Civics 2.2 Study Guide

What are the length of presidential terms and what are the basic qualifications for someone to run for president?

The president can only serve for two 4-year terms

To be president, you have to be at least 35 years old, a U.S. citizen by birth, and a resident of the U.S. for at least the last 14 years

What are some of the powers of the president?

Can veto or reject bills passed by Congress

Can call Congress into Special Session

Commander in Chief of the armed services

Receive leaders/officials of foreign countries

Make treaties with other countries (must be approved by the Senate)

Appoint heads of executive agencies, federal court judges, ambassadors, and other top government officials (must be approved by the Senate)

Pardon or reduce the penalties against people convicted of federal crimes

What is the order of presidential succession? Know first 5.

President → Vice President → Speaker of the House → President Pro Tempore → Secretary of State

Explain how a state gets it total number of Electoral College votes and what the Electoral College does.

Electors from each state select the president and vice president

When you vote, you are actually voting to tell an Elector who to vote for

Each state has as many electors as the total number of its Senators and representatives in the House (larger states have more electors than smaller)

Name ways in which the executive branch can “check” and “balance” the power of the others.

Veto power: The President can reject bills passed by Congress to stop them from becoming law

Special Sessions: The President can call Congress together for special sessions in times of need

Agenda setting: The President delivers the State of the Union address to recommend laws and policies to Congress

Appointing judges: The President nominates federal judges, including Supreme Court justices, for life terms

Pardoning power: The President can grant pardons or reprieves for federal crimes, which lessens or removes a court-imposed sentence

What are the specific tools of foreign policy?

Alliances

• creating treaties and executive agreements

• treaties - formal agreement between two or more countries

• executive agreement - agreement between the President and the leader of another country

Diplomacy - relations carried out between countries

• appointing ambassafors

• ambassador - official representative of a country’s government

• president appoints ambassadors and Senate approves them

Foreign Aid - money, food, military assistance, and supplies given to other countries

International Trade - president can make agreements with other countries about trading

• trade sanctions - effort to punish a country by imposing trade barriers

• embargo - refusing to trade with a foreign nation

Military Force - president can use the military to carry out foreign policy

Intelligence - information about another country

• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

What are the goals of U.S. foreign policy?

National security - keeping the country safe

International trade - U.S. has a global economy; trade is vital for economic prosperity

Promoting world peace

Promoting democracy and human rights

• Freedom, justice, equality

What does the Presidential role Commander in Chief do?

is the head of the U.S. military

Can deploy the U.S. military and order military missions

Limited by the War Powers Act (Congress must be notified of deployments and approve within a set time period)

What does the Presidential role Legislative Leader do?

sets goals/proposes ideas for laws to Congress

call Congress into Special Session

What does the Presidential role Head of State/Chief of State do?

ceremonial leader of the U.S.

holds ceremonial meetings with celebrities and foreign dignitaries

distributes medals, leads national ceremonies, etc

What does the Presidential role Economic Leader do?

helps create/approve the U.S. budget

What does the Presidential role Party Leader do?

leader of their political party

What does the Presidential role Chief Diplomat do?

in charge of foreign policy

can make treaties (must be approved by Senate)

can make executive agreements with foreign leaders

meets with foreign leaders

What does the Presidential role Chief Executive do?

enforces or carries out the laws of the United States

can give executive orders (like laws; can be ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court)

serves as the head of the United States

gives the state of the union address (yearly speech of current situation and plan for future)

sets the goals of the country

Why is the executive branch broken down into departments/agencies? Explain the purpose of the Cabinet.

The reason the executive branch is broken down into departments is to have a division of labor with specific areas of expertise. This division makes it so that the federal government can handle a great amount of tasks at one time, allowing large-scale operations to be possible. The Cabinet is divided into 15 of the most important bodies so they can advise the President on decisions relating to the duties of each office. It also has a hand in the presidential line of succession, ensuring government continuity in a crisis.