Caleb B - The Three Branches of Government - Unit 3 Project

The Three Branches of The United States Government

American Government Project

Created by: Caleb B

Part 1.1

• The three branches of the United States government:

The Executive BranchThe Judicial BranchThe Legislative Branch

Part 1.2The powers of the Executive

Branch

The power to approve or veto a law created by the Legislative Branch.

The power to make treaties with leaders of other countries.

The power to be the boss of every government worker.

The power to authorize the use of troops overseas without declaring war.

The power to nominate the 14 Secretaries of the executive departments and the Attorney General.

The power to appoint justices to the Supreme Court.

The powers of the Judicial Branch

The power to decide arguments about the meaning of laws, how they are applied, and whether they break the rules of the Constitution. To rule whether an action is unconstitutional.

The power to change a Supreme Court decision through another Supreme Court decision.

The power to decide cases that challenges the Constitution.

The powers of the Legislative Branch

The power to make laws.

The power to write, debate, and pass bills.

The power to approve the making of money.

The power to approve or disapprove, the presidents declaring of war on other countries.

The House: The power to start laws that make people pay taxes.

The House: The power to decide if a government official should be put on trial before the Senate if s/he commits a crime against the country.

The Senate: The power to say yes or no to any treaties the president makes with leaders of other countries.

The Senate: The power to say yes or no to any people the president recommends for jobs, such as the cabinet officers, Supreme Court justices or ambassadors.

The Senate: The power to hold a trial for a government official who does something very wrong.

Part 1.3

• In article one of the constitution is where you can find the powers of the Legislative branch.

• In article two of the constitution is where you can find the powers of the Executive branch.

• In article three of the constitution is where you can find the powers of the Judicial branch.

Part 1.4

The powers of the United States National Government are divided into three parts for some basic reasons.

1. To prevent any one entity; whether of one, a few, or many from gaining absolute tyrannical control of the government. With the Constitution the founding fathers helped prevent tyrannical control by implementing the system of “Separation of Powers” for the three branches.

2. To help the country run smoothly and to assure that the rights of citizens are not ignored or disallowed. This reason helped the founders to implemented the system of “Checks and Balances” by imposing limits on all branches of government by giving each the right to amend acts of the other branches.

Part 1.5

The pros of this system of government: It helps prevent anyone entity whether of one, a few, or many from gaining absolute tyrannical

control. It helps promote teamwork among the three branches do to the system of “Checks and Balances.” It helps make the country run smoothly and assures that the rights of citizens are not ignored or

disallowed.

The cons of this system of government: It slows the processes of government action, because of the system of “Checks and Balances.”

Part 2.1The Executive Branch

(Key Players)

The President: George W. Bush The Vice President: Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney

Member of the President’s cabinet: Secretary of State: Condoleezza Rice

The Judicial Branch

(Key Players)

The Chief Justice: John G. Roberts Jr. Justice: John Paul Stevens Justice: Antonin Scalia Justice: Anthony Kennedy Justice: David H. Souter Justice: Clarence Thomas Justice: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Justice: Stephen G. Breyer Justice: Samuel Alito

The Legislative Branch

(Key Players)

President of Senate: Dick Cheney Speaker of the House: Nancy Pelosi Senate Majority Leader: Harry Reid Senate Minority Leader: Mitch McConnell Senate Majority Whip: James E. Clyburne Senate Minority Whip: Roy Blunt

Part 2.2

The role that the President plays in the Executive Branch is head of the executive branch. Approves or disapproves laws that congress passes. He serves as the American Head of State, meaning that he meets with the leaders of other countries and can make treaties with them. He is the Chief of the Government meaning that he is technically the boss of every government worker. Lastly, the president is the official head of the U.S. military.

The role that the Vice President plays in the Executive Branch is president of the Senate and becomes president if the United States President can no longer do the job do to incapacitation, dying, resigning, is for any reason unable to hold the office, or is removed from office (impeached or convicted).

