AMERICAN GOVERNMENTAMERICAN GOVERNMENT

Executive, Judicial, and Executive, Judicial, and Legislative BranchesLegislative Branches

Pre-Constitution

Different Government from 1781-1789

Articles of Confederation was the main document

Presidents had one year terms

States were not unified, and were more like Thirteen separate countries

Change!Change!

• Jefferson, Madison, Washington, and many intellectuals came together

• Met in Philidelphia

• Wrote a completely new Constitution

• More Centralized Federal Government

• States wanted a Bill of Rights, and was achieved through Connecticut Compromise

Wanted to give the Government more power.

The ability to tax, control commerce, have a military, and a “leader”.

Unify the divided “nations” of America

In favor of the larger states

One House of Legislative Branch (unicameral) Wanted to have a vote by population size of each

state

Did not care for a Bill of Rights, thought it was unnecessary (Wanted by the Republicans)

Federalists

Gives out Government rights, and splits it into 3 equal branches

Bill of Rights (First 10 Amendments to the Constitution)

President is head of the Military

Gives Congress the power to make laws, tax, sign treaties, and regulate commerce throughout the country• No more state controlled commerce

Laws of our Constitution

Checks and BalancesChecks and Balances Congress Votes on a Bill, needs a ¾ vote in the House, Congress Votes on a Bill, needs a ¾ vote in the House,

and a 2/3 vote in the Senate to pass it to the Presidentand a 2/3 vote in the Senate to pass it to the President President needs to sign the Bill, or veto itPresident needs to sign the Bill, or veto it If vetoed, the bill will go back to Senate and they can If vetoed, the bill will go back to Senate and they can

override him by a 2/3 vote in the Senateoverride him by a 2/3 vote in the Senate Goes to the Supreme Court, they can deem it Goes to the Supreme Court, they can deem it

“unconstitutional”, this cannot be over ruled.“unconstitutional”, this cannot be over ruled.

The First Ten Amendments of the Constitution

Pursuit of Happiness, Freedom of Speech, and Liberty

Right to Bear Arms

No Quartering of Troops

Unlawful search and seizure

The right to not testify against one self

Right to speedy trial, witnesses, etc.

Trial by Jury

Ban on Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Rule of Construction of the Constitution

Powers not stated are reserved for the States

Bill of Rights

Executive Branch

• President resides in this branch

• Enforces the Law

Judicial Branch

• Interprets the Law• Supreme Court

Legislative Branch

• Congress• Makes the Laws

Branches

President is the Head of State

Has all the councils and “offices” under the President

Includes the Police Force and Military in the country

Executive Branch

There have been 44 Presidents under the new Constitution

Recently voted in the First Black President

Need to be at least 35 years of age

Need to be a natural born citizen

Also Need to be a Resident for 14 years

The head of the Military, a Civilian Leader

Works with the head of “States” in order to effectively run the country

The Presidency

• #2 Man in charge

• Handles state affairs along with the President

• President of the Senates• Breaks Ties

Once defined by John Adams…• “My country has in its wisdom

contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.”

Vice President

The removal of a person in power (mainly President)

Needs to be a 2/3 vote in the Senate, and a ¾ vote in the House

The President needs to have committed some kind of crime, or wrong doing that hurts the Government itself.

The People can even call for an impeachment by having ¾ of the States vote in favor of impeachment.

Only one President has been successfully impeached, President Andrew Johnson, the man who succeeded Abraham Lincoln

Nixon was going to be impeached, but he resigned before he could be kicked out

Impeachment

Two Houses

House of Representatives 435 Members Number of members is decided upon the

population of each state Varies from each Census Need ¾ vote to over ride President Veto

Senate 100 members Each State has 2 votes Known as the “Millionaires Club” Need 2/3 Vote to override President Veto

Legislative Branch

Representatives• Only have two year terms

• Unlimited terms

• Number of representatives from each state depends on the population of that state

• Vote on more immediate bills

Senators• Have six year terms

• Unlimited terms

• Only two are allowed from each state (small state “equalizer”)

• Vote on more long term bills

• Stagnante

• “Millionaires Club” – Debbie Stabenow

(Clancy, 2008) and (“Members of congress:,” 2010)

Representatives and Senators

They have the power to tax• Under the Articles the Congress did not

have this power, thus we were bankrupt and in financial turmoil

Regulate Trade• Interstate and Internationally• States under the Articles regulated their

own trade, own tariffs, and even own currency

To Declare War• President can send troops in• Needs to notify Congress within 48 hrs,

and Congress needs to vote and declare war within 60 days or the troops come home (war powers act of 1973)

Make treaties• Congress approves of treaties that the

President presents• League of Nations was turned down

because Woodrow Wilson never notified Congress of his intentions, prevent World War II ??

Powers of Congress

Contains the Supreme Court and all lower Federal Courts

State Courts are also included into the Judicial Branch

Judicial Branch

Highest Court in the land Above all other Federal Courts and State Courts What they determine is the law, period.

Has Nine Justices Chosen by President, but approved by the Senate In for life Constructionalists and Constructionalists interpret the Constitution as the Framers intended Interpret the Constitution based on today, they see it as an “evolving

document”

Judicial Review The power to look over a previous court ruling (ex. Brown v. Board of

Education) and determine whether that ruling is correct in terms of todays current issues.

The Supreme Court

Frankly, the answer is no.

Our Government is not completely perfect because no Government is the “ideal” model. Everybody is different, different values, religions, social structures, etc. People in the Middle East dictate their lives in all areas around the Quran. The East Asian countries rule their lives based on family values, a group effort, rather than an individual effort that is encouraged in the West.

The American Government does work. It is proven because we replace the people in power if they do a horrible job without a violent revolution. The voting system is flawed, but the main ideas are excellent in theory. There is always room for improvement, and I hope that the people on the Hill will get their act together and do what is best for the Majority, rather than the Minority at this point in our countries history.

Is our Government Perfect?

Members of congress: debbie stabenow. (2010). Retrieved from

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/s000770/

Clancy, T.R. (2008, December 20). Dearborn underground. Retrieved from http://dearbornunderground.blogspot.com/2008_12_01_archive.html

Works Cited