1. Integrated Social Studies Madison Southern High School
The Executive Branch
Integrated Social Studies Madison Southern High School

2. Key Terms 01
Define the following key terms by using your red Civics book, starting on page 240.
You will need to keep this list as we prepare for the next unit exam.
Executive Branch
Foreign Policy
Ambassadors
Executive Agreements
Domestic Policy

3. Key Terms 02
Define the following key terms by using your red Civics book, starting on page 249.
You will need to keep this list as we prepare for the next unit exam.
Bureaucracy
Administration
Cabinet
Treaties
Executive Privilege

4. Job Description
The Constitution assigns the president two roles: chief executive of the federal government and Commander in Chief of the armed forces. As Commander in Chief, the president has the authority to send troops into combat, and is the only one who can decide whether to use nuclear weapons. As chief executive, he enforces laws, treaties, and court rulings; develops federal policies; prepares the national budget; and appoints federal officials. He also approves or vetoes acts of Congress and grants pardons.

5. Lesson 01 - Objective
I CAN – describe the constitutionally defined powers of the executive branch of government.

6. Establishing the Presidency
The presidency was established by Article II of the Constitution.
It asserts that “the executive power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.”
By vesting the executive power in a single president, the framers were emphatically rejecting proposals for various forms of collective leadership. What does this mean?

7. Qualifications Must be a natural-born citizen of the U.S. 35 years old
Lived in the United States for at least 14 years
Congress sets the presidential salary ($400,000) – vice-president ($230,700).
Do you believe that the president should be a natural-born citizen?

8. The Basics Not designed to provide unlimited presidential powers.
Also did not list many specific powers.
Elected to a four year term, with a maximum time in office of two complete terms.
President must carry out Congressional laws.
Abide by Supreme Court rulings.

9. Commander in Chief Maintains civilian authority over military.
Military leaders and specialists make daily decisions.
War Powers Resolution (1973) – 60+ days of combat, requires Congressional approval.

10. Chief Diplomat
Represents the United States during diplomatic relations with other countries.
Lead the country in determining our foreign policy.
Makes treaties with other nations (the Senate has the ability to reject a treaty).
Senate approves ambassadors that the president chooses for office.

11. Expressed Powers
The president is specifically authorized to – make treaties, grant pardons, and nominate judges and other public officials.
The powers cannot be revoked by Congress or any other agency without an amendment to the Constitution.
One other key expressed power is the ability to command the military forces.

12. Implied Powers
An implied power is one that can be considered necessary to allow the president to exercise his expressed powers.
For example, the Constitution provides the president with the power to appoint “all other officers of the United States.” It does not, however, expressly grant the president the power to remove them from office.
However, presidents throughout time have claimed that the power to remove individuals from office was implied.

13. True or False? The president gets paid to throw large parties.
TRUE – Chief of State
The president can declare war if America’s national security is threatened.
FALSE – Only Congress has the power
The president has the power to appoint ambassadors.
TRUE - Chief Diplomat

14. True or False?
The president has the right to withhold information from Congress if he thinks it would endanger America.
TRUE – Executive Privilege
No president has ever made it to the highest office without being elected to either the presidency or vice-presidency.
FALSE – Gerald Ford was not elected to either post
The president is allowed to campaign for other candidates in his own party that are running for office.
TRUE - Chief of Party