1. Class Starter
What should Congress be responsible for doing for American citizens? (write 1 paragraph)

2. Organization of Congress
Civics and Economics

3. I. U.S. Congress Its Job: to make laws for the United States
Contains 2 Houses:
House of Representatives
Senate
Has 535 members total
Constituents: the people living in a legislator’s district

4. II. The House of Representatives
435 Members
Members serve 2 year terms, unlimited
State representation is determined by population
More people = More representatives
Census—a count of the U.S. population taken every 10 years
Gerrymandering: creating odd-shaped elections districts to give one group voting power over another

5. Qualifications to be a member:
Must be 25 years old
Must live in the district running for
Must be a U.S. citizen for 7 years
Leader: Speaker of the House
Chosen by seniority

6. III. The Senate 100 Members Members serve 6 year terms, unlimited
2 Senators for each state
Qualifications to be a member:
Must be 30 years old
Live in the state running for
Be a U.S. citizen for 9 years
Leader: President Pro-Temp

7. IV. Congressional Committees
Congress does most of its work in committees
There are 4 types of committees:
Standing committees: Permanent committees
Select/Special committees: Temporary committees
Joint committees: committees with members from both houses
Conference committee: committee in which members from both houses work out the details of a bill

8. Letters to Congress Activity Quick Write
Explain something that you think is a problem in your community (city, school, state, country).
Why is this issue a problem for you or other people you know?
How could the government do something about this problem?

9. Class Starter What are civic responsibilities?
How does the Mayflower Compact represent popular sovereignty?
Which article describes the Amendment Process?
Why do we have checks and balances and separation of powers?

10. Exit Slip
Is the legislative process effective? Are there any ways that this process could be improved?

11. Class Starter What are civic duties? Explain the Great Compromise.
Why did the Federalists agree to add the Bill of Rights to the Constitution?
List 3 powers of Congress.

12. Class Starter What is tolerance?
Why was taxation a problem under the Articles of Confederation?
What was the main goal of the Constitutional Convention of 1787?
Summarize briefly the process for how a bill becomes law in Congress.

13. Executive Branch: The President

14. I. Introduction Main duty: Enforce laws Constitutional Requirements:
Must be at least 35 years old
Must be a natural born citizen
Must be a resident of the US for at least 14 years

15. Indirectly elected through the Electoral College
Serves 4 year terms
Amendment 22: The President is limited to 2 terms or 10 years in office
Makes $400,000 a year

16. II. The Vice President
Main Responsibility: Official leader of the Senate, Be ready to replace the President
Must meet same constitutional requirements as President

17. What happens when the President becomes unable to do his/her job?
Amendment 25: The VP will become President
Sets up a list of others who will become President (Speaker of the House, President Pro Temp, Secretary of State)

18. Exit Slip
Should the President be required to be a natural-born citizen? Why/why not?

19. Class Starter Explain bias.
What were the major products of New England’s economy?
Explain how an amendment is added to the Constitution.
List 2 things you know about being President.

20. Roles of the President

21. I. Chief Executive Carries out nation’s laws
Can veto laws from Congress
Appoints heads of executive agencies, federal judges, and ambassadors (with Senate approval)

22. II. Chief Diplomat
Receives leaders and officials from foreign countries
Establishes foreign policy for the United States
Main goal: National Security

23. III. Commander in Chief Leader of the US Armed Forces
War Powers Act of 1973: The President must notify Congress within 48 hours of troops being sent into battle
Troops must be brought back after 60 days unless Congress approves their stay

24. IV. Legislative Leader President suggests legislation to Congress
President gives State of the Union speech each year to explain his goals to Congress

25. V. Economic Leader Prepares the federal government budget each year
Suggests legislation to Congress that would impact the economy

26. VI. Party Leader
President is the visible leader of his political party
Helps other members of his party to get elected to offices

27. VII. Head of State Symbolic leader of the country
Gives medals to heroes, attends important ceremonies, makes appearances all over the US

28. Exit Slip
Which role of the president do you think is most important? Why?

29. Presidents Facebook Profile
Pick a President from the back of your book
Pg. 856
Think about a Facebook Profile…
What kind of information is there?

30. Honors Civics and Economics Roles of the President Activity
Read your assigned article.
Answer the following questions:
What role is the President playing in your article?
Pull out 3 details that support which role you think the President is playing
Create an illustration to describe which role the President is playing in your article.

31. Civics and Economics Roles of the President Activity
Get into your assigned groups
Create a large illustration of the Presidential role you have been assigned.
Be able to explain how your picture explains the role you were assigned.

32. Class Starter What is volunteerism?
How are volunteers beneficial to US society?
Explain the difference between the Virginia and New Jersey Plans of government.
Explain Federalism.

33. Benchmark Review
Pg. 37 #1-4
Pg. 43 #1-3
Pg. 47 #1-4
Pg. 48 #1-6

34. Class Starter
Directions: Select which role the President is playing from your “Roles of the President” Notes
President Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan.
President Clinton asked Congress to pass the NAFTA treaty with Canada and Mexico.
President Obama helps Democrats in California campaign for office.
President Reagan appointed Sandra Day O’Connor to the US Supreme Court.

