Government: 8.30.12
• All Presidential Posters hung up today with
Rubric behind- Names
• Federal Government: Presidential Plus
Notes/Outline 40 points
• Video: Our 3 Branches of Government
• Friday: Activity: Card Sort 3 branches
3 Branches Of Government
3
Legislative, Executive and Judicial
• 1.
• It is the People’s RIGHT to rule themselves.
• The United States is a DemocraticRepublic or a Representative Democracy
• The People elect representatives in this
form of a “Republic”
• 2. Separation of Powers
• Government is divided among 3 branches.
This is called “checks and balances”
• It prevents the CONCENTRAION OF
POWER in one place
• Such as under a Totalitarian Dictator
Legislative
• Article I of the Constitution created a
legislature of 2 houses:
– The Senate, and The House of Representatives
• The House of Representatives was chosen
by popular vote, the voice of the people.
(based on population)
• The Senate represented the broad interests
of the entire state. (2 per state)
Executive Branch
• Article II created the Executive Branch of
government.
• The President serves as…
• 1. Chief Executive (like a CEO of the Cabinet meetings)
• 2. Head of State: Chief Diplomat
• 3. Commander in Chief (of the Military)
• Presidential regulation includes; A four-year term,
appointment power (cabinet), control of the armed
forces, and foreign policy decisions.
• Limits on power continued with an impeachment
clause.
Judicial Branch
• Article III established the Judicial branch.
• The constitution established only one court,
the Supreme Court. (The Supreme Court Decision
Marbury v. Madison established the principle of Judicial Review)
• Congress was given the authority to set up
courts as needed.
Powers Expressed in the
Constitution
Legislative
• The Legislative powers
expressed in the constitution are
expressed power, or powers
directly stated in the
Constitution.
• Article I Section8, itemizes the
Powers of Congress, and are
known as the enumerated
powers.
• 435 members in the House of
Representatives:
• California has 55, Kentucky has only 6
• Why? Population.
• They serve a 2 year term
• You must be 25 years old to serve in the
House
• The leader of the House is the Speaker of
the House
Congress
• The House of
Representatives
• The U.S. Senate
The Current Speaker of the House is John Boehner of
Cincinnati, Ohio
• The Senate: must be 30 years old
• 2 per state. The Vice- President serves as
President of the Senate. They vote only to
break a 50-50 tie.
• When the V.P. is gone, the Pro-Tempre
takes their place (for temporary)
• They serve a 6 year term
Kentucky’s 2 Senators are….
• Mitch McConnell ®
• Rand Paul ®
The Head of the Senate
• Vice President Biden
Government: 8.31.12
• Federal and State Government :
Presidential Plus Notes---Outline 40 points
•
(turn in to top tray)
• Video: Our 3 Branches of Government
• Current Events: Week in Rap
(turn into 2nd Tray)
• Monday?? Lab: Constitutional Card Sort
Federalism: State Level Government
Kentucky State Level: Legislative
State Representative
Royce Adams (D) 61st District
State Senator Damon Thayer
(R) 4th Senate District
Legislative Districts
House
Senate
Kentucky General Assembly
(like Congress at Fed. Level)
Kentucky General Assembly
House= 100 Members
Senate= 33 Members
House District #61
Speaker of the House Greg
(D)
Stumbo
Senate District #17
Senate President David Williams
(R)
Kentucky State Supreme Court
Kentucky State Supreme Court (how many?) How
does that compare with the “Supreme Court”
Kentucky County, Virginia
Kentucky Commonwealth
• Commonwealth is a traditional English
term for a political community founded for
the common good.
• Kentucky's official state flag was adopted in 1918. The
flag has a deep blue background with part of the state seal
in the center. In the center are the words
"COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY" and "UNITED
WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL." On the seal, a
pioneer and a statesman are shaking hands. Goldenrod
flowers encircle the bottom half of the seal. The flag was
again changed in 1962
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Other Old English Terms for
Kentucky Government
• Shire= County
This is where we get the term “Sheriff”
In Kentucky: The #1 responsibility of the
Sheriff is to collect taxes.
• Constable= Law Enforcement: Roles vary
Greatly from community to community
Kentucky Chief Executive: Governor Steve Bershear
Steve Bershear (D)
Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson (D)
Kentucky Governor and Cabinet
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Eco Development
Finance Adm.