The role that the Secretary of State plays in the Executive Branch is to handle foreign policy, be head of the United States Department of State. To be fourth in the presidential line of succession. To be the first member in the order of precedence in the Presidents cabinet.

The role that the President plays is important for effective teamwork, because in every team you need a leader.

The role of the Vice President is important for effective teamwork, because on every team you need a helper, relief or a backup. One that can come in and do the same or even better job if the main leader is out of the game.

The role of the Secretary of State is important because you need a team member to create relationships with your opponents; good relationships are probably best.

The Executive Branch

Part 2.2Continued

The Judicial Branch

The role that the Chief Justice of the United States plays on the Judicial Branch is 1 - Overseeing the day-to-day tasks of the court. 2 - Chairman of the Judicial Conference of the United States. 3 – Having one vote that is equal to the associate justices. 4 - Responsible for the administrative leadership of the entire federal judicial system. 5 - Oversees the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. 6 - May choose to write the Court's opinion, or to assign the task to one of the Associate Justices. 7 - Sits as the judge in impeachments of the President of the United States.

The role that the Justices of the United States plays on the Judicial Branch is having one single vote in deciding the cases argued before it. A Justice may write the courts opinion if the Chief Justice chooses.

The role of the Chief Justice is important for effective teamwork for the same reasons for the Presidential role; to be the leader of the team.

The role of the Chief Justices is important for effective teamwork, because on this Judicial team every team-member needs to do their one main part; which is to cast their vote for the case being argued.

Part 2.2Continued

Vice President

Casts tie breaking vote on legislative issues in the Senate.

Speaker of the House

Presides over the House when it is in session, controls many aspects of the House of Representatives daily workings and is second in line for the presidency after the vice president.

Senate Majority Leader

To be the chief Senate spokesmen for their party and to manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the Senate. Has priority in obtaining recognition to speak on the floor of the Senate given by the Presiding Officer.

Senate Minority Leader

To be the chief Senate spokesmen for their party and to manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the Senate. Has priority in obtaining recognition to speak on the floor of the Senate given by the Presiding Officer.

Senate Minority Whip

Responsible for mobilizing votes within their parties on major issues.

Senate Minority Whip

Responsible for mobilizing votes within their parties on major issues.

These roles are important, because on this Legislative team there needs to be many members for the many jobs in the Legislative Branch.

Legislative Branch

Part 2.3

• The players on the Executive Branch teamwork with each other to promote team effectiveness through goal setting. They set goals of importance through meetings that the presidents cabinet agrees upon when they meet once a week to discuss matters that effect the United States.

• The president sets goals according to there importance when he has to meet with foreign leaders.

• The players on the Judicial Branch teamwork with each other to promote team effectiveness through shared decision-making. The Associate Justice and the eight Justice have one vote, which are all equal to each other, therefore they share in the decision about the case being decided upon.

• The Judicial team also works together through conflict management. There are many conflicts to resolve, so the Supreme Court members have to decide what cases and conflicts are most important that need to be resolved.

The Legislative Branch teamwork with each other to promote team effectiveness through the consensus building, negotiation and compromise. They meet at the consensus building once a year to write, debate, and pass bills. Negotiation takes place on the floor of the consensus building as parties negotiate about certain issues. Compromise is another tool used by the Legislative Branch. For example, one party, 1st, does not want a bill to be passed that spends money on new fences but they want the other party, 2nd, to pass a bill allowing more spending on new bridges, which the 2nd party does not want. For 1st. Party to get money for bridges and the 2nd party to get money for new fences, then both parties will agree to give each other a little money, or work another deal.

Part 3.1First Action: The Legislative Branch could act by creating a new law prohibiting citizens from owning weapons, such as

guns. Then, the President, George W. Bush, could veto the new law.

