all
Federal Judges
Chooses cabinet members and officials to
help run the government
Reports annually to Congress on the State of
the Union
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The President’s Cabinet
Heads of 14 Executive Departments
Appointed by the President to help him carry out his duties
Secretary of State Secretary of Defense
Foreign affairs National defense
Hillary Clinton
Robert Gates
Attorney General
Enforces laws
Heads Department of
Secretary of Treasury
Justice National finances
Eric Holder Timothy Geithner
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The President’s Cabinet
page 2
Secretary of Agriculture
Farming issues and policies
Secretary of Transportation
Coast Guard, air traffic and highways
Secretary of Labor
Working conditions for the nation’s workforce
Secretary of Education
Education policies and student assistance
Secretary of Commerce
Business and trading
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The President’s Cabinet
page 3
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Medical and social programs
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Urban planning and housing regulation
Secretary of Energy
Energy resource use and conservation
Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs
Issues related veterans and veteran benefits
Secretary of the Interior
National parks and natural resources
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Checks on Presidential Power
All treaties and Presidential appointments require
approval by a 2/3 vote in the Senate
Budget - is allocated by Congress
Supreme Court can declare laws and actions
unconstitutional
Veto of bill passed by Congress can be overridden
by a 2/3 vote of both houses of Congress
Continued on next page.
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Checks on Presidential Power:
Impeachment
Can be Impeached : charged…with misconduct
in office
treason, bribery or high crimes and misdemeanors are
impeachable offenses
The House of Representatives has the power to
impeach the President.
An impeached President is tried by the Senate,
with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
sitting as judge, to decide if he shall be removed
from office.
Impeach means brought to trial, it does not
mean removed from office
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Legislative Branch
The Capitol,
meeting place
of Congress
Congress, the lawmakers
Senate
House of Representatives
Primary Powers of Congress
Additional Powers of Congress
Checks on Congressional Power
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Legislative Branch
Senate
Led by the Vice President of the United States
100 Members , 6 year term
2 Senators elected from each state
Majority Leader: Harry Reid
Majority Leader Leading and most important Senator
Harry Reid
Approves treaties with foreign nations
Approves all Presidential appointments
Tries impeached officials
Qualifications:
•30 years old •citizen for 9 years
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Legislative Branch
House of Representatives
Speaker of the House: Nancy Pelosi
elected by majority party to lead the House
435 members, 2 year terms
state representation based on population
Nancy Pelosi
adjusted according to Census, taken every ten years
Originates all tax laws
Votes to impeach all federal officials
Qualifications:
•25 years old •citizen for 7 years
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Powers of Congress
Primary Power: Making Laws
Laws passed by Congress apply to all people
living in the United States
Both Houses of Congress must agree on all
laws.
The President must approve all bills passed
by Congress before they become laws.
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Additional Powers of Congress
Declare War Establish Citizenship
Establish Post Office guidelines
Create Courts Regulate Foreign Trade
Coin and Print Money Control Interstate Trade
Elastic, or “necessary and proper clause”
Congress has the power to do anything
necessary and proper to carrying out its
duties. Congress has been able to expand
its power to deal with issues unforseen in
1789.
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Checks on Congressional Power
Presidential Veto Power
Presidential power of Line Item Veto
power to veto items in spending bills that do not support
national interests (declared unconstitutional in 1998).
Supreme Court power of Judicial Review
the power to interpret laws and declare them
unconstitutional
Since Congress is such a large group, it is less likely to
abuse its powers than the the other two branches and
requires fewer “checks.”
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The Judicial Branch
The Judicial Branch of the United States
Government is composed of one Supreme Court
and lower federal Courts.The Supreme Court
interprets laws using a power called Judicial
Review. The Jurisdiction of the Judicial Branch
includes original cases and appeals. Both the
President and Congress have powers to “check”
the Judicial Branch.
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The Judicial Branch
Supreme Court Justices
The Supreme Court
is made up of one
Chief Justice and 8
associate justices
Chief Justice
John Roberts
Justices: Front: Anthony Kennedy, John Paul Stevens,
Chief Justice John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Clarence
Thomas. Back: Samuel Alito, Ruth Bader Ginsburg,
Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor.
