American national government ch 4

elector college

the system used in the United States where each state’s appointed electors formally cast votes to decide the president and vice president based on the outcome of the state’s popular vote

twelfth amendment

ratified in 1804, changed the presidential election process by requiring electors to cast separate votes for president and vice president to prevent ties and confusion like in the election of 1800

election of 1824

saw Andrew Jackson win the most popular and electoral votes but not a majority, so the House chose John Quincy Adams as president, leading Jackson’s supporters to denounce a “Corrupt Bargain” between Adams and Henry Clay.

veto power

president’s authority to reject a bill passed by Congress, preventing it from becoming law unless both houses override it with a two-thirds vote.

take care clause

found in Article II of the Constitution, requires the president to ensure that the laws of the United States are faithfully executed.

appointment power

president’s authority to nominate individuals to key government positions, such as federal judges, ambassadors, and executive officials, usually with Senate approval.

treaties and executive agreements

are formal agreements between the U.S. and other nations that require approval by a two-thirds vote in the Senate

executive agreements

are made directly by the president with other countries and do not need Senate approval

commander in cheif

president’s role as the head of the U.S. armed forces, giving them authority over military operations and decisions.

impeachment

is the process by which the House of Representatives formally charges a president or other federal official with misconduct, after which the Senate holds a trial to decide whether to convict and remove them from office

twenty fifth amendment

ratified in 1967, clarifies presidential succession and allows for the vice president to become acting president if the president is unable to perform their duties

expansion of executive power

the growth of authority and influence held by the president beyond the powers explicitly granted by the Constitution.

executive office of the president

group of agencies and advisors that help the president carry out duties and implement policies.

inaugural address

the speech a president gives after taking the oath of office to outline their vision, goals, and priorities for their term.

chief executive

the role of the president as the head of the executive branch, responsible for enforcing laws and managing the federal government.

war powers resolution

a law that limits the president’s ability to send U.S. forces into combat without congressional approval.

president’s cabinet

is a group of top advisors and heads of executive departments who help the president make decisions and implement policies.

Theodore Roosevelt

had a more expansive view of presidential powers than many of his nineteenth-century predecessors. He argued that “the executive power was limited only by specific restrictions appearing in the Constitution or imposed by Congress under its constitutional powers.”

Woodrow Wilson

likewise declared that the president “is at liberty, both in law and conscience, to be as big a man as he can. His capacity will set the limit”