American Government
Chapter 13 – The Presidency
Digital Journal
Checking for Understanding
Directions: Students should illustrate their knowledge visually with a brief written description.
Student should demonstrate the following in their digital journal. Each question below should
include at least one image and the written description should be in your own words. (Not a
cut and paste from the Internet)
Vocab terms
 Swing State, Safe State, Balance the ticket
Assigned President ___________________________________________________
Directions: For this journal, students should choose any present in history and
compare the requirements, and amendments that may have affected their
president.
1. List your chosen president and the year he was elected. Include an image of your
president.
2. What age was your president when he was elected? Compare it to the minimum age
requirement to be elected.
3. What does the 22nd Amendment state? When your president was in office did this
amendment exist? How many terms did your president serve?
4. What does the 12th Amendment state? Did it apply to your president? Explain.
5. What does the 25th Amendment state? Did it apply to your president? Explain.
6. In the U.S. we elect a president every four years, when is the general election held?
(Month, and day of the week).
7. What is the salary of an American president today? What was the salary for your
selected president?
8. Primary Elections: List one other candidate that ran against your President during the
primary elections. So an image of that candidate.
9. Where was the National Convention held that declared your President as the winner of
the primary elections? Show an image.
American Government
10. The Electoral College
o How are the numbers of electoral votes per state decided? What is that number
based on?
o What is the magic number to win the Electoral College on Election Day?
o How many electoral votes did your president receive?
o What was the popular vote for your president?
o Within each state, the winner of the popular vote wins all of that states
___________?
11. Duties of the American President
There are many duties of the American President. Give a real example during your president’s
term of each of the following:
I provided the definition of each power (they will be on the test). Now research a real example
of each.
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Chief of State- The President as ceremonial head of the United States.
Chief Administrator- The President as the leader of the executive branch of the federal
government.
Chief Diplomat- The President as the main architect of American foreign policy and the
nation’s chief spokesperson to other countries.
Commander in Chief- The top person in charge of the nation’s armed forces
Chief Legislator- The President as the main author of public policy.
Chief of Party- The President as the leader of his or her political party