1. Forming a New Government

2. Constitutional Convention
Delegates meet in Philadelphia in May 1787
Want to improve the Articles of Confederation
12 states (no R.I.) send 55 delegates
Best minds there –Franklin, Hamilton, Madison, Washington, etc. Madison:”Father of Constitution”
Jefferson, Adams, Henry not present
No women, African-Americans, Native-Americans

3. Great Compromise Big states want representation based on population
Little states want equal representation
Roger Sherman proposes “Great Compromise”
Bicameral- two houses make up Congress
Senate- each state has two senators (2x50=100)
House of Representatives- based on population, total of 435, reps now reapportioned after census

4. Legislative Branch Legislative branch also called Congress
Made up of Senate and House of Representatives
These are the lawmakers
Requirements:
Senate House
-30 years old years old
-U.S. citizen 9 yrs. -U.S. citizen 7 yrs.
-Live in state elected -live in state elected -term: 6 yrs -term: 2 yrs

5. Legislative Branch = Congress
House of Representatives
total of 435
Senate
2 sen. X 50 states=100

6. Executive Branch Executive branch is headed by the president
He is responsible for enforcing the nation’s laws
Requirements for president/VP:
-35 years old
-natural born citizen
-live in U.S. 14 years
-term is 4 years

7. Judicial Branch The Judicial Branch is headed by the Supreme Court
They are judges that interpret the law and actions based on the Constitution
There are no formal requirements for the court
The term is for “life” and they are appointed by the president and approved by the Senate

8. Power Conservation Framers are paranoid about 1 person/group’s power
Separation of powers-Gov’t power is split between 3 branches/prevents 1 branch from being too powerful
Checks & balances- one branch can “block” another prevents 1 branch from being too powerful

9. Three Branch Government

10. Electoral College President is not elected by the popular vote
Winner of each state’s popular vote gets all the state’s electoral votes
Each state has as many electoral votes as they have members of Congress
AZ has 8 congressmen and 2 senators for 10 votes
(*AZ now has 9 as a result of the 2010 census)
If Bush won by even one popular vote, he gets all 10
Bush beat Gore in 2000 even though he lost the popular vote!
26th amendment lowers voting age to 18

12. 2008 Electoral Results

13. Presidential Line of Succession
If the president dies, becomes incapacitated, resigns, or is removed from office, he/she will be replaced
There is an order for replacement:
Vice President
Speaker of the House
President Pro Tem of the Senate
Secretary of State, etc.
The Gov’t tries to ensure that all people on the list aren’t in the same place at the same time (designated survivor)

14. Order of Succession
According to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, if the President of the United States is incapacitated, dies, resigns, is for any reason unable to hold his office, or is removed from office (impeached and convicted), people in the following offices, in this order, will assume the office of the President, provided they are qualified as stated by the Constitution to assume the office of the President, which means they have to be must be at least 35 years old, must be a natural-born U.S. citizen, and have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.
Vice President
Speaker of the House
President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Secretary of State
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defense
Attorney General
Secretary of the Interior
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Labor
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary of Transportation
Secretary of Energy
Secretary of Education
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Secretary of Homeland Security

15. The President’s Cabinet
George Washington had a group of advisors that became known as his “cabinet”
Presidents have continued this tradition
There are 15 cabinet positions in the executive branch(ex: Sec’y of State, Sec’y of Defense, Attorney General, Sec’y of Transportation, etc.)

16. Pick One Branch - One Pager
(Pgs. 267, 276, 280)
A One-Pager is a way of responding to a information on a single sheet of paper. It represents your own written and graphic interpretation of what you have learned. It may be very literal (just based on the facts or information in the piece) or it may be a symbolic representation of the piece. It helps you as a learner to visualize what you have learned.
Directions:
Must be on standard sized, unlined paper
Must fill the entire page, using pictures and words
Writing must be in pencil, ink, or typed = QUALITY WORK!
Include a title and your name and class period
Required Elements: (may be arranged on the page in any way you Choose)
1. Must have 8 or more informational blurbs (facts) from the PowerPoint or textbook. (information about the branch that you like or think is most important).
2. Must have a graphic representation: drawing, magazine picture, or computer graphic that ties to the piece you read and the quotes you chose

17. Pick One Branch – One Song
(Pgs. 267, 276, 280)
Write a song about one of the Branches of the Government. Be sure to use as many facts about the branch as possible.
Minimum of four Stanzas (2 lines each)
Create/Include a title for your song
Use a modern song you like (pop, rock, rap etc.) as long as you change the lyrics to include facts about the branch.
As a last resort: use a simple nursery rhyme for the music/rhythm.
Mary had a little lamb.
Row, row, row your boat.
Twinkle, twinkle little star

18. Pick One Branch – One Acrostic Poem
(Pgs. 267, 276, 280)
Write a flowing acrostic poem (uses a phrase for each letter, not just a single word) to show your knowledge of one of the Branches of the Government.
Should be on white copy paper, neatly written in pencil, ink or typed
You may include pictures too