CHAPTER 7
AMERICAN
HOLT
GOVERNMENT
The Presidency
Section 1: The Presidential Office
Section 2: Presidential Powers
Section 3: Presidential Nomination and Election
1
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 1:
The Presidential Office
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
Objectives:
 What are the roles of the president?
 What are the qualifications and terms of the office of
the presidency?
 What is the order of presidential succession?
2
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 1:
The Presidential Office
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
Roles of the president:
 chief executive
 commander in chief
 chief agenda setter
 representative of the nation
 chief of state
 foreign-policy leader
 political party leader
3
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 1:
The Presidential Office
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
Qualifications and terms of the office of the
presidency:
 be a native-born U.S. citizen
 be at least 35 years old
 have been a U.S. resident for at least 14 years
 can serve two four-year terms
4
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 1:
The Presidential Office
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
Order of presidential succession:
 vice president
 Speaker of the House of Representatives
 president pro tempore of the Senate
 cabinet members, in the order of their department’s
establishment
5
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 2:
Presidential Powers
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
Objectives:
 What are the president’s executive and foreign-policy
powers?
 What judicial and legislative powers does the
president have?
 How has presidential power grown over the years?
6
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 2:
Presidential Powers
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
The president’s executive powers:
 executing laws
 appointing key officials
 executive privilege
The president’s foreign-policy powers:
 making treaties
 making executive agreements
 diplomatic recognition
7
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 2:
Presidential Powers
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
The president’s judicial powers:
 appointing Supreme Court justices
 appointing federal judges
 granting reprieves, pardons, and commutations
The president’s legislative powers:
 recommending legislation
 vetoing legislation
 lobbying members of Congress
8
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 2:
Presidential Powers
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
The growth of presidential power:
 has become a symbol of federal authority
 has become a focus of the U.S. political system
 has become a representative of the people
 has an increased role in foreign affairs
 has increased expressed powers
 has a stronger public presence and role in shaping
public interest
 has increased legislative power
9
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 3:
Presidential Nomination and Election
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
Objectives:
 What is the electoral college?
 How are presidential candidates chosen?
 How are convention delegates chosen?
 What is the format for national conventions?
10
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 3:
Presidential Nomination and Election
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
The electoral college is a body of electors chosen
by the states to vote for president and vice
president.
11
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 3:
Presidential Nomination and Election
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
How presidential candidates are chosen:
 Parties hold national conventions, where delegates
nominate candidates.
12
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 3:
Presidential Nomination and Election
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
How convention delegates are chosen:
 Party members select delegates in presidential
primaries.
13
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
The Presidency
AMERICAN
Section 3:
Presidential Nomination and Election
GOVERNMENT
HOLT
Format for national conventions:
 speeches
 approving the party platform
 floor demonstrations by delegates
 state-by-state roll call
14
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
AMERICAN
HOLT
GOVERNMENT
Chapter Wrap-Up
1. What are the benefits of being president?
2. Describe the roles of the president. Do you
think any are more important than others?
3. What are the president’s five main powers?
Give an example of each.
4. What are some examples of how presidential
power has grown over the years?
15
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON
AMERICAN
HOLT
GOVERNMENT
Chapter Wrap-Up
5. How are presidential and vice presidential
candidates nominated?
6. What is the electoral college, and why has it
sometimes been criticized?
16
HOLT, RINEHART
AND
WINSTON