U.S. Government

1. U.S. Government U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

2. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

3. Quick Facts about the USA • National Independence: • Motto: • Largest Cities: • Border Countries and Oceans: • Population: • Land Area: • Highest Point: • Lowest Point: • Largest State: • Smallest State: • National Bird: • National Flower: • National Anthem: U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

4. Quick Facts about the USA • National Independence:July 4, 1776 • Motto:In God We Trust • Largest Cities:New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose • Border Countries and Oceans:Canada, Mexico, Atlantic Ocean,Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean • Population:298,444,215 (July 2006 est.) • Land Area:3,615,123 sq. mi. (9,375,720 sq. km.) • Highest Point:Mt. McKinley, Alaska, 20,320 ft. (6194 m.) above sea level • Lowest Point:Death Valley, California, 282 ft (86 m.) below sea level • Largest State:Alaska • Smallest State:Rhode Island • National Bird:Bald Eagle • National Flower:Rose • National Anthem:The Star-Spangled Banner U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

5. What is the capital of the United States of America? NYC ??? U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

6. Washington, D.C. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

7. New York City was the first capital once the Constitution was ratified. • This is where Congress met. • George Washington took the oath of office from the balcony of the old City Hall to become the first President of the United States. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke Source: http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/nation/capital.html

8. George Washington had to decide on a permanent location for the country’s seat of government. • The capital was moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1791 for ten years and then to a suitable permanent location on the Potomac River. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke Source: http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/nation/capital.html

9. The new capital included land from the states of Maryland and Virginia (primarily farm and marsh lands.) U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke Source: http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/nation/capital.html

10. The "Federal City“ (Washington City, The District) • On June 11, 1800, Philadelphia was no longer the seat of government. • The capital of the United States now had a permanent home in Washington, District of Columbia U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke Source: http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/nation/capital.html

11. Branches of Government U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke Source: http://www.house.gov/putnam/graphics/branches.jpg

12. Branches of Government • The Founding Fathers • Form a government that did not allow one person to have too much authority or control U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

13. Branches of Government • The framers wrote the Constitution to provide for a separation of powers, three separate branches of government. • Each has its own responsibilities. • Checks and Balances • A branch may use its powers to check the powers of the other two in order to maintain a balance of power among the three branches of government. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

14. Checks & Balances U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

15. e.g., John G. Roberts, Chief Justice U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

16. Legislative Branch U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

17. Legislative Branch • Congress and Government Agencies • such as the Government Printing Office and Library of Congress • Article I of the Constitution established this branch and gave Congress the power to make laws. • Congress has two parts: • the House of Representatives and • the Senate. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

18. The Powers of Congress: • Some of the congressional powers are: • Coining money (deciding what the legal tender is). • Maintaining a military. • Declaring war on other countries. • Regulating interstate and foreign commerce • And more … U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

19. How laws are made … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

20. US educational series • Songs about educational topics, e.g., politics, history, grammar, math, science • Broadcasted on American Broadcasting Company (ABC): 1973 - present U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

21. How laws are made … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

22. The voters from Representative Jones' state constituents want a law requiring seatbelts on school buses.  He and his staff write a bill, which is a draft (early version) of the proposed law. The bill is then passed out to each Representative.  A Standing Committee (a small, permanent group made up of legislators who studies and reports on bills) reviews the bill and does one of three things: 1.  Sends the bill back with no changes.2.  Makes changes and sends it back.3.  Tables the bill -- In other words, they can do nothing. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

23. If the committee sends it back with no changes, then the bill goes on the House's calendar to be voted on.  When that day comes, the bill is voted on and a majority of the representatives (218 of 435) must vote yes to pass it. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

24. If the bill is passed by the House, it then moves to the other branch of Congress, the United States Senate.  The bill goes to a Senate committee, which studies the bill, and then is voted on by the senators.   Just as in the House, over half of the senators (51 of 100) must vote yes to pass the bill. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

25. If the bill is passed in both the House and Senate, the bill goes to the President of the United States.  If the president signs the bill, it then becomes a law.  It may also become law if the president does not sign it for 10 days.  If the president rejects, vetoes the bill, it can still become a law if two-thirds of the House and two-thirds of the Senate then vote in favor of the bill. • A bill may begin in either the House of Representatives or the Senate.  So, Senator Smith could introduce a bill of her own just like Representative Jones.  This bill would take the same steps only it would begin in the Senate instead of the House of Representatives. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke Source: http://images.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http://www.house.gov/putnam/graphics/branches.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.house.gov/putnam/pages/kidspage.htm&h=352&w=558&sz=41&hl=de&start=1&um=1&tbnid=TgK7pF9gTfLmNM:&tbnh=84&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbranches%2Bof%2Bgovernment%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dde

26. Judicial Branch Source: http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/Images/Federal%20Courts.jpg U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

27. Judicial Branch • Article III of the Constitution established the judicial branch of government with the creation of the Supreme Court. • This court is the highest court in the country. • Courts decide arguments about the meaning of laws, how they are applied, and whether they violate the Constitution. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

