Unit 2 U.S. Government]

Three Branches of Government

  1. Legislative Branch: Makes laws and consists of Congress (the Senate and House of Representatives). Important powers include creating laws, declaring war, and controlling government spending.

    • Important Members: The Speaker of the House, Senate Majority Leader, Minority Leaders, and committee chairs.

    • Qualifications: House members must be at least 25, U.S. citizens for 7+ years, and live in the state they represent. Senators must be at least 30, U.S. citizens for 9+ years, and live in their state.

    • Terms: House members serve 2-year terms; Senators serve 6-year terms.

  2. Executive Branch: Enforces laws and is led by the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief, handles foreign policy, and approves or vetoes laws.

    • Roles of the President: Chief Executive, Head of State, Commander-in-Chief, Chief Diplomat, and Economic Leader.

    • Presidential Succession: If the President cannot serve, the line of succession is the Vice President, Speaker of the House, Senate President Pro Tempore, then cabinet members starting with the Secretary of State.

    • Cabinet Members: Include the Vice President and heads of departments like Defense, State, Treasury, and Education, who advise the President.

    • Qualifications for President: Must be at least 35, a natural-born citizen, and have lived in the U.S. for 14+ years.

    • Terms: Presidents serve 4-year terms, limited to two terms.

  3. Judicial Branch: Interprets laws through the court system, led by the Supreme Court. They review laws to make sure they follow the Constitution.

    • Supreme Court Justices: Appointed by the President, confirmed by the Senate, and serve for life.

Voting Rights

  • Voting rights in the U.S. have expanded over time through amendments, ensuring voting access regardless of race (15th Amendment), gender (19th Amendment), and age (26th Amendment).

Election Process & Electoral College

  • Election Process: Citizens vote in primaries, then in general elections for candidates. The President is elected every four years, with primaries leading up to the general election.

  • Electoral College: A system where each state has a set number of electors (based on population), who vote for the President. It prevents larger states from solely deciding elections and aims to balance representation.

The 27 Amendments

  • Bill of Rights (Amendments 1-10): Protects freedoms like speech, religion, assembly, and the press.

  • Other Notable Amendments:

    • 13th: Abolished slavery.

    • 14th: Granted citizenship to all born in the U.S.

    • 19th: Gave women the right to vote.

    • 22nd: Limited Presidents to two terms.

    • 26th: Lowered voting age to 18.

Important Clauses

  • Clauses like the Commerce Clause, Necessary and Proper Clause, and Supremacy Clause provide federal government powers, such as controlling interstate trade and establishing the Constitution as the highest law.

The Legislative Process

  1. Proposal: A bill is proposed by a member of Congress.

  2. Committee: The bill is sent to committees for discussion and changes.

  3. Debate & Vote: The bill is debated, amended, and voted on in both the House and Senate.

  4. Presidential Approval: If both chambers pass the bill, it goes to the President, who can sign it into law or veto it.