Article II of the US Constitution
What is the purpose of the Executive Branch of
Government?
The purpose of the Executive Branch is to enforce the laws
Barack Obama
President
Joe Biden
Vice President
John Kerry
Secretary of State
For how many years is a President elected?
4 years
What are the qualifications for becoming President of
the United States?
• 35 year old
• 14 years a resident in the US
• Natural born citizen
How often may the same person be elected
president?
Twice
What is the president’s cabinet?
The group of people who run the executive branch
President Obama’s Cabinet
Secretaries of the Departments
State
John
Kerry
Treasury
Jack
Lew
Defense
Chuck
Hagel
Justice
Attorney
General Eric
Holder
Interior
Sally
Jewell
Agriculture
Thomas
Vilsack
Commerce
Penny
Pritzker
Health &
Human
Services
Kathleen
Sebelius
Housing &
Urban
Development
Shaun
Donovan
Transport
Anthony
Foxx
Energy
Ernest
Moniz
Education
Arne
Duncan
Veterans
Affairs
Eric
Shinseki
Homeland
Security
Rand
Beers
Labor
Thomas
Perez
What military power does the president have?
The President is Commander in Chief of the military
The president can grant pardons. What is
a pardon?
A pardon sets a person free from
punishment
The president has the power to make
treaties. What is a treaty?
A treaty is an agreement between nations
Who must approve the president’s treaties?
The Senate
The president can appoint people to which
positions in government?
Ambassadors
Justices
Government Officials
Who must approve the president’s
appointments?
The Senate
What is the State of the Union address?
Speech to Congress about the nation’s condition.
What does the term “impeachment” mean?
Formal accusation of wrong doing against the
President
According to the Constitution, a president can be
impeached for “treason, bribery or other high
crimes or misdemeanors)? What are these
crimes?
Treason – betraying your country
Bribery – cash in return for favors
High crimes or misdemeanors – other big or small
crimes
Why is the wording so vague?
So that it can adapt to new situations
Which organization impeaches the president?
The House of Representatives
What happens when a President is impeached?
The Senate tries the President. If the president is
found guilty he/she loses the presidency, if the
president is found innocent he/she continues in
office
Roles of the President
• President Obama meets the President Sarkozy of France on September 21st.
• Chief of State or Chief Diplomat
• President Obama urges Congress to pass the American Jobs Act in a speech on
October 4, 2011.
• Chief Legislator or Chief Guardian of the Economy
• The president speaks at an event in Dallas, Texas on October 4th to raise money to
get Democrats elected to Congress next year.
• Chief of Party
• The President meets the Prime Minister of Israel on September 21st and states that
the US is committed to peace in the Middle East.
• Chief Diplomat or Chief of State
• President Obama met with the cabinet to find out what the executive branch could do
to create employment on October 3rd.
• Chief Executive or Chief Guardian of the Economy
• President Barack Obama greets members of the 1985 Super Bowl Champion Chicago
Bears at the White House, Oct. 7, 2011. The visit was a makeup trip for the Super
Bowl XX champions, whose 1986 reception was cancelled due to the Space Shuttle
Challenger tragedy.
• Chief of State
• On September 30th, President Obama authorizes a predator drone airplane flying over
Yemen to assassinate accused terrorist leader Anwar al-Awlaki.
• Commander in Chief
Democratic Primaries
Republican Primaries
Democratic presidential candidates compete to
become the Democratic candidate for president
Republican presidential candidates compete to
become the Republican candidate for president
Democratic National Convention
Republican National Convention
The Democrats choose their candidate for
president
The Republicans choose their candidate for
president
Election Day
The voters choose the candidate they prefer
Inauguration Day – January 20th
The President takes office
If you were running the next presidential election, which states would be
important for you to win in the Electoral College?
States with large numbers of electors: CA, TX, NY, FL, OH, IL,
Why do you think the framers of the Constitution created the Electoral College?
The did not trust the people to choose the right person
Presidential Election of 2000
Popular Vote:
Electoral College Vote:
George W. Bush
Al Gore
50,456,002
50,999,897
271
266
Examine the data for presidential election of 2000. What problem can occur with
this system?
The person who wins the most votes from the public might not win in the electoral
college