Or The President, George Bush, could approve the bill, but do to the second amendment, the Judicial Branch could

rule the new law to be unconstitutional.___________________________________________________________________________________________Second Action: The president, George W. Bush, could act by making a treaty with a foreign country. But the Legislative Branch could make a law prohibiting such action, which, if the law were constitutionally

all right, could gain the support of Supreme Court Justices and Chief Justice, John G. Roberts Jr.Or

The Legislative Branch could say yes to the treaty, but the Judicial Branch could have a court session and rule that the treaty is legal or illegal.

___________________________________________________________________________________________Third Action:The Judicial Branch could rule that an action of the Executive and Legislative Branch broke the rules of the

Constitution. If the Executive and legislative Branch do not like the Supreme Courts ruling then the president, George W.

Bush, could appoint new justices to the Supreme Court and the Legislative Branch could say yes to the people that the president appoints.

Or The Legislative Branch could agree with the Judicial Branch ruling and say no to the people that the President

recommends.

Part 4.1

• Ranking the three branches of government from most powerful branch to the least powerful would be as follows:

#1 = Judicial Branch #2 = Executive Branch #3 = Legislative Branch

• The Judicial Branch has the most power, because it has the final decision. It has the power to rule an action or law unconstitutional.

• The Executive Branch is ranked second, above the Legislative Branch, because it has the power to veto any new law created by the Legislative Branch.

• The Legislative Branch is last, ranked third, because the Judicial and Executive Branch, working together, can prevent any bills or law passed by the Legislative Branch.

Part 4.2

• Teamwork within each branch is important to the function of are government, so that the many things that need to be done in the U.S. government will be done if each branch does their own part.

• Teamwork among the three branches is important, so that the countries governmental business matters can be taken care of without having one entity taking complete control of all decisions. The system of checks and balances helps prevent complete tyrannical control, because it gives each branch the right to amend acts of other branches.

And

Part 4.3

• The experience of a tyrannical government in England influenced the U.S. founding fathers to create the three branch government. The difficulty for the three branches to work together helps prevent tyrannical authority arising; because for one branch to unjustly, cruelly and harshly oppress the other two branches is difficult do to the rights each branch has to amend acts of the other branches.

Part 4.4• What I like about this system of government and why I feel

this way. I like the separation of powers. It prevents tyrannical

authority of one entity. I like that each branch can prevent actions of another branch.

It produces compromise. I dislike that each branch has different amounts of

power/authority. It cause instability, and aids the corruption and fall of this system of government.

Part 5.1

About this unit project?What I liked about this project was the organizational plan of it, which helped me

retain information, in an organized fashion, within my conscious.

What I disliked about this project was having to research the names of the key players. I disliked this part of the project, because it took me outside my comfort zone within eClassroom. But, the information helped me so much, because it took me out of the darkness of ignorance. Now, my discomfort has been vanquished.

(Discomfort) =

Part 5.1Continued

Development Objective

+4 pts. I used accurate, specific, purposeful information that was extended and expanded to fully explain the topic found on part 1.4 of this PPP. For example, I gave a reason why the three branches of government were divided into three branches, then expanded the information with what the founders implemented into the constitution, in order that the three branches be divided.

Organization Objective

+4 pts. I followed the organizational plan created by the instructor, and included each of the parts and followed the directions within each. I number each slide numerically, so even through I did not type the specific name for each part in the beginning of each slide; I did follow the organizational plan and included each of the parts. (Part one-section one = [1.1] and etc.) I followed with great detail and organization the direction within each part; as you can witness.

Attention to Audience Objective

+4 pts. I, correctly, provided information relevant to the needs of audience. I tried to fill all parts of the project with the correct amount of information without overwhelming the audience. I did a good job of filling all parts of the project with relevant information to the needs of the audience without overwhelming the audience.

Language Objective

+4 pts. I provided language choices to enhance the project effectively. For example, in part 4.3 I used correct terminology and used words such as: “Unjustly, cruelly and harshly oppress..” and “Tyrannical authority..”