Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
The Executive Branch
Section 2
MAIN IDEA
The powers and roles of the U.S. president affect not only the citizens of the
United States but also people throughout the world.
Key Terms
State of the Union Address a speech that sets forth the programs and policies the
president wants Congress to turn into laws
foreign policy the government’s plan for interacting with other nations of the world
diplomacy the art of interacting with foreign governments
treaties written agreements with other countries
reprieve an order given by the president to postpone someone’s punishment for a
crime
pardon an order given by the president that forgives a person for a crime and
removes any punishment for it
commutation an order given by the president to reduce a person’s punishment
Academic Vocabulary
neutral unbiased, not favoring either side in a conflict
Section Summary
THE PRESIDENT’S ROLES
The Constitution says the president has “executive
power.” He is head of the Executive Branch of the
government. He controls the military forces. He
decides how our government deals with other
countries. The president also suggest new laws that
he wants Congress to pass. Usually in late January,
he gives a speech to Congress. This is called the
State of the Union Address.
This speech tells Congress and the country what
the most important issues are. The programs and
policies of his term are explained. With this speech,
the president also sends a budget. This is a list of
how much money the government needs to
Underline the sentences
that tell the president’s
roles.
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Guided Reading Workbook
Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Section 2, continued
function. Congress uses this plan to write laws. The
president can veto, or reject, any laws he or she
does not agree with. Congress can reject this veto.
Two-thirds of both houses of Congress is needed to
override the president’s veto.
The commander in chief, or head of the U.S.
armed forces, is the president. He or she can order a
military leader to do what he says. The president
decides how a war will be fought.
The Constitution, however, says only Congress
can declare war. The president can send forces
anywhere they are needed. But the War Powers Act
limits how long the troops can be gone without the
approval of Congress.
A nation’s foreign policy is how its government
interacts with other countries. The president sends
representatives who use diplomacy, or special
skills, to have good relations with other countries.
The representatives try to remain neutral when their
countries fight. They help create treaties, or
agreements between countries. The Senate advises
the president on these treaties. It also gives final
approval by a two-thirds vote.
MORE PRESIDENTIAL POWERS
The president names justices to the Supreme Court
and other federal courts. A majority of Congress
must approve these judges. The president also has
the power to change the sentences of people who
break federal laws. He or she can grant a reprieve,
which postpones punishment. A commutation can
reduce a person’s sentence. A pardon forgives
someone of a crime and any punishment.
CHALLENGE ACTIVITY
Critical Thinking: Making Judgments Why do
you think the president would pardon someone?
Write at least two reasons for this kind of
forgiveness.
How can the president stop
a bill from becoming a law,
and how can Congress
pass it anyway?
The president can veto the
law
What role does Congress
have in deciding when our
military fights a war?
Congress has the exclusive
power to declare war under
the Constitution
What is the difference
between a pardon and a
commutation?
A pardon is an official act of
forgiveness granted by the
government that absolves an
individual of their guilt for a
particular crime and restores
their rights and privileges. A
commutation is a lesser form
of pardon that reduces the
severity of a sentence, such
as reducing a prison
sentence to a lesser term or
commuting a death sentence
to life imprisonment.
Original content © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
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Guided Reading Workbook
Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Section 2, continued
DIRECTIONS Write two adjectives or descriptive phrases that describe
the term.
Diplomatic
1. treaties 1.
2. Binding
Compassionate
2. pardons 1.
2. Clemency-granting
Momentous occasion
3. State of the Union Address 1.
2. Addressing the nation
4. foreign policy 12 Global
Diplomatic
5. diplomacy 12 Skillful,
tactful
6. reprieve 1. Temporary relief
2. Momentary respite
DIRECTIONS Read each sentence and fill in the blank with the term in
the word pair that best completes the sentence.
7. Congress wanted to declare war and join one side in the conflict, but the
neutral
president decided to remain __________________________.
(neutral/diplomatic)
State of the Union Address
8. During the _______________________,
the president told Congress that he
wanted new laws to aid education. (State of the Union Address/diplomacy)
Treaties
9. The United States signed _____________________
with other nations to keep us
safe in the world. (pardons/treaties)
commutation
10. The president’s _______________________
allowed a popular politician to
leave jail early. (commutation/foreign policy)
Original content © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
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