35. The Federal Bureaucracy

36. I. What is the Federal Bureaucracy?
Definition: A group of departments and agencies under the President
Their job: Help the President carry out laws
Government has to have these depts. to fulfill citizens’ needs

37. II. Parts of the Federal Bureaucracy
The Federal Bureaucracy has 3 parts:
Executive Office of the President—The President’s closest advisors (Chief of Staff, Press Secretary)
The Cabinet—a set of 15 departments that assist the President
Department of Justice
Department of Homeland Security

38. ***See Agencies Chart***
Federal Agencies—agencies not controlled directly by the President, but he/she picks their leaders
Regulatory Agencies—Regulates industries, Ex. FCC, FAA
Government Corporations—businesses run by the government, Ex. USPS
Independent Executive Agencies—deals with specialized areas of the government, Ex. Federal Reserve, NASA
***See Agencies Chart***

39. Class Starter
Directions: Select which role the President is playing in each scenario.
President Truman threw out the first pitch of the 1951 baseball season.
President Johnson tried to get additional federal grants for job programs around the country.
President Carter signed a defense agreement with Israel.
President Wilson asked Congress to give women the right to vote in 1920.

40. The Judicial Branch: The Federal Courts System

41. I. The Federal Court System
US Supreme Court
Courts of Appeal
Federal District Courts

42. II. Federal Courts Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction—The authority to hear a case first
Exclusive jurisdiction—belongs only to federal courts
Original jurisdiction—belongs to district courts
Appellate jurisdiction—belongs only to Courts of Appeal or Supreme Court

43. Federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction in 8 cases:
The Constitution
Federal Laws
Disputes between states
Citizens from different states
Federal Government
Foreign Governments or Treaties
Admiralty and Maritime Laws (crimes on the sea)
US Diplomats

44. III. Federal District Courts
Lowest level
All cases begin here with a trial
Each state has at least 1 district court; it serves an assigned district

45. IV. Federal Courts of Appeal
Second level
Hears appeals from the district courts
Cases are appealed because of unfairness or error in trial
12 Courts of Appeal in the US—each court serves a district

46. Class Starter What is an immigrant?
Explain the Three-Fifths Compromise.
Explain limited government.
How is the Judicial Branch of the federal government set up?

47. The US Supreme Court
Civics and Economics

48. I. Introduction
-The US Supreme Court is the highest court in the nation
Usually has only appellate jurisdiction
9 Justices; 1 acts as Chief Justice
Appointed to life term by President (with Senate approval)

49. II. The Court’s Power
The Supreme Court is responsible for upholding the Constitution (highest law of the land)
Judicial review: the ability of the Supreme Court to declare laws constitutional or unconstitutional
-Taken in the case Marbury v. Madison (1803)

50. III. The Court’s Decisions
The court justices determines which cases they will hear
Usually only ones with serious constitutional issues that would affect lots of people
The justices listen to arguments on both sides of each case, read documents pertaining to each case, and discuss the cases

51. Then the justices go vote for their ruling
They have 3 options:
1. Uphold the previous court’s decision
2. Overturn the previous court’s decision
3. Remand: send a case back to the lower court to be retried

52. Once the justices make their decision, they write an opinion to explain it:
-Majority Opinion: most justices
-Concurring Opinion: justices who agree with majority but for different reasons
-Dissenting Opinion: justices who disagree

53. Benchmark Review
Pg. 55 #1-3
Pg. 59 #1-3
Pg. 60 #1-8
Pg. 67 #1-3

54. Benchmark Review
Pg. 73 #1-3
Pg. 77 #1-3
Pg. 81 #1-3
Pg. 82 #1-5

55. Study for your vocabulary quiz!!!

56. Class Starter
Why does the US Supreme Court hold final interpretation of the Constitution?
What is the difference between a majority opinion, concurrent opinion, and dissenting opinion?
How does a case get to the US Supreme Court?
Why did the Massachusetts Bay Colony believe themselves to be a “City upon a hill”?

57. Notebook Check #4 Ballot Box #4 Study Guide Ballot Box #4 Vocabulary
October Starter
How a Bill Becomes a Law Notes

58. Test #4 Essay Question
Each branch of government is important to the functioning of the United States.
Explain the responsibilities of each branch of government (3 of them) and what they accomplish for American citizens.
Each paragraph should have 3-4 sentences.

59. Goal 3 Vocabulary
Annexation: A process by which territory is added to an established city.
County Board of Commissioners: Legislative branch of county government
Zoning laws: laws that regulate where facilities may be built in a city or county
Lt. Governor: person who becomes governor once the job becomes vacant; also serves as official leader of the NC Senate

60. Vocabulary Cont’d
General Assembly: The legislature for the state of North Carolina
District Attorney: the attorney that represents the state in all criminal cases; also called prosecutor
Tax assessor: local official who assesses property value and collects property taxes
Charter schools: a public school that operates as though it were a private school

61. Vocabulary Cont’d
Sheriff: The chief law enforcement official at the county level
City council: Legislative branch of a city government
Mayor: The leader of a city
Governor: The chief executive of a state; enforces carries out laws on the state level
Council-Manager Form: A form of city government that grants most of the governing authority to the city council and the city manager