American Government

1. American Government Jacob Sturt Grade Nine American Government Social Studies Content Standard:14.Law and public policy are created and implemented by three branches of government; each functions with its own set of powers and responsibilities.

2. Menu • Content Slide • Video • Executive Branch • Judicial Branch • Legislative Branch • Checks and Balance • State Government • Supreme Court • State vs. Federal • State Governments and Education • Local government • Interstate Clause • Supremacy Clause • Why we have this government? • Crisis with the government • How it Works • Real World Examples • Why it Matters?

3. Content Slide • Grade 9 • American Government • Content Standards • Law and public policy are created and implemented by three branches of government; each functions with its own set of powers and responsibilities • Get students involved by calling them up to pick a subject to learn about.

4. Video

5. Executive Branch • Is the head of the government, enforces the laws created by congress. • Headed by the president, who is informed by the cabinet. • President is elected every 4 years.

6. Judicial Branch • Is headed by the Supreme Court. • Reviews laws that are created to make sure they are constitutional • Can review all rulings of all courts below it.

7. Legislative Branch • Is the body that is created to make the laws for the government. • Representative from every state make up the congress. • The senate has two representatives from every state for six year terms • The House of Representatives is based on the population of the state and they serve two year terms.

8. Checks and Balances • The Three branches all have ways to be able to check and balance each others power. • The President can veto a law by congress, and congress with two-thirds vote can override it. • The supreme court can declare laws and rulings as “unconstitutional”.

9. State Government • State governments play a unique role in the government, and are in charge in areas in which the Federal government is not involved. • Ex. Education

10. Supreme Court • The Supreme court is the “law of the Land” • The Supreme Court consist of 9 life long members who are nominated by the President and approved by the Senate. • The hear case and decide the constitutionality of laws

11. Federal vs. State • Often times federal rule and state rule interfere with each other. • The founders afraid of this decided to give ultimate control to the Federal Government

12. State Governments education • The state governments play a crucial role in education • They are mostly in charge with the funding and the supervision of schooling in their states

13. Local governments • Local governments play a crucial role in the United States • They control the utilities, help with education, provide for police and fire departments • Often are headed by mayors and boards

14. Interstate Commerce Clause • The interstate commerce clause says that people, and goods can travel across state lines freely. • Imagine if there was a tax every time you went up to Michigan or wanted to send something to Michigan

15. Supremacy Clause • It is the law that says what the federal government says goes no matter what. • It places the federal government in charge of the states

16. Why we have this government? • This government was set up because we were fearful of having a tyranny like great Britain had formed. • The States and Federal both interact with each other in order to keep other in line so neither one becomes too powerful.

17. Crisis with the Government • The civil war is a classic example of what happens when state and federal government disagree • The South decided that they did not what to follow the federal law of banning slavery • As a result they succeeded from the Union

18. How it Works • The government we have works because it balances the power of the government with out allowing someone to get too powerful. • The government is a sort of watchdog over it self in order to make sure it does not become to powerful

19. Real World Examples • Both the Gay Marriage and legalization of pot have pitted states against the federal government. • In one state it is legal for pot, like Colorado, but in Ohio it isn’t so what happens?

20. Why it Matters • It is important to understand the government because: • We all vote! • To know our rights! • To be well informed citizen! • To be able to participate In our democracy!