The American Nation Chapter 8 – Section 2 How the Federal Government Works Copyright © 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, Upper.

The American NationThe American Nation

Chapter 8 – Section 2How the Federal

Government Works

Copyright © 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.

Things look for when taking notes…Things look for when taking notes…

• Key Terms• What is and how does the Legislative Branch work?

• House of Representatives v. Senate• Powers of Congress?• Elastic Clause?• Committee – what are they and how do they work?

• What is and how does the Executive Branch work?• Roles of the President?• How is the President elected? – electoral college?

• What is and how does the Judicial Branch work?• Supreme Court?• Lower Courts?

• What is the system of Checks and Balances?• Vetoing• Overriding• Impeaching

Chapter 8, Section 2

How the Federal Government WorksHow the Federal Government Works

• What are the powers of the legislative branch?

• What roles does the President fill as head of the executive branch?

• How is the judicial branch organized?• How can each branch of the government

check the powers of the other two?

Qualifications for Representatives and Senators (:46)

Qualifications for Representatives and Senators (:46)

Terms for Representatives and Senators (:43)Terms for Representatives and Senators (:43)

Chapter 8, Section 2

I. The Legislative Branch: CongressI. The Legislative Branch: Congress

B. House of Representatives

• 435 members• Number of

representatives for a state is based on that state’s population

• 2-year terms• Leader of the House is

the Speaker.

C. Senate• 100 members• Two senators per state• 6-year terms• Leader of the Senate is

the Vice President of the United States. When the Vice President is away, the president pro tempore takes over.

A. Established by Article I of the Constitution.

What Legislative Representatives Mean (:51)What Legislative Representatives Mean (:51)

Powers and Duties of the Legislative Branch (3:39)

Powers and Duties of the Legislative Branch (3:39)

Chapter 8, Section 2

D. The Legislative Branch: The Powers of Congress

D. The Legislative Branch: The Powers of Congress

D. Listed Powers and Duties of Congress• To make laws• To levy taxes• To borrow money• To coin money• To establish post offices• To fix standard weights and measures• To declare warE. Elastic Clause• Congress can “make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper” for

carrying out its duties.F. Committees• Congress relies on these to aid with the great amount of bills that are

introduced. (10,000 each year)• Permanent or Standing Committees deal with a specific topic • Joint Committees – made up of both Senate and House members• Conference Committees – settles differences between House and Senate

versions of the same bill.

Process of Making Laws (2:38)Process of Making Laws (2:38)

Chapter 8, Section 2

E. How a Bill Becomes a LawE. How a Bill Becomes a Law

Bill—a proposal for a law

The Congress GameThe Congress Game

Object of the Game: Take a bill and move it through Congress to become a law. What you need:• Groups of 4• Game board• Spinner• Cup of Cheerios to represent your bill and mark the spinnerWhere to begin:• Where do bills start?• House CommitteeHow to play:• Drop a cheerio on the spinner to see the path bills take to become laws• Choose a secretary to record how many bills become laws and home many bills die

in the allotted time frame. • Play for 10 minutes• Take quiz as a group.Discussion:• How many bills died and how many passed?• Discuss answers to the quiz.

Most Powerful Position in the World (:56)Most Powerful Position in the World (:56)

The President’s Cabinet (1:55)The President’s Cabinet (1:55)

The Powers and Duties of the Executive Branch (2:19)

The Powers and Duties of the Executive Branch (2:19)

The President’s Responsibilities to Congress (1:14)

The President’s Responsibilities to Congress (1:14)

Limitations to the President’s Power (2:12)Limitations to the President’s Power (2:12)

Chapter 8, Section 2

F. The Executive Branch: Powers and Duties of the President

F. The Executive Branch: Powers and Duties of the President

1. To carry out the nation’s laws2. To direct foreign policy3. To make treaties4. To appoint ambassadors5. To act as Commander in Chief of the armed

forces6. To suggest new laws and work for their passage7. Can grant pardons8. Can call special sessions of Congress9. To stand as a symbol of the nation

Chapter 8, Section 2

G. Electing the President: Presidential FactsG. Electing the President: Presidential Facts

• The President is elected for a 4-year term.• The President may be elected to no more than two

complete terms. (Amendment XXII)• The President is elected by a complex system known

as the electoral college.• When Americans vote for President, they are really

voting for a group of electors pledged to the candidate.

• A few weeks after Election Day, the electors meet in each state to vote. The candidate who receives a majority of the electoral votes nationwide becomes President.

Chapter 8, Section 2

G. Electing the President: The Electoral CollegeG. Electing the President: The Electoral College

The Supreme Court (2:01)The Supreme Court (2:01)

Supreme Court Justices (1:35)Supreme Court Justices (1:35)

Supreme Court Cases (2:22)Supreme Court Cases (2:22)

Supreme Court Decisions Supreme Court Decisions

Other Supreme Court Responsibilities (2:24)Other Supreme Court Responsibilities (2:24)

Limits on Power of Supreme Court (1:05)Limits on Power of Supreme Court (1:05)

H. The Judicial BranchH. The Judicial Branch

1. Article III of the Constitution establishes the Supreme Court and gives the power to Congress to establish any other courts that are necessary.

2. Judiciary Act of 1789 – Under this law, Congress established the system of federal courts

3. Lower Courtsa. Most federal cases begin in district courtsb. Disagreement with the decision can lead to appeal - asking that the decision be reviewed by a higher courtc. Appellate Courts – Review decisions of district courts to decide whether the lower court judges interpreted and applied the law correctly.

4. Supreme Court – top of the American Judicial Systema. Made up of a Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justicesb. Justices are appointed by the President and approved by Congressc. Justices serve for lifed. Main job is to serve as the nation’s final court of appeals – “the court of last resort”e. Decisions rest on a majority vote of at least 5 justicesf. A limited amount of cases are heard by the Supreme Court each year.g. Decides what the Constitution means – The Court can declare whether acts of the President or laws passed by Congress are unconstitutional (not allwoed under the Constitution)

Chapter 8, Section 2

H. The Judicial BranchH. The Judicial Branch

Important Issues Facing the Supreme Court (1:40)

Important Issues Facing the Supreme Court (1:40)

Chapter 8, Section 2

I. Examples of Checks and BalancesI. Examples of Checks and Balances

One branch checks another branch by doing the following

President Congress vetoing, or rejecting, bills Congress has passed

Congress President overriding, or overruling, the President’s veto

Congress President approving or disapproving Presidential appointments

Congress President ratify or not ratify treaties the President has negotiated

Congress President The House can impeach, or bring charges of wrongdoing against, the President. The Senate then conducts a trial.

Supreme President and Congress declaring laws unconstitutional

The Balance between the Legislative and the Executive (1:58)

The Balance between the Legislative and the Executive (1:58)

Checks and Balances between Legislative and Executive Branches (1:29)

Checks and Balances between Legislative and Executive Branches (1:29)

Chapter 8, Section 2

Section 2 AssessmentSection 2 Assessment

Only Congress has the power toa) make foreign policy.b) declare war.c) decide cases involving federal laws.d) select electors.

Only the President has the power toa) make foreign policy.b) declare war.c) decide cases involving federal laws.d) select electors.

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Chapter 8, Section 2

Section 2 AssessmentSection 2 Assessment

Only Congress has the power toa) make foreign policy.b) declare war.c) decide cases involving federal laws.d) select electors.

Only the President has the power toa) make foreign policy.b) declare war.c) decide cases involving federal laws.d) select electors.

Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.