Unit 10:
Executive Branch
• Enforces Laws
• Article II of the Constitution
• Led by the President of the United States.
• All but one president have been white males. All
but one has been Protestant.
• President Video
Cabinet: Group of advisors to the
president.
Cabinet
• The pres. chooses the head of each agency
– Each leader is called “secretary” except for the
leader of the Department of Justice (Attorney
General)
• Senate must confirm.
• pg 227
Qualifications
• Must be a native-born US citizen.
• Must be 35 years old.
• Must have lived in the United States for 14
years.
• The president is elected
every four years by the
Electoral College.
– 2 term limit (22nd
Amendment)
Electing the President
1. The Primaries – States hold primary
elections to vote for the candidates who will
run for president under each party
2. Nominating Conventions – A meeting held
by each party to officially select the
candidate who will run
3. General Election – 1st Tuesday after the 1st
Monday of November
4. Electoral College – Elects the President in
December
Electoral College
• # of Representatives + # of Senators = Electoral College Members
• After the Nominating Conventions choose 2 candidates,
each candidate goes to every state to choose “electors”
– Electors are members of the state legislature who are of the same
political party as the candidate
• Electors promise to vote for the candidate if they win the
majority of the popular vote in that state
– For example: NC has 15 Electoral College votes (13 Reps + 2 Sen), so
Obama will come to NC and choose 15 Democrats from our state
legislature to be his electors. The Republican candidate will also
come to our state and choose 15 Republicans to be their electors. If
Obama wins the majority of the votes in NC, the 15 Democrats will
go to Washington DC to vote in the Electoral College. If the
Republican candidate wins in NC, only the 15 Republicans will go.
- 538 total electors
- 270 votes needed to win
- “Big Four” = CA, TX, NY, FL
- “Winner take all” system
Problems With the Electoral College
• Seems non-democratic
– Everyone’s vote does not count the same
• May get the most votes in the whole country,
but still lose the election
• 3rd party candidates have
really no chance
Benefits for President
• Salary of $400,000. The salary is set by
Congress.
• Live in the White House. Unlimited use of
Camp David (Maryland).
• Good medical benefits and protection.
• Many assistants.
Vice President
• Qualifications are the same as the pres.
• Salary of $230,700, free residence at the Naval
Observatory, and personal
assistants.
• 2nd in line of succession
Succession
• According to the 25th amendment, the VP
takes over if the president can not fulfill his
duties for any reason.
• The presidential line of succession provides a
lay out of who would be president in many
cases.
8 Hats of the President
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Chief Executive
Judicial Leader
Legislative Leader
Chief of State
Commander in Chief
Chief Diplomat
Party Leader
Economic Leader
In Your Group…
• Use your textbook/internet to research your
assigned topic & vocab
•
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/seven-roles-one-president
– Your hat should have a title on the brim (on smooth side)
– On the smooth side of the hat, give a short job description
and an illustration symbolizing this job
– On the other brim, give a few specific
examples of the president doing this job
– On the folded flaps, define any vocab
assigned to you
Roles of the President
1. Chief Executive: Leader of the federal
bureaucracy and its many agencies
– Executive Order: a command that has the force of
law.
– The president appoints many officials
• must be approved by the Senate.
2. Legislative leader: signs bills into laws
– The president needs to get along with
Congress so they can both be effective
Roles of the President continued…
3. Judicial leader: Appoints judges that serve for
life.
– The president can pardon an individual or give
amnesty to a group.
• Pardon: forgiveness from punishment
– The President can reprieve, delay punishment
until a higher court rules.
Roles of the President continued…
4. Party leader: The president helps other party
members get elected (coattail effect).
– Appoints people with his views.
5. Commander in Chief: Only the President can
order troops into battle.
– Congress is given the power to declare war.
Roles of the President continued…
6. Chief Diplomat: Appoints ambassadors and
makes treaties.
– Ambassador: Official representative to a country.
– Treaty: Agreement between two or more
countries. Must be approved by the Senate by a
2/3 majority.
– Executive Agreement: Agreement between the
president and the leader of another country.
Does not require Senate approval.
• Embargo: refusal to trade with a country
– ie Cuba
Roles of the President continued…
7. Chief of State: The president represents the
entire nation.
– Acts as the symbolic leader of the United States.
– People are very interested in the president and his
family.
Roles of the President continued…
8. Economic Leader: Deals with problems in the
economy like unemployment, inflation, and
taxes.
– In charge of creating the federal government’s
budget for each fiscal year.