Ap Gov Unit 2: Chapter 5

personally I think this chapter wasn't so bad

Informal Powers

Powers not laid out in the constitution but used to carry out presidential duties.

Treaty

An agreement with a foreign government negotiated by the president and requiring a two thirds vote in the Senate to ratify.

State of the Union Address

The annual speech from the president to Congress updating that branch on the state of national affairs.

Presidential Pardon

Presidential authority to release individuals convicted of a crime from legal consequences and set aside punishment for a crime.

Executive Privilege

A right claimed by presidents to keep certain conversations, records and transcripts confidential from outside.

Cabinet

The group of heads of the 15 executive departments who advise the president and run their agencies.

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

A set of offices that directly support the president with policy, budgeting, and communications.

Veto

The president’s constitutional power to reject a bill passed by Congress.

Pocket Veto

A veto that occurs when the president takes no action and Congress adjourns within 10 days, preventing the bill from becoming law.

Commander-in-Chief

The president’s role as head of the U.S. armed forces.

Executive Agreements

International agreements made by the president that do not require Senate approval.

Executive Orders

Directives from the president that tell federal agencies how to implement and enforce laws.

Signing Statements

Written comments issued when the president signs a bill, often explaining how the law will be interpreted or enforced.

Bargaining and Persuasion

The president’s use of negotiation, relationships, and political capital to influence Congress and other actors.

Bully Pulpit

The president’s high‑visibility platform to shape public opinion and pressure policymakers.

Chief Diplomat

The president’s role in directing U.S. foreign policy, including recognizing governments and appointing ambassadors.

War Powers Resolution

A law requiring the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops and to end deployments after 60 days without Congressional authorization.

Power of the Purse

Congress’s authority to raise and spend money, including funding or defunding executive actions.

Oversight Hearings

Congressional investigations and hearings used to monitor and check executive branch behavior.

Judicial Review

The courts’ power to declare executive actions unconstitutional.

Federalism

The division of power between the national government and the states.

Presidential Appointments

The president’s power to choose people for key executive and judicial positions, with many picks requiring Senate approval.

Senate Confirmation

The Senate’s process of approving or rejecting many presidential nominees through hearings, committee votes, and a floor vote.

Advice And Consent

The Constitution’s requirement that the Senate review and approve certain presidential actions, especially nominations and treaties.

Article II, Section 2

The part of the Constitution that gives the president appointment power and requires the Senate’s advice and consent for many nominations.

Judicial Appointments

The president’s selection of federal judges—Supreme Court, appellate, and district—subject to Senate confirmation.

Life Tenure

Federal judges serve during 'good behavior,' meaning no fixed term and removal only by impeachment.

Bureaucracy

The network of federal departments and agencies that implement and enforce laws and policies.

Divided Government

When different political parties control the presidency and one or both chambers of Congress.

Gridlock

A situation where political disagreement prevents Congress from passing laws or acting on the president’s agenda.

Supreme Court Justices

The nine members of the Supreme Court who serve for life and set nationwide legal precedents.

Article II

The part of the U.S. Constitution that creates the executive branch and outlines the president’s core duties and powers.

Formal Powers

Powers of the presidency that are explicitly listed in the Constitution.

Veto Power

The president’s ability to reject a bill passed by Congress.

Treaty-Making

The president’s power to negotiate treaties that take effect only with Senate approval.

Appointment Power

The president’s authority to nominate federal judges, ambassadors, and top officials, usually requiring Senate confirmation.

Federalist No. 70

Hamilton’s essay arguing for a single, energetic executive to ensure unity, decisiveness, and accountability.

22nd Amendment

A constitutional amendment that limits the president to two elected terms (or a maximum of 10 years).

Stewardship Theory

The view that the president may act for the public good unless the Constitution explicitly forbids it.

Limited View

The view that the president can only do what the Constitution or laws clearly authorize.

Habeas Corpus

A legal protection requiring the government to bring a detained person before a judge and justify the detention.

FDR’s Fireside Chats

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s radio addresses in the 1930s–40s used to explain policies and calm public fears during crises.

Public Opinion

The collective attitudes and preferences of the public about issues, leaders, and institutions.

Approval Ratings

Poll-based measures of how many people approve of a president’s job performance.

Traditional Gatekeepers

Journalists and news outlets that historically filtered and framed political messages before the public saw them.

Agenda-Setting

The power to influence which issues the public and government see as most important.