Unit 2 - Branches of Government

Give 3 examples of Checks and Balances.

1. Congress may pass laws........but the President can veto them. 2. The President can veto laws.......but Congress can override the veto with a 2/3 vote. 3. The President and Congreess may agree on a law..........but the Supreme Court can declare a law unconsitutional. 4. The President can appoint Judges and other government officials.......but Senate must approve them. 5. Supreme Court judges have life terms.......but they can be impeached .

List the 4 things a President can do to a Bill.

1. Sign the bill and declare it a new law 2. Pocket Veto If congress has ended its session and the president does not touch the bill for ten days, it dies. 3. Veto the Bill 4. Do nothing for 10 days at which points the bill becomes a law (only while congress is in session.)

How many Senators are there in congress?

100

How many are in the House of Representatives?

435

What are Congressional Committees and what is their purpose?

A congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization in the United States Congress that handles a specific duty (rather than the general duties of Congress). Committee membership enables members to develop specialized knowledge of the matters under their jurisdiction.

Give an example of a formal change to the Constitution.

According to the Constitution, an amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures.

What are the requirements to become a VP and President?

Be a natural born U.S. citizen. Someone may be born abroad, but only if both parents were citizens of the United States. The only exception to this was for those around at the time the Constitution was adopted. Their requirement was that they had to be a citizen when the Constitution was adopted. Must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years to be president. This does not have to be consecutive or even the 14 years leading up to becoming president. Be at least 35 years old.

Name 3 Roles (Hats) of the President.

Chief Executive Commander in Chief Chief Diplomat

Explain: Fed 51

In this Federalist Paper, James Madison explains and defends the checks and balances system in the Constitution. Each branch of government is framed so that its power checks the power of the other two branches; additionally, each branch of government is dependent on the people, who are the source of legitimate authority.

Who is the current Speaker of the House?

Paul Ryan

Explain: The 22nd amendment

The 22nd Amendment (often written as "Amendment XXII") is part of the United States Constitution which prohibits any president from serving more than two terms in office, and this is considered vital for defending against the establishment of a dictatorial or monarchical style of government. It also states that any non-elected person typically a vice president who serves as president for more than 2 years in lieu of the elected president, may not serve more than one full term in office.

What is the role of the Speaker of the House?

The Speaker in the United States, by tradition, is the head of the majority party in the House of Representatives, outranking the Majority Leader. However, despite having the right to vote, the Speaker usually does not participate in debate and rarely votes.

What is the VP's leadership role?

The V.P.'s Job: The only duty the U.S. Constitution assigns the Vice President is to act as presiding officer of the Senate. But the Vice President also serves as ceremonial assistant to the President and is an important part of the President's administration.

What is the President Pro-Tempore's role?

The president pro tempore (Latin for 'for the time being') has been, since 1890, the senior senator of the majority party. His or her job, when the V.P. isn't around, is to preside over Senate sessions.

What occurs after each census is complete?

The process of reassigning representation based on population.

What are the requirements to become a Senator?

The qualifications to become a U.S. senator are stated in the U.S. Constitution; article one, section three, and clause three. The constitution states that to become a senator an applicant must meet a specific age, citizenship, and state status. To run for Senate, you must be at least 30 years old. You must have been a citizen for at least nine years. and (3) be (at the time of the election) an inhabitant of the state they represent.

What are the beliefs of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists?

There are major differences between both federalists and anti-federalists based on their political beliefs. ... The Federalists preferred a strong, central government, whereas the Anti-Federalists wanted a smaller central government with more power to the individual states.

What are the requirements to become a Representative?

To run for the House of Representatives, you must be at least 25 years old. You must have been a United States citizen for at least seven years. and (3) be (at the time of the election) an inhabitant of the state they represent.

According to Madison, What is the most common and durable source of factions?

the most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property. Those who hold and those who are without property have ever formed distinct interests in society.