10. Three Branches of Government
The Legislative Branch
The Founders attached great
importance to lawmaking and
expected Congress to become
the most important branch of
the national government.
At the same time, however,
they feared the abuse of power
Congress has expressed
powers, powers directly
stated in the Constitution
Enumerated Powers 18
numbered powers found in
Article 1 of the Constitution
The Congress shall have
Power To lay and collect
Taxes…,
To borrow money on the
credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with
foreign Nations, and among
the several States…
To establish a uniform Rule of
Naturalization, and uniform
Laws on the subject of
Bankruptcies throughout the
United States;
To coin Money, regulate the
Value thereof, and of foreign
Coin…..
To provide for the
Punishment of counterfeiting
the Securities and current
Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and
Post Roads;
To promote the Progress of
Science and useful Arts, by
securing for limited Times to
Authors and Inventors the
exclusive Right to their
respective Writings and
Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals
inferior to the supreme Court;
To define and
punish Piracies
and Felonies
committed on the
high Seas, and
Offenses against
the Law of
Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters
of Marque and Reprisal, and
make Rules concerning
Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies…
To provide and maintain a
Navy;
To make Rules for the
Government and Regulation
of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth
the Militia to execute the
Laws of the Union, suppress
Insurrections and repel
Invasions;
To provide for organizing,
arming, and disciplining, the
Militia….,
To exercise exclusive Legislation
in all Cases whatsoever, over such
District as may, by Cession of
particular States, and the
acceptance of Congress, become the
Seat of the Government of the
United States…..
Elastic Clause
To make all Laws which shall be
necessary and proper for carrying into
Execution the foregoing Powers, and all
other Powers vested by this Constitution
in the Government of the United States, or
in any Department or Officer thereof.
Congress then and now
House=downstairs
Senate=upstairs
First Congress
Senate introduced
5 bills, and the
House 26.
Today 10, 000
yearly
Executive branch
Helps carry out acts of
Congress
Broad powers of the president
“The executive power shall be
vested in a President of the
United States of America.”
Wild card
Enlargement of the executive branch by
creating cabinet depts agencies boards
commisions. etc
Specific Powers of the
President
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;
Appoints-with the Senate’s
consent-heads of executive
departments
May pardon people convicted
of federal crimes, except in
cases of impeachment, or
reduce a person’s jail sentence
or fine;
Appoints ambassadors,
federal court judges, and
other top officials, with
Senate consent
Delivers an annual State of
the Union message to
Congress and sends Congress
other messages from time to
time
Calls Congress into special
session when necessary
Meets with heads of state,
ambassadors, and other
foreign officials
Commissions all military
officers of the United States
Ensures that the laws
Congress passes are
“faithfully executed”
The Presidency
Then and Now
Federal bureaucracy
The Judicial System
Two court System
Federal Courts
Derive their powers from the
Constitution and federal laws
Two factors determine the
jurisdiction of federal courts,
the subject matter of the case
and the parties involved in it.
In the United States, an individual who
has committed a Federal offense will be
tried in a Federal court. Federal cases
generally involve specified crimes,
including cybercrimes, kidnapping,
counterfeiting, and embezzlement. The
location at which an offense occurred and
the people involved the crime may also
give the Federal court jurisdiction over a
case.
State courts derive their
power from state
constitutions and laws.