1. The 3 Branches AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

2. 3 Branches  The American Constitution outlines a three branch government, which was a departure from the one branch system in the Articles of Confederation  The three branches include:  Legislative Branch  Bicameral- Senate and House of Representatives  Executive Branch  Judicial Branch

3. Legislative Branch  The Legislative Branch is made up of two houses  The Senate is the senior or more prestigious house. There are two Senators for each state.  The House of Representatives is the junior house and representation is determined by the population of each state

4. The Legislature  Expressed and Enumerated-  5 deal with economic legislation  Taxes, borrowing money, regulate commerce (commerce clause), coin money, punish counterfeiting  7 provide for defense  Punish piracies, to declare war, raise and support armed forces, to call forth the militia, and to organize the militia  5 of the rules outline such things as  Naturalizing citizens, establishing post offices, securing patents and copyrights, establishing courts, and governing the District of Columbia.’  And finally the Elastic clause

5. The Legislature  The legislative branch of government was designed to be the focal point of American government  The legislative branch’s primary job is to pass laws

6. The Executive  The president has broad but vague powers.  “The executive shall be vested in a President of the United States of America”  The main role of the President to faithfully execute the laws passed through the legislature  This position was created due to the weaknesses inherent in the Articles of Confederation

7. Powers of the Executive  Specific Powers  Commander in chief of the armed forces and state militias  Appoints (with approval) heads of executive departments  May pardon people convicted of federal crimes  Makes treaties with consent of Senate  Appoints ambassadors, federal judges, and other top officials with Senate consent.  Delivers an annual State of the Union address  Calls Congress into special sessions  Meets with Heads of State, Ambassadors, and other foreign officials.  Commissions military officers  Ensure that the laws Congress passes are “faithfuly executed”

8. The Judicial Branch  There are two different court systems in the United States.  One system consists of the federal courts, whose powers are derived from the Constitution and federal law.  The second includes the courts from each of the 50 states whose powers derive from state law and constitutions.

9. The Unwritten Constitution  Unwritten Constitution  The unwritten Constitution consists of traditions, precedents, and practices incorporated into our form of government that add to the Constitutions elasticity and its viability  i.e. political parties, the presidents cabinet, political action committees, and the federal bureaucracy are important examples

10. Checks and Balances