Ch. 6, Lesson 1 - Presidency Overview, Answers

Name ___

Date ___

Period ___ HR __

The Federal Government

Chap. 6 -- Executive Branch: The Presidency

Directions: Using your textbook, chapter 6, pg. 207, complete the outline below.

I. The Office of the President

1. Introduction

1. The President is the head of the executive branch_ of government.

2. The President is considered to be _by many, the most powerful person/position in the

world.__Leader of the free world.

3. There are only three official constitutional qualifications to be president:

a. be 35 years old___

b. be a natural-born citizen ___

c. be a resident of the U.S. for fourteen (14) years_

B. Characteristics of Presidents

1. all white males, but one 2. most come from large states

3. many have been lawyers_4. all were Protestant Christians, but one

5. most are college-educated _ 6. opportunities now exist for others due to modern media

C. Presidential Elections

1. Elections held every four_ in years divisible by four____.

2. Election is done indirectly by the Electoral College__, with each state

getting a number of electors(NJ = 14) equal to its number of representatives_

and senators. Washington, D.C. gets three votes. (538 total)

3. A majority of 270 votes is needed to win election. If no majority is won, then the

House of Reps. decides the election, which has happened only twice.

4. Electors vote in each state_ in December, with Congress announcing the

winner officially in _early January. January 20th – Inauguration Day

D. Terms of Office

1. Following Washington's lead, no president served more than two terms__, until Franklin

Roosevelt, who won four terms in a row!_.

• The 22nd_ Amendment limited the president to two elected terms, or a maximum of ten years, if the presidency began during another’s term.

3. Salary and other Monies

a. Since 2001, salary is $400,000/yr.__ b. Residence: The White House_

1. Domestic staff: _90+/- d. Maryland retreat: Camp David

e. Traveling fleet of special cars, helicopters, jets, , such as Air Force One____.

4. Election and Terms of Office

a. Presidents serve a term of four years

• Presidents are limited to two_ terms in office by the 22nd Amendment.

1. The Vice President (Kamala Harris…first woman VP)
2. Qualifications – Same as the president__
3. Official duties are: a) to replace the president__, if he dies or leaves office; and to b)

be President___ of the U.S. Senate; c) plus many presidents have given

their V.P.’s various other duties, such as Cabinet (highest advisors) membership.

1. Presidential Succession (chart, pg. 192)

a. 1947 – Presidential Succession Act – If something should happen to the president,

the order of who succeeds, or takes over, to the fourth position is:

1)Vice President_ _; 2) Speaker of the House;

3. Senate President Pro Tempore_; 4) Secretary of State.

b. 1967 – The Twenty-Fifth Amendment – _the vice president becomes president, chooses a

new V.P., with the approval (consent) of the Senate and House. V.P. can also take over

temporarily if something, like surgery, happens to the president.