Constitutional Foundations of the Presidency

Flashcards based on lecture notes about the Constitutional Foundations of the US Presidency.

What were the pre-Revolutionary executives?

The English Crown and Colonial Governors.

What was a key feature of the Articles of Confederation regarding the executive branch?

There was no executive branch under the Articles of Confederation.

What were some problems at the time of the Articles of Confederation due to lack of executive power?

War debts, foreign policy issues (like piracy), and public order problems (like Shays' Rebellion).

What were the key features of the Virginia Plan?

Two-chamber legislature, representation based on state population, lower chamber elected by the citizenry.

What were the key features of the New Jersey Plan?

A single-house chamber with equal representation for each state.

What were the key features of the Great Compromise?

Two-chamber legislature with representation based on population in the House and equal representation in the Senate.

What roles does the President have according to the Constitution?

Commander in chief, head diplomat, chief executive, power to pardon.

Who chooses the President if there is no majority in the Electoral College?

The U.S. House of Representatives

How many paragraphs does Article 1 (Congress) of the Constitution contain?

51

How many paragraphs does Article 2 (President) of the Constitution contain?

13