EXECUTIVE
COMMAND
What does the
president do?
Activity One
Create a to-do list for the president. Try to think of as many
things as possible and write them below.
Did your answers fit any of these categories?
Commander
In Chief
Head Diplomat
Executor of Laws
Appointment
Maker
Bill Approver
Executive Branch
Boss
What is the
source of
presidential
power?
Activity Two
And the source is…..
Here is a hint…
The United States
Constitution!
Specifically Article II,
Sections 1-3
Article II, Section 2
The Real Deal
The President shall be Commander in
Chief of the Army and Navy of the
United States, and of the Militia of
the several States, when called into
the actual Service of the United
States; he may require the Opinion,
in writing, of the principal Officer in
each of the executive Departments,
upon any Subject relating to the
Duties of their respective Offices,
and he shall have Power to grant
Reprieves and Pardons for Offences
against the United States, except in
Cases of Impeachment.
The Big Ideas
•
Act as head of the U.S. military
•
Get advice from members of the
executive departments (cabinet)
•
Pardon someone for a crime
Article II, Section 2
The Real Deal
He shall have Power, by and with the
Advice and Consent of the Senate, to
make Treaties, provided two thirds of
the Senators present concur; and he
shall nominate, and by and with the
Advice and Consent of the Senate,
shall appoint Ambassadors, other
public Ministers and Consuls, Judges
of the supreme Court, and all other
Officers of the United States . . .
The Big Ideas
•
Make treaties with other
countries
•
Nominate and appoint some
government positions, like
ambassadors and Supreme Court
Justices
Article II, Section 3
The Real Deal
He shall from time to time give to the
Congress Information of the State of
the Union, and recommend to their
Consideration such Measures as he
shall judge necessary and expedient;
. . . he shall receive Ambassadors and
other public Ministers; he shall take
Care that the Laws be faithfully
executed, and shall Commission all
the Officers of the United States.
The Big Ideas
•
Update Congress on how things
are going in a State of the Union
address
•
Make recommendations to
Congress about what bills are
needed (agenda)
•
Make sure that laws are being
carried out (or executed)
Article I, Section 7
The Real Deal
Every Bill which shall have passed
the House of Representatives and
the Senate, shall, before it become a
Law, be presented to the President
of the United States: If he approve
he shall sign it, but if not he shall
return it . . .
The Big Ideas
•
Sign (approve) or veto (reject)
bills from Congress
This bit is actually in the part of the Constitution that
explains how the Legislative Branch works!
It looks like the president has a pretty big
job to do… but he or she has help! Play
Executive Command to find out who can
pitch in to get the job done.
All of the
president’s
help…
Activity Three
The president has to carry out thousands of
laws. There are 15 executive departments
that help with this big task. Check out the list!
Department of
State
Department of
Agriculture
Department of
Transportation
Department of the
Treasury
Department of
Commerce
Department of
Energy
Department of
Defense
Department of
Labor
Department of
Education
Department of
Justice
Department of the
Interior
Department of Health & Department of Veterans
Human Services
Affairs
Department of Housing
& Urban Development
Department of
Homeland Security
Match the executive department to
how it helps the president.
Department of…
Makes the money, tries to help the
Justice
Education
Treasury
Defense
Labor
economy, and collects taxes.
Supports workers to provide more
opportunity, protect rights, and improve
conditions.
Provides funding to schools and helps
students pay for college.
Includes all parts of the US military, and its
mission is to protect the US around the
world.
Works to enforce federal laws, prevent
crime, and punish those convicted of
crimes.
Now match these…
Department of…
The Interior
Transportation
Agriculture
Homeland Security
Energy
Supports farmers, makes sure our food
is safe, and gives recommendations
about good nutrition.
Works to protect the country against
terrorism and makes sure the borders
are safe.
Responsible for the management and
conservation of most federal land and
natural resources.
Uses science and tech to address
energy, environmental and nuclear
challenges.
Responsible for federal highways, the
railroads and driver safety.
Last ones!
Department of…
Health & Human
Services
State
Commerce
Veterans Affairs
Housing & Urban
Development
Creates the conditions for economic
growth and opportunity, and is the
voice of business.
Works to improve the health, safety
and well-being of Americans.
Responsible for maintaining the
relationships the US has with other
countries.
Supports strong communities and
quality and affordable housing for all.
Provides patient care and federal
benefits to military veterans and their
families.
Match each of the Armed Forces
to the correct description.
Air Force
We handle land-based
operations. Our forces are
very effective for large
conflicts, but it can take
some time to deploy.
We’re responsible for
safety & security of U.S.
waters. Call on us for seabased missions close to
home.
We are in charge of aerial
warfare. Always ready to
fly if you need a skybased solution.
We enter enemy countries
quickly. Call on us in
emergency situations
when speed is the most
important factor.
Army
Coast Guard
Navy
Marines
As the sea branch of the
military, our forces are
great on the water or
near enemy coastlines. It
will take some time to get
to there.
MINI-QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge
1) The President of the United
States gets his or her powers
from…
A. The Presidential Handbook
B. The U.S. Constitution
C. The military
2) When the president acts as
the nation’s representative to
other countries, is it called…
A. military action.
B. equal representation.
C. diplomacy.
D. a vacation.
3) Whom does the president
address during the State of the
Union speech?
A. A joint session of Congress
B. The American people
C. Both A and B
D. None of the above
4) As president, if you disagree
with a bill, you should …
A. sign it.
B. change it.
C. cancel it.
D. veto it.
5) What is it called when the
president delivers a law to
someone else to carry out?
A. The “drop off”
B. Delegating

