1. United States Constitution 101
Separation of Powers
The 3 branches of government
United States Constitution 101

2. Article I: Legislative Branch
Bicameral:
Senate
2 Senators for each state
House of Representatives
Based on population
Representatives serve 2 year terms
Senators serve 6 year terms
Important Powers:
Make laws
Set taxes
Declare war
Override Vetoes
Borrow money
Regulate international and national trade
Print money
Establish Post Offices
Regulate Immigration
Approve Treaties

3. Article II: Executive Branch
President and Vice President are elected to 4 year terms
Qualifications:
At least 35 years old
14 year resident of the US
Natural born citizen
Elected by the Electoral College
Important powers:
Commander-in-Chief
Grant pardons
Make treaties
Appoint justices of the Supreme Court
Ensure laws are executed
Appoint his Cabinet

4. Article III: Judicial Branch
US Supreme Court Justices serve for LIFE.
Declare laws and acts of the Legislature & Executive UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
What cases do they hear?
Anything dealing directly with the US Constitution
US Law
Treaties & Ambassadors
Maritime Laws (seas)
Two or more states
Between a state and citizens of another state

5. Checks and Balances (where do they go?)
Declares acts of Congress Unconstitutional
Declares acts of President Unconstitutional
Creates Lower federal courts
Veto’s legislation
Impeaches judges
Impeaches the President
Overrides a President’s veto
Grants Pardons
Appoints Supreme Court Justices
Proposes laws
Approves Judges
Ratifies Treaties
Runs the military once war has been declared
Controls Appropriations

6. NC Branches

7. Legislative Branch Powers: Passes statutes (laws for the state)
General Assembly: House & Senate
Powers:
Passes statutes (laws for the state)
Sets up local governments through charters.
determines the powers of executive/state agencies
debates/approves the state’s budget
override veto (3/5 vote)

8. Initiative V. Referendum
Initiative: when the people start an action in an effort to propose a new law
Referendum: when the people vote on the initiative

9. Legislative Problem:
Gerrymandering when officials make voting districts that have all their supporters so they never lose office.

10. Gerrymandering
Redrawing district lines in a state to favor a particular political party
A way politicians cheat in order to be elected!
12th District of Mel Watt

11. If you were an North Carolina Senator and you “gerrymandered” your district, how would this benefit you?

12. Incorporation: all state laws, city town ordinances must follow the 14th Amendment and the Bill of Rights
What court case?

13. Executive Branch Governor & Lieutenant Governor Represents NC
Powers:
Represents NC
Appoints cabinet members
proposes state budget
veto legislation (line item veto)
Lieutenant Governor: takes over if Gov. dies, also is the “president of the senate” and has the tiebreaking vote in the NC Senate.
Elected separately

14. Spotlight on the NC governor’s Veto power:
The NC governor was given the veto power in 1996, this strengthened the executive branch and gave the governor more say over the legislative process.

15. Line-Item Veto V. Presidential Veto Powers of Pres. V. Governor
Line-Item Veto: The Governor may veto parts of a bill he disagrees with and keep the parts he agrees with
Presidential Veto: an “all or nothing” decision. The president must approve or reject the entire bill.

16. Commissioner of Agriculture Commissioner of Insurance
Council of State: 8 ELECTED heads of state agencies advise the governor
Secretary of State
Attorney General
Commissioner of Agriculture
Commissioner of Insurance
Commissioner of Labor
Superintendent of Public Instruction
State Treasurer
State Auditor

17. Cabinet- 10 Heads of state agencies appointed by the Governor
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Crime Control & Public Safety
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Transportation

18. Judicial Branch (NC Article IV):
State Supreme Court (7 elected justices, serve 8 yr terms): power of judicial review.
Court of Appeals (15 Judges)
Superior Court (46 districts)
District Court (39 county)
Every case must work its way up the court system
EXCEPT: Death Penalty “Capital Punishment” cases go directly from Superior to Supreme Court.

19. Create 3 Ven-Diagrams outlining the similarities between the Federal branches and their state counterparts (one for each branch)