Unit IV Lesson 1

Formal Powers of the President

Essential Question:

• What are the institutions and

policy-making processes of

the national government?

• What are the links between

the branches of the national

government, political parties,

interest groups, public

opinion, the media, and state

and local governments?

Article I

*Preamble

Article I - The Legislative Branch

Article II -- The Executive Branch

Article III -- The Judicial Branch

Article IV -- Concerning the States

Article V - Amendment Process

Article VI- Legal Status of the Constitution

Article VII – Signatures

*Amendments

Presidents!!!

44

Articles of

Confederation

Unit I

Formal (“constitutional”) powers of the

President:

“Enumerated”

* Carry out (enforce) laws

passed by Congress Article II Section 1: “The Executive

Power shall be vested in a President of

the United States of America”

“Congress”

* Grant “reprieves” and “pardons” to

those convicted of federal crimes

• Acts of Terrorism Against the U.S.

• Assassination of a Federal Official

• Robbing a Federal Bank

• Bombing a Federal Building

• Bribing of a Federal Official

• Counterfeiting

• Copyright Matters

• Crimes on Indian Reservations

• Espionage

• Falsely Claiming Citizenship

• Interstate Gambling

• Assaulting or Killing a Federal Officer

Article II

Section 2

“Offenses against

the United States”

“Reprieve”

“Pardon””

Governor

“Reprieve” “Pardon”

“Federal

Crimes”

“Reprieve”

“Pardon”

Reprieve: Delaying or

postponing a

punishment

“Reprieve”• Acts of Terrorism

• Assassination

• Espionage

• Killing a Federal Officer

“Pardon”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_pardoned_by_Bara

ck_Obama

“Forgiveness of a

crime and the

cancellation of the

relevant penalty”

“Enumerated”

Article II Section 2

*Grant formal recognition to foreign governments and negotiate treaties with foreign nations

South Sudan

“Ratified”

“With the Advice and Consent of the

Senate”

2/3rds

Article II Section 2

*Appoint Ambassadors

Article II Section 2

“Embassy”

“Ambassador”

“Ambassador”

*Appoint Federal Judges and Supreme Court Justices

Article II Section 2

There is still one more formal (constitutional)

power of the President that we haven’t talked

about yet and it’s a biggie…

But We’ll Save That For Tomorrow

“The President shall be

Commander-in-Chief of the

Army and Navy of the

United States…”

Checks and

Balances

All of the following were weaknesses of the

Articles of Confederation EXCEPT:

A.Congress did not have the power to

collect national taxes

B.Amendments to the Articles of

Confederation had to be unanimous

C.The was no independent judicial branch

D.The power of the president was

unchecked

All of the following are powers granted to the

President by the Constitution EXCEPT:

A.The ability to lead the nation’s armed

forces as commander-in-chief

B.The ability to appoint ambassadors

C.The ability to pardon federal offenses

D.The ability to create new cabinet level

departments

Which of the following actions can a

president take WITHOUT seeking the

consent of the Senate?

A. Negotiate and ratify treaties

B. Appoint ambassadors

C. Appoint federal judges

D. Issue reprieves and pardons

The difference between a pardon and a

reprieve is:

A. A pardon lasts ten years, a reprieve lasts just

one

B. Only governors can issue pardons

C. A pardon grants release from legal

punishment while a reprieve merely postpones

it

D. A pardon is used to forgive national crimes

and a reprieve is used on state offenses

Which of the following is NOT a formal

power of the President?

A. Declare war

B. Grant pardons and reprieves to

individuals accused of offenses against the

U.S.

C. Make appointments with the consent of

the senate

D. Negotiate treaties with foreign nations

American foreign policy is directed

primarily by:

A. The U.S. House of Representatives

B. The U.S. Senate

C.The President

D.Individual States