C. Assigning it
D. Delivering it
6) Can the president sign only
part of a bill into law?
A. Yes, the president can sign one
part, and veto the rest.
B. No, the president must sign the
whole bill or veto the whole bill

7) Who helps the president
execute laws?
A. Members of the Cabinet

B. The 15 executive departments
C. A and B
D. None of the above
8) Which of these is NOT a
responsibility of the president?
A. Set a national agenda for new laws
B. Oversee the US Armed Forces
C. Hand down national court decisions
D. Nominate Supreme Court Justices
9) When war breaks out, what
must the president do?
A. Ignore it
B. Go and fight with the Army
C. Command the Armed Forces
D. Resign from office
10) Laws about the health and
well being of young people are
most likely to be executed by…
A. Department of Education
B. Department of Labor
C. Department of Commerce
D. Department of Health and
Human Services

11) Which TWO articles of the
US Constitution talk about the
president’s job?
A. The Preamble and Bill of Rights
B. Articles I and II
C. Amendments 13-15
D. Articles I and III
12) How long is one term of a
president?
A. Four years
B. Two years
C. Six years
D. Eight years
ANSWERS
Activity Answer Keys
Match the executive department to
how it helps the president.
Department of…
Makes the money, tries to help the
Justice
economy, and collects taxes.
Education
Treasury
Defense
Labor
Supports workers to provide more
opportunity, protect rights, and improve
conditions.
Provides funding to schools and helps
students pay for college.
Includes all parts of the US military, and its
mission is to protect the United States
around the world.
Works to enforce federal laws, prevent
crime, and punish those convicted of
crimes.
Now match these…
Department of…
The Interior
Transportation
Agriculture
Homeland Security
Energy
Supports farmers, makes sure our food
is safe, and gives recommendations
about good nutrition.
Works to protect the country against
terrorism and makes sure the borders
are safe.
Responsible for the management and
conservation of most federal land and
natural resources.
Uses science and tech to address
energy, environmental and nuclear
challenges.
Responsible for federal highways, the
railroads and driver safety.
Last ones!
Department of…
Health & Human
Services
State
Commerce
Veterans Affairs
Housing & Urban
Development
Creates the conditions for economic
growth and opportunity, and is the
voice of business.
Works to improve the health, safety
and well-being of Americans.
Responsible for maintaining the
relationships the US has with other
countries.
Supports strong communities and
quality and affordable housing for all.
Provides patient care and federal
benefits to military veterans and their
families.
Match each of the Armed Forces
to the correct description.
Army
Air Force
We handle land-based
operations. Our forces are
very effective for large
conflicts, but it can take
some time to deploy.
We are in charge of aerial
warfare. Always ready to
fly if you need a skybased solution.
Navy
Coast Guard
Marines
We’re responsible for
safety & security of U.S.
waters. Call on us for seabased missions close to
home.
We enter enemy countries
quickly. Call on us in
emergency situations
when speed is the most
important factor.
As the sea branch of the
military, our forces are
great on the water or
near enemy coastlines. It
will take some time to get
to there.