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Continued on next page.
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The Judicial Branch
Justices and Judges
Qualifications:
Candidates are chosen by the President are
subject to approval by the Senate.
Experience, legal views and political views
are considered during the approval process
Once appointed, federal judges hold their
position during good behavior, for life.
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The Judicial Branch
Judicial Review
Primary Function:
to interpret the Constitution and the meaning
of laws of the United States
Judicial Review
The power of the Supreme Court to interpret
the meaning and Constitutionality of laws
passed by Congress
Once a law has been declared unconstitutional by the
Court, it can be made legal by an amendment to the
Constitution or by a new Supreme Court decision.
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The Judicial Branch
Jurisdiction
Original Jurisdiction:
Cases heard first by the Supreme Court
cases involving ambassadors, states and
foreign nations
Appellate Jurisdiction
appeals from state courts, federal circuit
courts of appeals, and courts of Puerto Rico
and the District of Columbia
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Checks on
The Judicial Branch
o Justices are appointed by the President and
approved by a 2/3 vote in the Senate.
o Congress determines the number of judges on
the Supreme Court and created new lower courts
as needed.
o Judges can be impeached by the House of
Representatives.
o The President can pardon people convicted in
Federal Court.
Judicial Branch
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Checks and Balances
Congress must approve
Laws passed by Congress Presidential appointments
can be declared and treaties
uncopstitutional by the Court Congress
Makes laws
The Senate must approve the The President can veto
President’s choices for judges bills passed by Congress
Congress can impeach Judges Congress can impeach the President
Justices are appointed by
the President
Presidential actions can be
The Supreme Court declared unconstitutional The President
Interprets and judges laws Approves and enforces
laws
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Famous Past Presidents
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Andrew Jackson
Abraham Lincoln
Theodore Roosevelt
Franklin Roosevelt
John F. Kennedy
Richard Nixon
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George Washington
Revolutionary War
General
Elected in 1789
First President
Inaugurated in New
York
Set example for future
Presidents
Whiskey Rebellion
No ties to political party
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Abraham Lincoln
Elected in 1860, 64
Events
Secession of
Southern States
Formation of the
Confederacy
Civil War 1861-65
Assassination
April 14, 1865
John Wilkes Booth
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Richard Nixon
Elected in 1968, 1972
Vice President 1952-60
Events
Détente with USSR
Diplomatic relations with
China
Ended Vietnam War
Apollo 11 Moon landing
Economic Inflation
Watergate
Resignation
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Elected 1932, 36, 40, 44
Events
The Great Depression
New Deal Program
Fireside Chats
Support of England
fighting Hitler
Japanese Attack on Pearl
Harbor
World War II
Died in Office
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John F. Kennedy
Elected in 1960
Promised a “New Frontier”
Inaugural Address
Events:
Cuban missile Crisis
Civil Rights Crisis in
Little Rock, Arkansas
Created the Peace Corps
Encouraged the Space Program
Assassinated Nov. 22, 1963
in Dallas, Texas
Click to hear
President Kennedy Speak
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Thomas Jefferson
Author of the Declaration of Independence
Elected in 1800 and 1804
Peaceful transition of power from the Federalist
to the Republican Party
Louisiana Purchase
Doubled the Size of the US
Explored by Lewis and Clark
Added vast new farmlands and natural resources
Foreign Affairs dominated by Napoleonic Wars
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Andrew Jackson
Hero of the Battle of New Orleans – War of 1812
Elected in 1824 and 1828
Democratic Party
Opponents formed the Whig Party
First President from a western state
Tennessee
Introduced the Spoils System
Champion of the”Common Man
Events of his Presidency
Removal of the Indians – Trail of Tears
Battle over Tariff and States Rights
South Carolina threatened Secession
Destruction of the Bank of the United States
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Theodore Roosevelt
Governor of New York
Assumed Presidency on the death of McKinley in
1900
Elected in 1904
Trustbuster – suits against monopolies
Conservation
Protected forests and water sites from
public sale
“Policeman” of the Caribbean
corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
“Speak softly and carry a big stick”
Winner of Nobel Peace Prize
Negotiated end to the Russo Japanese War
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