The executive branch

The Executive Branch 

( POTUS,VPOTUS, Cabinet and Agencies) ARTICLE TWO 

  • 47 POTUS’s (9 have not finished 

  •    4 died( Harrison, Taylor, Harding + FDR) 

  • 4 were assassinated ( McKinley, Garfield, Lincoln, and Kennedy)  

  • 1  Resigned ( Richord Nixon) 


  • 2 have served non-consecutive terms 

  • -  Grover Cleveland (22nd-24th) 

  • Donald trump 


Former Speaker -James pollk 

Sc Chief Justice- W. Howard. 




Sec. !- Requirements + Characteristics of POTUS

There are 3 formal requirements 

  1. Age: 35 years old (youngest: JFK) (oldest: Donald Trump)

  2. Citizen: Since Birth (Natural born citizen) 

  3. Resident: 14 Years 


Common Characteristics of the 47 POTUS’:

  1. Political experience:

Most (almost all) had some sortt of job in government before becoming POTUS. 

  • House(19)

  • Senate(17)

  • Governors of state(17)

  • VPOTUS(15)

  1. Military Experience:

Many of the 47 POTUS have served in the military. From low level to high-level generals, and some are military heros. 

  • George Washington (Revelutionary war)

  • U. Grant (Civil War) 

  • D. Eisenhower (WWll)

  • JFK (WWll-hero) 

  1. Weath:

Most were extremely wealthycompared to regular citizens. Some examples are:

  • Trump( Real estate, hotels + Golf)

  • Bush( oil)

  • Carter (peanuts)


  1. Fame/ name known before running for POTUS

Many are known in the Country before running for POTUS. 

  • Trump( TV Show) Ronald Reagan ( Actor)


  1. Education

Recently, this has become more important. Many have masters, and law degrees from ivy league colleges. 


  1. “Rizz” AKA Charisma 

  • Confident, Charming, secure, outgoing,  leader, ego, personable, extrovert, 


  1. Morals and Ethics

  • Proper decisions (Not criminals) 


  1. Articulate. 

  • Great speaking/ verbal comunication

  • Obama 

  • Bill Clinton 

  • Ronald Reagan. 

  • FDR

  • Kennedy

  • Lincon




  1. Attractive

  • With so much video, TV, pictures and social media it helps a great deal. 

  • First TV debate: Nixon v. Kennedy ( KENNEDY WON AND BECAME POTUS)


  1. Gender: 

  • All 47 are males


  1. Race 

  • 46 of 47 have been white. 


  1. Religion

All have been christian only 2 catholics ( JFK and Biden) 



  1. Geography 

  • Most of the early POTUS’  have come from big statesin the eastern side of the country 

  • Virginia

  • New York 

  • Ohio

  • Massachusets 

Pennsylvania only has one (James Buchanan) 




Five Amendments Related to POTUS. 

Easy to hard


23rd Amendment: Voting for residents 0f Washington DC. 

  • Before 1961, Washington DC did not vote for POTUS. It was to be a city for government offices ONLY. However it grew to be over 1 million people living there. They demanded to vote. Washington DC has 3 Electoral college votes. 

  • Washington DC has always voted for democrats. (16 times) 


22nd Amendment: Two term limit. 

  • Before FDR, every POTUS honored George Washington by stepping down after 2 terms. Until F. Roosevelt in the late 1930s, when people asked himt o run for a third and 4th term he wins both. He died during his 4th term (year 12). Passed after he died. 


20th Amendment: Moved up the Starting Date. 

  • Before 1933, because travel was difficult in the winter the new POTUS didn’t start until march. The POTUS was elected in November but didn’t start till March. 94 months of change, too long). This amendment moved the starting date to January 0th at NOON. This shortened the “lame duck period.” 

  • Lame duck period- the time period when the POTUS has been voted out but is still in power until the switch. 


12th Amendment: Changed How the Electoral College votes for POTUS. 

  • For the first 4 elections, the Electoral College got 2 votes each and both for POTUS. Winner becomes POTUS and second place becomes VICE POTUS. It was possible to have two parties as POTUS and VICE POTUS and not get along. Since the 12th Amendment the POTUS selects the VICE POTUS before the election(same party). ELECTORAL COLLEGE votes for them as a pair.


25th Amendment: Explains How VICE PRESIDENT takes over

4 Parts:

  1. VICE POTUS becomes POTUS.

  2. The new POTUS must appoint a new VICE POTUS IMMEDIETLY 

  • Approved by Congress. ‘

  1. The POTUS can voluntarily give power to the  VICE POTUS for a temporary period of time. 

  2. VICE POTUS can FORCIBLY take power from the POTUS for a temporary time or permanently. 

  • VICE POTUS + Majority of the POTUS cabinet to agree.