United States Constitution 101 Separation of Powers The 3 branches of government.
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Transcript of United States Constitution 101 Separation of Powers The 3 branches of government.
United States Constitution 101
Separation of Powers
The 3 branches of government
Article I: Legislative Branch
Bicameral: Senate
2 Senators for each state
House of Representatives
Based on population
Representatives serve 2 year terms
Senators serve 6 year terms
Important Powers: Make laws Set taxes Declare war Override Vetoes Borrow money Regulate international
and national trade Print money Establish Post Offices Regulate Immigration Approve Treaties
Article II: Executive Branch
President and Vice President are elected to 4 year terms
Qualifications: At least 35 years old 14 year resident of the
US Natural born citizen
Elected by the Electoral College
Important powers: Commander-in-Chief Grant pardons Make treaties Appoint justices of the
Supreme Court Ensure laws are
executed Appoint his Cabinet
Article III: Judicial Branch
US Supreme Court Justices serve for LIFE.
Declare laws and acts of the Legislature & Executive UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
What cases do they hear? Anything dealing directly
with the US Constitution US Law Treaties & Ambassadors Maritime Laws (seas) Two or more states Between a state and
citizens of another state
Checks and Balances (where do they go?)
Declares acts of Congress Unconstitutional
Declares acts of President Unconstitutional
Creates Lower federal courts
Veto’s legislation Impeaches judges Impeaches the President Overrides a President’s
veto
Grants Pardons Appoints Supreme
Court Justices Proposes laws Approves Judges Ratifies Treaties Runs the military once
war has been declared Controls
Appropriations
Legislative Branch General Assembly: House & Senate
Powers: Passes statutes (laws for the state) Sets up local governments through charters. determines the powers of executive/state
agencies debates/approves the state’s budget override veto (3/5 vote)
Initiative V. ReferendumInitiative V. Referendum
InitiativeInitiative: : when the when the people startpeople start an action an action in an effort to propose in an effort to propose a new law a new law
ReferendumReferendum: when : when the people the people votevote on on the initiativethe initiative
Legislative Problem: Gerrymandering when officials make
voting districts that have all their supporters so they never lose office.
GerrymanderingGerrymandering12th District of Mel Watt
Redrawing Redrawing district lines in a district lines in a state to favor a state to favor a particular political particular political partyparty– A way A way
politicians politicians cheat in order cheat in order to be elected!to be elected!
If you were an North Carolina Senator and you “gerrymandered” your district, how would this benefit you?
Incorporation: all state laws, city town ordinances must follow the 14th Amendment and the Bill of Rights
What court case?
Executive Branch Governor & Lieutenant Governor
Powers: Represents NC Appoints cabinet members proposes state budget veto legislation (line item veto)
Lieutenant Governor: takes over if Gov. dies, also is the “president of the senate” and has the tiebreaking vote in the NC Senate. Elected separately
Spotlight on the NC governor’s Veto power: The NC governor was given the veto power
in 1996, this strengthened the executive branch and gave the governor more say over the legislative process.
Line-Item Veto V. Presidential VetoPowers of Pres. V. Governor
Line-Item Veto:The Governor may veto parts of a bill he disagrees with and keep the parts he agrees with
Presidential Veto:an “all or nothing” decision. The president must approve or reject the entire bill.
Council of State: 8 ELECTED heads of state agencies advise the governor
1. Secretary of State
2. Attorney General
3. Commissioner of Agriculture
4. Commissioner of Insurance
5. Commissioner of Labor
6. Superintendent of Public Instruction
7. State Treasurer
8. State Auditor
Cabinet- 10 Heads of state agencies appointed by the Governor
Secretary of Commerce Secretary of Crime Control & Public Safety Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary of Transportation
Judicial Branch (NC Article IV): State Supreme Court (7
elected justices, serve 8 yr terms): power of judicial review.
Court of Appeals (15 Judges) Superior Court (46 districts) District Court (39 county)
Every case must work its way up the court system
EXCEPT: Death Penalty “Capital Punishment” cases go directly from Superior to Supreme Court.
NC Supreme Court
Court of Appeals
Superior Court
District (County) Court
Create 3 Ven-Diagrams outlining the similarities between the Federal branches and their state counterparts(one for each branch)