1. Article 1: The Legislative Branch Article 2: The Executive Branch Article 3: The Judicial Branch

2. The House of Representatives  Each state has a number of representatives based on population  2 year term  At least 25 years old  U. S. citizen for 7 years  Only group allowed to impeach  No term limits The Senate  Each state has 2 Senators  6 year term  At least 30 years old  U. S. citizen for 9 years  Presides over impeachment trials  Approves Presidential appointments  No term limits

3. To impose taxes To borrow money for the United States To regulate trade To declare war To decide how to spend money To make laws To coin money Suspend habeas corpus (right to be told why you are being imprisoned) in times of war Page 227-228 in your book

4. Most of work in Congress is done in committees This is where a bill really starts Some Congressional Committees are Transportation, Defense, Taxation, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Science

5. President and Vice President Must be a natural born citizen Must be 35 years old Lived within the United States for the last 14 years 2 term limit (4 years each)

6. Framers intended Congress to be the most powerful branch of the government As a result the Constitution offers few details about the powers of the President Presidents have often handled this lack of detail by taking actions they believed were necessary in doing their job Once a President committed one of the acts it became ok for following Presidents to do the same Called setting a precedent Ex. Washington’s Cabinet

7. Commander and chief of the armed forces Making treaties and nominations Temporary appointments The President may veto a bill

8. Give a “State of the Union” address to Congress once a year He shall receive foreign ambassadors and other public ministers Enforce the laws Negotiate treaties with foreign nations

9. The President is elected by the Electoral College, not the votes of each individual citizen Each state has the same # of electoral votes as they do representatives The electoral votes in each state should follow the popular vote (majority). For example, if the majority of Illinois voted for President Obama, then all the electoral votes for Illinois should go to President Obama.

11. Consists of the Supreme Court and other, lesser federal courts Duty is to interpret the laws Can declare laws unconstitutional Can declare executive actions (actions done by the President or Vice President) unconstitutional Once appointed Supreme Court Justices cannot be removed from office unless they break the law

12. Most federal cases begin in district courts If a party disagrees with a decision made in a district court they may appeal the decision The case then goes to the Appellate or Court of Appeal Court cases can be filed under federal or state jurisdictions. Most trials are filed under state jurisdictions b/c they involve state laws.

13. The Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices No term; serve until retirement or death Supreme Court Justices can be impeached Nation’s final court of appeal Majority Vote decides cases Majority Opinion: document that explains Constitutional reasons for decisions Minority Opinions: optional but may be submitted by dissenting justice given reason why they disagree

14. Established in 1803 in Marbury vs. Madison Declare acts of the President or laws created by Congress to be Unconstitutional Not allowed under the Constitution