Executive Branch Study Guide

Essential Questions: How is the Electoral College Process used to select the President of the United States? How do the President’s specific job roles determine his powers and responsibilities? How is the power of the executive checked by the Constitution and tradition? Why is the Cabinet considered an essential feature of the Executive Branch? How has the role of the Cabinet evolved?

EXECUTIVE: The Executive branch consists of the President, Vice-President, and various departments and independent agencies. Its main job is to enforce the laws made by Congress. The President serves as leader of the country and commander-in-chief of the military, the Vice-President serves as President of the Senate, department heads advise the President on policy issues, and departments and independent agencies help execute policy and provide special services. The President’s Cabinet is usually made up of the Vice President and the heads of the 15 executive departments.

The road to becoming President of the United States most always includes meeting specific qualifications, entering primary elections, caucuses, and gaining the nomination of a political party. The person who wins the majority of votes in the Electoral College is officially elected President and serves for four years until the next election. A president may serve for a maximum of two terms. President’s duties include making treaties, appointing ambassadors, Supreme Court justices and federal judges, and recommending legislation to Congress. For a variety of reasons, the power of the presidency has expanded since the nation’s founding.

The President 1. Qualifications 2. Terms 3. Benefits Roles of the President 1. Chief of State 2. Chief Executive 3. Commander in Chief 4. Chief Legislator / Chief Agenda Setter 5. Chief Politician 6. Chief Diplomat / Foreign Policy Leader 7. Chief Jurist Powers of the President (Formal / Informal) 1. Executive Powers a. Executing the Law i. Executive Orders (Informal) b. The Appointment Power c. The Removal Power d. Executive Privilege (Informal) 2. Diplomatic and Military Powers a. Make Treaties b. Executive Agreements (Informal) c. Diplomatic Recognition d. Military Powers i. Committing Troops ii. War Powers Act 3. Legislative and Judicial Powers a. Legislative i. Recommending Legislation ii. Vetoing iii. Lobbying b. Judicial Powers i. Reprieve ii. Pardon iii. Commutation 4. Limits on Presidential Powers 1. Checks (Formal/Informal)

Cabinet

Presidential Succession 1. 25th Amendment 2. Presidential Disability 3. Vice-Presidential Succession 4. Line of succession