American Government
Final Exam Study Session
Complete your Study Guide as we Review.
Question #1
The 3 Branches of Government
1.
◦
2.
◦
3.
◦
The Legislative Branch
Makes the Laws
The Executive Branch
Enacts the Laws
The Judicial Branch
Interprets the Laws (in light of the Constitution)
Question #2
Discuss what the term impeachment
means as well as the situations in
which it has been used.
The term impeach means to indict (formal accusation)
for crime.
 It does not necessarily mean the person is removed from
office. That occurs only if they are convicted in the Senate.
 There have been other federal officials, including several
Judges (14), who have been impeached.
 Some of them (7) were convicted.
 There have only been two Presidents who have been indicted
(impeached) for their crimes. Neither was convicted.

◦ Andrew Johnson for Tenure of Office Act
 Senate failed to convict by one vote
◦ Bill Clinton for Perjury and Obstruction of Justice
 Senate failed to convict by 17 votes
Question #3
Identify the three types of Powers
granted to Congress and which
clauses go with the powers.

Expressed Powers = Enumerated
◦ Article I: Section 8: Clause 11
 War Powers Clause

Implied Powers
◦ Which stem from Article I: Section 8: Clause 18
 “Necessary and Proper” Clause / The “Elastic Clause”

Inherent Powers
◦ Article I: Section 8: Clause 3
 Commerce Clause

It would be good if you understood the Article, what
a clause is, and why these three clauses are
important
Question #4
 Unique to House
Describe the
process for how
a bill can become
a law
Question #5
List the various leadership roles within
the Congress, and their duties and
responsibilities.

Speaker of the House
◦
◦
◦
◦

Most powerful member
Follows the VP in line of Succ.
Presides and keeps order
Major role in com. assignments
President of Senate (V.P.)
◦ Can oversee session, but
cannot debate
◦ Votes only in a tie
◦ Not chosen by Senate
◦ Mostly ceremonial

President Pro Tempore
◦ Presides in the absences of the
VP
◦ Elected by the Senate itself
◦ Leading member of the
majority party – usually
longest serving member
◦ Not as powerful as the Speaker
Question #5
(cont’d)
List the various leadership roles within
the Congress, and their duties and
responsibilities. (cont’d.)

Floor Leaders
◦ Majority and Minority
◦ Most powerful members
after Speaker
◦ Parties chief spokespeople
◦ Selected through party
caucuses
◦ Helps pass laws their party
wants

Whips
◦ Majority and Minority
◦ Assistant floor leaders
◦ Serve as Liaisons (gossips)
Question #6

Standing Committees – permanent, handle bills,
specialize in one subject
◦ House Rules, Ways and Means, Appropriations

Select Committees – temporary, set up for
specific purpose
◦ Committee to investigate Watergate Scandal

Joint Committees – temporary or permanent,
includes members of both houses
◦ The Library, Printing

Conference Committees – temporary, work to
compromise when both houses pass different
versions of the same bill
List and discuss the various
committees within Congress and their
differences.
Question #7
Know the qualifications (including
informal) for holding office in the
Executive Branch

Executive Branch Formal
Qualifications
◦ 35 years old
◦ Natural Born Citizen
◦ A resident of the US for at
least 14 years.

Executive Branches
Informal Qualifications
◦ Military service
◦ Government experience
◦ Television presence –
name recognition,
photogenic and articulate
◦ College education
◦ Married with kids
◦ Money (inherited, by
marriage, personal
fortune)
◦ Religious faith
◦ Character
◦ Proof of Citizenship
◦ A “story” – war hero,
peanut farmer, actor, etc.
◦ So far, male
◦ Perceived as being in the
political mainstream
Question #7
(cont’d)
Know the qualifications (including
informal) for holding office in the
Legislative Branch

HOR (formal)
◦ 25 years old
◦ 7 years a US Citizen
◦ A resident of the state

Senate (formal)
◦ 30 years old
◦ 9 years a US Citizen
◦ A resident of the state

Informal Qualifications
for both houses
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Party identification
Name familiarity
Gender
Religion
Ethnic characteristics
Political experience
Question #7
(cont’d)
Know the qualifications (including
informal) for holding office in the
Judicial Branch
There are no formal qualifications for being a
judge
 Informal Qualifications

◦ Lawyer
◦ A record of political activity
◦ Age
Question #8
Identify the five roles of a member
of Congress and identify which is
the role where most of the official
business is done?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Lawmaking
Representing their constituents
Servants of their constituents
Committee Members
Politicians
Question #9
Powers are
listed in the
blue boxes
Arrows =
Checks &
Balances
Judicial
Review
Judicial Review
Question #10
Compare and Contrast separation of
powers with checks and balances.

Separation of Powers is a model of government
in which different parts of the government are
responsible for different functions; in the US these
different areas Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.
◦ References to an institution
◦ Each institution does not depend on the other to exist

Checks and Balances is a means of trying to
ensure that no one of the above mentioned areas
can operate completely on its own
◦ Method of governance

Both operate to maintain the republic
Question #11
Define the United States Constitution
and its purpose.

Definition
◦ Document that created the present government of the
United States. Written in 1787 and went into effect in
1789. It establishes the three branches of the US
government.
◦ The Bill of Rights explains the basic rights of all
American citizens

Purpose
◦ Establish a federal government
◦ Delegate to the federal government certain limited
powers
Question #12
Discuss the intentions of the Framers
in regard to creating a legislature
through the Constitution.
Their intentions were to be cautious and to create a
legislature whose power would be adequate, but
limited.
 They believed that the best way to safeguard against
tyranny is to separate the powers of government
among three branches so that each branch is able to
restrain (or “check”) the power of the other two.

