Originally from http://www.slideshare. net/rkalaukoa U.S. Government Structure & Function Declaration, Articles of Confederation & U.S. Constitution
Jun 23, 2015
Originally from http://www.slideshare.net/rkalaukoa
U.S. Government Structure & FunctionDeclaration, Articles of Confederation &
U.S. Constitution
Articles of Confederation 1777-1781 Our 1st form of government Established the name of the united states Had many problems Unicameral (one house) legislature called
Congress created from representatives of the 13 states
One vote per state Weak central government No national courts No power to tax No money meant no army Important laws had to be approved by at least
9 states
Articles of Confederation No executive officer to enforce laws No way to control trade between states No way to settle quarrels between
states States had more power
They could tax They had courts States could make currency
Constitutional Convention 1786
Annapolis, MD (aborted due to lack delegates) 1787 – Constitutional Convention
Philadelphia Independence Hall George Washington – president Not all agreed Compromises made Virginia plan-large state plan James Madison New Jersey plan-small state plan Ratified 1788
Preamble “We the People of the United States,
in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Article 1
Legislative Branch Purpose
Make laws 2 houses or bodies of Congress
House of Representatives Senate
House of Representatives 435 members
Based on population (about 1 for every 500,000)
Each state gets at least one representative Term- 2 years
Unlimited terms Qualifications
25 US Citizen- 7 years Resident of state Male or female
Senate 100 Total Senators 2 from each state Term
6 years, 1/3 every of Senators up for re-election every 2 years
Unlimited terms Qualifications
30 years old Citizen for 9 years Resident of the state Male or female
Senate Leaders of the Senate
Vice President - Currently V.P.-Joe Biden Senate pro-tempore - Currently Harry Reid
(D., Nevada) Checks & Balance
Senate has Power of impeachment They are the Jury in the impeachment trial
General information about Congress
Congress (with a capital C) is the name for both the U.S. House of Representatives and The US Senate
Both meet in: Capitol Building in Washington DC Paid the same, approximately $174,
000 a year.
Lawmaking process Job of Congress is to get laws passed to make sure
our country is running smoothly How pass laws
An idea in the form of a “bill” is introduced either in the House of Reps or the Senate
Revenue laws (money laws like taxes, or refunds, etc must start in the House of Representatives)
It goes to a committee where it is heard, fixed, and voted on If it is approved in committee it goes to the floor of the
whichever house it started in and gets voted on. If it passes the first house, then it goes to the next house
Example: Bill introduced in the House of Reps, goes to a House of Reps committee, is voted on in committee and passes, then it goes to the “floor” of the House of Reps and is voted on. If it passed then it is sent to the Senate and the same process starts over again.
Lawmaking Process Bill must be passed by both houses of
Congress Sent to President to sign or veto If President vetoes the bill, Congress needs
a 2/3 vote in both houses to over rides the veto
If President doesn’t act in 10 days, bill automatically becomes law if Congress is in session
Judicial Branch interprets laws to ensure they are within the limits of the Constitution
Duties of Congress, not states, Article 1, Section 8 Money-power to raise, borrow, coin
money Defense-power to declare war, to raise
and support military Ex post facto law
Congress can’t convict someone of an act if that act was legal at the time when it occurred.
Postal duties Make treaties
Federal system (federalism) Delegated Powers- Powers only
belonging to the federal gov’t Ex.-military, postal system, standards,
copyrights, commerce, immigration, declaration of war
Concurrent Powers- shared federal and state powers Ex.- general welfare, courts, levy taxes,
banks, borrow money Reserved Powers-Powers belonging only
to state gov’ts Ex.-schools, local gov’t, marriage regulations
General information about Article 1 – The Legislature
Congress can’t tax goods exported from any state
Each citizen must treat citizens of other states the same as their citizens
Article 2 – The Executive Branch
Purpose to Enforce laws Consists of
President Vice President 15 cabinet members
President Takes office on Jan. 20 following an
election year Term Limits
4 years 2 terms – set by the 22nd amendment
Office located - White House Current President:
Barack Obama
Qualifications & General information Age at least 35 Natural born citizen Live in US for 14 years Male or female General Info:
Only 1 resigned from office - Richard Nixon
Only 1 appointed to office - Gerald Ford 1st African American – Barack Obama
Election of President Electoral college
538 total electoral votes Need 270 to win
If no candidate gets a majority of electors House of Reps decides Each state gets 1 vote
Inauguration Jan. 20
Presidential duties Can call both houses into special
session Veto power Makes appointments for ambassadors,
judges, 15 cabinet members (they must be confirmed by the Senate)
Commander-in–chief Prepares annual budget
Ready by Jan., presented to Congress 2 biggest expenditures
Defense and Social Security
Order of succession
Vice President Speaker of the House President pro-tempore Cabinet- Sec. of State
Cabinet - 15 Sec. of State – foreign affairs Attorney General – chief legal officer Sec. of Defense – defense Sec. of Agriculture – farm programs Sec. of Treasury – coinage and printing of money and
secret service Sec. of Health and Human Service – health and social
security Sec. of Energy – energy programs Sec. of Interior – natural resources and parks Sec. of Labor – settles strikes, working conditions Sec. of Homeland Defense – oversees protection of U.S. Sec. of Education – education Dept. of Transportation – transportation and Coast
Guard Sec. Commerce – industry and business
Article 3 - Judicial Branch
Purpose-to interpret laws and decide on the constitutionality of laws
Federal court system has 3 courts U.S. Supreme U.S. Appellate or Court of Appeals U.S. District
Judicial Branch Judges are appointed by the President Approved by Senate
Term for life No qualifications
Supreme court 9 justices Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr.
(conservative) Supreme Court Building in Washington DC
Checks and Balances
Executive Branch- Vetoes Legislative Branch -passes by 2/3
vote in each house Judicial Branch– declares law
unconstitutional
Articles 4 - 7
4 rights of the states 5 how to amend the constitution 6 constitution is supreme law of
the land 7 how the constitution would be
ratified (approved)
Amendments-27 1-10 Bill of Rights 1 speech and press 2 bear arms 4 privacy 6 speedy trial 9 enumeration 12 election of president 13 no slavery
Amendments-27 14 citizenship for blacks 15 black men the right to vote 16 income tax 18 prohibition 19 women right to vote 21 repeal 18 22 president’s term 26 vote at 18