Separation of Powers
Overview of all three branches
Legislative Branch
Age
Term limit
Total Number of
Members
Leader’s Title
US Citizenship
House of
Representatives
25 years
2 years
435
Senate
Speaker of the
House
Vice President
(Sub = President
Pro Tempore)
9 years
7 years
30 years
6 years
100
Legislative Branch cont.
How do they get the
Direct Election
job?
How are they replaced if 1. Governor of state
he/she dies, resigns,
holds an emergency
retires, or is removed?
election
2. Governor of state
chooses a person to
take position until the
next election
Executive Branch
Age
Term limit
35 years
4 years (only 2 terms based
on Amendment 22)
Total Number of Members 17 = 1 President, 1 Vice
President, 15 Cabinet
Members
Leader’s Title
President
US Citizenship
Natural Born US citizen
How do they get the job? Election by Electoral
College
Executive Branch cont.
How are they replaced if
Order of Succession
he/she dies, resigns, retires, (Amendment 25)
or is removed?
1. Vice President
2. Speaker of the House
3. President Pro
Tempore
4. Secretary of State
5. (Cabinet members in
order of when
position was created)
Judicial Branch
Age
Not stated
Term limit
Life
Total Number of Members
Several District Courts and Circuit
Courts
1 Supreme Court = 9 Justices
Leader’s Title
Chief Justice of Supreme Court
US Citizenship
Not stated
How do they get the job?
President appoints, Senate
approves
How are they replaced if he/she
dies, resigns, retires, or is
removed?
President appoints, Senate
approves
Chart of the Three Branches of Government:
Legislative
House of Representatives
1. Representatives serve a 2-year term
2. Representatives must be 25 years old to
be elected and have been a citizen for 7
years
3. Can propose tax laws (money)
4. Can impeach the president (investigate
and formally accuse
Chart of the Three Branches of Government:
Legislative
Senate
5. Senators serve a 6-year term
6. Senators must be 30 years old to be elected and
have been a citizen for 9 years
7. Can approve presidential appointments (Quorum
vote)
8. Ratifies treaties with foreign governments (2/3
vote)
9. Can try the president after impeachment (trial
and jury, need 2/3 of Senate to agree to remove)
Chart of the Three Branches of Government:
Legislative
Both Together
10. Can propose laws
11. Can declare war
12. Can override president’s veto with 2/3
vote
13. Can propose amendments to the
Constitution with a 2/3 vote
Chart of the Three Branches of Government:
Executive
14. The president serves a 4-year term (total
possible of 10 years per Amendment 22)
15. The President must be at least 35 years old, a
14-year resident, and native born
16. Has power to approve or veto laws (Chief
Legislator)
17. Makes treaties with foreign governments (Chief
Foreign Policy Maker)
18. Nominates judges to the Supreme Court
19. Appoints ambassadors and cabinet members
20. Is Commander in Chief of the US military
forces
Chart of the Three Branches of Government:
Judicial
21. Justices of the Supreme Court serve for life
22. Can declare laws unconstitutional = judicial
review (Marbury v. Madison)
23. Can settle disputes involving the US
24. Can settle disputes between states
25. Chief Justice presides over impeachment trial of
the President
District Courts = Original jurisdiction
Circuit Courts = Appellate jurisdiction
Supreme Court = both