Question #13
List the duties and responsibilities of
the President
 Roles
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Chief of State
Chief Executive
Chief Legislator
Chief Administrator
Chief Diplomat
Commander in Chief
Chief Economic Planner
Unofficial Leader of his/her party
List the duties and responsibilities of
the President
 Presidential
Powers

(Expressed)
◦ See that laws are faithfully
executed
◦ Appoint Federal Judges,
Cabinet members, and
other government
employees
◦ Command the armed
forces

◦ Make treaties
◦ Approve or veto acts of
Congress
(Implied)
◦ Send and receive
diplomatic Representatives ◦ Powers to issue Executive
Orders
◦ Grant pardons and
◦ Removal Powers
reprieves
Presidential
Powers
Question #14
What are the Executive Branch’s
informal powers



Executive Orders
Executive Agreements
Executive Privilege
Question #15
What is an Executive Order
 Executive Orders: Orders issued by the
President that carry the force of law
◦ FDR’s Interment of Japanese Americans during WW2
◦ Truman’s integration of the military during the Korean
War
◦ Clinton’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy”
◦ GWB trying suspected terrorists in military tribunals
Question #15
What is an Executive Agreement?
(Cont’d)
 Executive Agreements:
International agreements made by a President that
has the force of treaty, but (unlike a treaty) do not
require Senate approval.
◦ Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase
◦ GHW Bush trade agreement with Japan re: auto industry
◦ GWB’s announced cuts in the US nuclear arsenal without a
treaty.
Question #15
What is Executive Privilege?
(Cont’d)
 Executive Privilege: claim by presidents
that they have the discretion to decide that the
national interest will be better served if certain if
information is withheld from the public (people,
courts, and Congress)
◦ Nixon’s refusal to turn over the Watergate tapes
◦ Clinton’s refusal to turn over evidence re: alleged affair
with Monica Lewinsky
Question #16
Differences between the House of Representatives
and the Senate
Question #17
Identify the most influential
committees in each house of
Congress.
 House
Rules – they decide what bills
will be voted on.
 House
Ways & Means – they decide
how money will be spent.
 Senate Appropriations – they decide how
money will be spent.
Question #18
Define Judicial Review, provide the
court case which gives the Supreme
Court precedent, and then discuss
judicial review’s purpose.




Judicial Review – the doctrine under which
legislative and executive actions are subject to review
(and possible invalidation) by the judiciary.
The Court’s power to declare laws or actions to be
Unconstitutional.
Supreme Court Case – Marbury v. Madison
Purpose - judicial review is considered a key check
on the powers of the other two branches of
government by the judiciary
Question #19
Know the following court cases:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Marbury vs. Madison – Established the power
of Judicial Review for the Court
McCulloch v. Maryland –
Established federal supremacy.
States cannot tax the federal
government.
Miranda – Requires police to inform accused
criminals of their constitutional rights.
Brown vs. Board of Edu. – Reversed the
Court’s earlier decision in Plessy. The Brown
decision outlawed the “separate, but equal”
doctrine.
Question #20
Define the United States Constitution
and its purpose.

Definition
◦ Document that created the present government of the
United States. Written in 1787 and went into effect in
1789. It establishes the three branches of the US
government. The BOR explains the basic rights of all
American citizens

Purpose
◦ Established a federal government
◦ Delegated to the federal government certain limited
powers.
Constitution (cont’d)
 Articles
& Amendments
◦Article 1 – Legislative Branch
◦Article 2 – Executive Branch
◦Article 3 – Judicial Branch
Question #21
Know the following Amendments







1st Amendment – Freedom of Speech, religion, press,
assembly, petition / protest the govt.
5th Amendment - grand jury indictment, eminent domain,
due process, self-incrimination, and double jeopardy
10th Amendment – limits powers delegated to federal govt.
13th Amendment – abolishes slavery and involuntary
servitude
14th Amendment – expanded due process rights to states as
well as federal
15th Amendment – can’t deny someone the right to vote
based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude
22nd Amendment – presidential term limits
Question #22
Define the Supremacy Clause
 Supremacy Clause
(Article VI) – the
Constitution is the “Supreme Law of the
Land”
Question #23
Declaration of Independence
Jefferson’s biggest influence when writing the
Declaration of Independence was John Locke.
 John Locke believed in the natural rights of man
– life, liberty and property.
 Jefferson changed the philosophy of Locke to
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
 Why did he change it?

◦ Because of how many Americans (esp’ly Southerners)
would define “property.”
Question #24
Presidential
System




Voters elect the
executive and
legislature
The legislative and
executive are co-equal
Creates prolonged
conflicts and deadlocks
Checks and balances
Parliamentary
System


Voters elect the legislature
The chief executive is
drawn from the legislature
Systems of Government
Question #25
Federalism


The term federalism creates a dual system of
government…where states and the federal system
have shared powers, powers specific to the states,
and powers specific to the federal government.
For example, the federal government and the state
governments both have the power to tax, but
because of the supremacy clause the states cannot
tax the federal government, but the federal
government can tax the states. This was established
in the McCulloch v. Maryland Case.
Question #26
What is the difference between the
Electoral College and the Popular
Vote?
Electoral College


When the people go to
the poll, they are
choosing who they
want their electoral
college to vote for in
December.
This group directly
elects our president.
Popular Vote

The people’s vote for
the president
Good Luck!!
Trust in what we’ve learned.