28. Executive Branch U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

29. Executive Branch Food and Drug Administration Federal Emergency Management Agency U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

30. Executive Branch • This branch makes sure that the laws of the United States are obeyed. • The President is the head of the executive branch of government. • President: Leader of the country and commands the military. • Vice President: President of the Senate and becomes President if the President can no longer do the job. • Departments: Department heads advise the President on issues and help carry out policies. • Independent Agencies: Help carry out policy or provide special services. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

31. The next president of the United States of America? U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

32. President: Requirements and Term • The President and the Vice-President are the only officials elected by the entire country. • Requirements for these positions: • at least 35 years old • have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years • natural-born U.S. citizen • The President serves a term of four years. At most, a President may serve two terms. • FDR – 4 terms, 1933-1945 • The 22nd Amendment limits Presidents to two terms. • The President can be removed from office through the process of impeachment. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

33. What does the president do? • Generally viewed as the head of the U.S. Government • His power is limited by the Constitution. Constitutional Powers of the President: • Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces • Make treaties, with two-thirds consent of the Senate • Receive ambassadors and other public ministers from foreign countries • Appoint ambassadors, Supreme Court justices, federal judges, and any officials as provided for by the Congress, with the approval of the Senate • Give an annual State of the Union Address to Congress • Recommend legislation to Congress • Convene Congress on extraordinary occasions • Adjourn Congress, in cases of a disagreement about adjournment • "Take care that the laws be faithfully executed" • Fill in administrative vacancies during Congressional recesses • Grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the U.S. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

34. If something were to happen to the president, who would take over the office?What is this order called? Order of Succession U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

35. Order of Succession • According to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, if the President of the United States is incapacitated, dies, resigns, is for any reason unable to hold his office, or is removed from office (impeached and convicted), people in the following offices, in this order, will assume the office of the President, provided they are qualified as stated by the Constitution to assume the office of the President, which means they have to be must be at least 35 years old, must be a natural-born U.S. citizen, and have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years. • Vice President • Speaker of the House • President Pro Tempore of the Senate • Secretary of State • Secretary of the Treasury • Secretary of Defense • Attorney General • Secretary of the Interior • Secretary of Agriculture • Secretary of Commerce • Secretary of Labor • Secretary of Health and Human Services • Secretary of Housing and Urban Development • Secretary of Transportation • Secretary of Energy • Secretary of Education • Secretary of Veterans Affairs • Secretary of Homeland Security U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

36. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

37. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

38. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

39. Election Process U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

40. Voter Registration • Any citizen over the age of 18, and who meets certain state requirements, may vote in Federal elections. • In the past, there were many restrictions on who could vote. • Only white male landowners over the age of 21 • Constitutional Amendments (15th, 17th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, and 26th) and passage of certain pieces of legislation have extended voting privileges to more and more citizens. • It is everyone's civic responsibility to vote, but in order to do so you must be registered. • Requirements for registration and registration deadlines vary from state to state and the District of Columbia. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

41. Voter Registration Card U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

42. Electing the President and the Vice President • How does one become President of the United States? The following steps outline the general process for presidential elections. Step I: Primaries and Caucuses • There are many people who would like to become President. • In these elections (primaries and caucuses), party members vote for the candidate that will represent their party in the upcoming general election. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

43. Step 2: National Conventions • After the primaries and caucuses, each party holds a national convention to finalize the selection of one Presidential nominee. • Each Presidential candidate chooses a running-mate (or Vice-Presidential candidate). Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, 1984 John Kerry, 2004 U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

44. Step 3: The General (or Popular) Election • Candidates campaign throughout the country in an attempt to win the support of voters. • In November, the people vote for one candidate. • Indirect Election: • When a person casts a vote in the general election, they are not voting directly for an individual Presidential candidate. Instead, voters in each state actually cast their vote for a group of people, known as electors. • These electors are part of the Electoral College and are supposed to vote for their state’s preferred candidate U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

45. Step 4: The Electoral College • Each state has a certain number of electors, based on each state's total number of representation in Congress. • Each elector gets one electoral vote. (A large state like California has 54 electoral votes, while Rhode Island has only four. All together, there are 538 Electoral votes.) • In December (following the general election), the electors cast their votes. When the votes are counted on January 6th, the Presidential candidate that gets more than half (270) wins the election. The President-elect and Vice President-elect take the oath of office and are inaugurated two weeks later, on January 20th. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

46. Electoral Votes for the 2008 Election Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Electoral_College U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

47. Source: http://elections.journalnow.com/graphics/26ELECTORAL_COLLEGE.gif U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

48. How states currently select electors: • Presidential elector candidates are nominated by their state political parties in the summer before the Election Day. (Each state provides its own means for the nomination of electors.) • All states require the names of all Electors to be filed with the Secretary of State (or equivalent) at least a month prior to election day. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Electoral_College#How_states_currently_select_electors U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

49. U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke

50. How can the loser of the popular vote win the election? U.S. Government Rachelle Renee Rinke Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Electoral_College