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Understanding Checks and Balances in Government

Explore how the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the U.S. government check and balance each other's powers, with real historic examples and quiz questions. Learn about the veto power, impeachment process, judicial review, and more.

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Understanding Checks and Balances in Government

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  1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAF9XY5bEKY

  2. Please quickly quietly efficiently get into groups of three

  3. #1-Executive checking Legislative • Power: President can veto laws passed by Congress

  4. TIE BREAKER BONUS: • What president made the veto? (1928)

  5. #2- Legislative checks Executive • Congress can override a presidential veto with a 2/3 majority vote

  6. TIE BREAKER BONUS: • What president’s veto was overridden? (1944)

  7. #3- Legislative checks Executive • Congress can impeach the president (charge him with a crime) and remove him from office

  8. TIE BREAKER BONUS: • What president was being impeached? (1868)

  9. #4- Legislative checks Executive • The Senate ratifies (approves) treaties made by the President

  10. #5- Judicial checks Executive • Judicial Review- Supreme Court can declare Executive Acts unconstitutional

  11. #6- Judicial checks Legislative • Judicial Review- Supreme Court can declare laws passed by Congress unconstitutional

  12. TIE BREAKER BONUS: The Child Labor Act was said to “usurp” state function. What is the only type of “commerce” that Congress is allowed to regulate?

  13. ROUND 2- WHO could CHECK WHOM?: • You are given a headline from an actual historic occurrence. In each instance, a separate branch responded to the event in the headline by using its powers to check • For this round,correctly identify which branch used their power to respond to the headline

  14. (1946) Fred Korematsu arrested for ignoring Executive Order 9066 • Japanese American claims his arrest for refusing to go to detainee camps violated his rights as an American citizen Japanese_American_Internment_Center.jpg

  15. JUDICIAL • BRANCH • EXECUTIVE • BRANCH

  16. TIE BREAKER BONUS: What Constitutional right might the Japanese internment camps violate?

  17. (1998) President Clinton signs the Kyoto Protocol • President Clinton signs international climate control treaty to cut down American pollution • Some economists fear economic damage in America if we comply with the treaty

  18. EXECUTIVE BRANCH LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

  19. (1990) Is flag burning free speech? Eichman claims the “Flag Protection Act” denies him free speech www.newyorktimes.com

  20. JUDICIAL • BRANCH LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

  21. TIE BREAKER BONUS: The Supreme Court’s ruling, that the Flag Burning Act is unconstitutional, can be checked….. How?

  22. 2006- Congress passes bill to fund stem cell research on aborted embryos • Religious leaders concerned “it crosses a moral boundary that our decent society needs to respect."

  23. EXECUTIVE BRANCH LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

  24. (1936)- Public is outraged at Roosevelt’s veto of bill paying bonus World War I veterans

  25. EXECUTIVE BRANCH LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

  26. (1974) Did President Nixon commit a crime? • Evidence mounting that Nixon committed obstruction of justice in the White House by thwarting investigation into the Watergate scandal

  27. EXECUTIVE BRANCH LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

  28. Final Round- 3 pts • In the following 1987 New York Times story, 3 examples of checks are referenced. Name all 3 correctly… • 1 pt each

  29. www.time.com

  30. Legislative checking Executive • Executive checking Judicial • Legislative checking Judicial

  31. The system of checks and balances is best illustrated by the power of • the President to veto a bill passed by Congress • Congress to censure one of its members • a governor to send the National Guard to stop a riot • state and Federal gov-ernments to levy and collect taxes

  32. Which historical event best demonstrates the operation of checks and balances? • President George Washington used the Army to suppress a tax rebellion by Pennsylvania farmers • South Carolina seceded from the Union over the issues of slavery and States rights. • President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent Federal troops to enforce the integration of public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. • The Senate approved the appointment of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court.

  33. A system of checks and balances was included in the United States Constitution because the authors were concerned about • one branch of government becoming too strong • the states having too much power • the people having a voice in government • the military gaining control of the United States

  34. Which feature of the unwritten constitution is part of the system of checks and balances? • the cabinet • judicial review • political parties • legislative lobbies

  35. Which newspaper headline shows the operation of the system of checks and balances? • “Senate Rejects President’s Choice of Supreme Court Justice” • “Florida To Gain Two Seats in the United States House of Representatives” • “Albany County Receives $4 Million from Congress for Transportation Development” • “New York State Rejects Federal Regulations on Drug Testing”

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