Revenue
Labor
Workforce Development
Justice
Families and Children
Health Services
Kentucky Governor and Cabinet
• Public Protection and
Regulation
• Tourism
• Transportation
• Education, Arts,
Humanities
• Natural Resources and
Environmental Protection
Kentucky Commissions
• Agricultural Commission
• Tests Measures Gas
Pumps, Scales, etc.
• “Kentucky Proud”
Start Here……
Back to the Federal Government
5 Powers deal with Economic Legislation
1. Power to Levy taxes
2. To borrow money
3. To regulate commerce
4. To Coin Money
5. To punish counterfeiting.
7 Powers To Provide for Defense
1.Raise and Support Armed Forces
2.To provide a navy
3.To regulate the Armed Forces
4.To call for the militia
5.To organize the militia
6. Punishment of Piracies
7.Declare War
6 Practical Powers
1.Naturalizing Citizens
2.Establishing Post Office
3.Securing Patents
4.Copyrights
5.Establishing Courts
6.Governing the District of Columbia
Last but not least …
• Final Congressional
Power
– The elastic clause, this
give congress the right to
make all laws,
“necessary and proper”
to carry out the powers
expressed in Article I.
Oh! Wait there's more.
• The Executive Branch
was initiated due to the
weaknesses in the Articles
of Confederation.
• Important that the powers
are described in Article II.
• First President was
George Washington.
Executive Branch Continued
• Strong executive needed to carry out
Congressional Acts.
• Branch would protect
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Liberty
private property
business
(Who is that guy?)
The Executive Branch is Headed by the President
• Those who help him “carry out” “Execute”
• Or “Enforce” the laws are called the
• Cabinet
• The President must be 35 years of age and a
natural born citizen.
The Cabinet
State
Transportation
Defense
Energy
Treasury
Education
Justice
Veterans
Interior
Homeland Agriculture
-Security
Commerce (Chief of Staff)
Labor
Health/Human Services
Housing/Urban Development
Executive Branch Continued
• Will check the Legislative Branch
• Broad by vague powers described in the
Constitution.
• Article II begins… “The President shall be vested
in a President of the United States of America.”
• This statement grants the President the power to:
– Fire officials in executive branch
– Make agreements with foreign nations
– Take emergency action to save the Nation
NONE OF THESE POWERS ARE SPECIFICALLY
MENTIONED IN THE CONSTITUTION. (Elastic- implied)
Executive Branch Specific Powers
•
Article II Sec. 2 and Sec. 3
1. Commander and chief of the Armed Forces and state
militias, when they are called to service
2. Appoints with the Senate's consent heads of executive
departments
3. May pardon people convicted of federal crimes
4. Makes treaties with the advice and consent of the
senate.
5. Appoints ambassadors, and federal judges
6. Delivers an annual State of the Union
7. Calls Congress into special session
8. Commissions all military officers of the U.S.
9. Meets with international persons of importance
10. Ensures that the laws of the Constitution are faithfully
executed.
• The President is elected by the “Electoral
College”
• Each state gets the # of votes by adding
their representatives and senators.
• An election is held in each state. Winner
takes all votes in that state.
Electoral College Map
• Example: If Barak Obama gets 29,000,001
votes and his opponent got 29,000,000
votes in California.
• He wins BY ONE VOTE!!
• Obama would get 55 votes and his opponent
would get “0”
• It takes 270 out of 535 to win
Judicial Branch
There’s more to come…
Judicial Branch Continued
• The Judicial Branch is
outlined in Article III
• Framers of the Constitution
were not concerned with the
power of the Supreme Court
allowing its justices to hold
office for life.
Judicial Branch Continued
• Judiciary has two different systems of
courts.
• 1st is the Federal Court System
– Power from the Constitution and Federal
Laws
• 2nd are the courts of the 50 states
– Power from State Constitutions and State
Law
Judiciary Branch continued
• Every court has the authority to hear only certain
kinds of cases. Known as jurisdiction of the court.
• 2 Factors determine the jurisdiction of Federal
courts
– The subject matter
– The parties involved
• Federal Courts try cases involving:
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United States Laws
Treaties with Foreign Nations
Interpretation of the Constitution
Law of the Sea
Bankruptcy
The U.S. Supreme Court
Current Supreme Court Justices
• Chief Justice
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John Roberts
Associate Justices
Samuel Alito
Stephen Breyer
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Elena Kagan
Anthony Kennedy
Antonin Scalia
Sonia Sotomayor
Clarence Thomas