1. The Constitution is Signed
The Constitution was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates on September 17, 1787.

2. The United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States of America is the written document that established a federal system of government based on power divided between the national and state governments.

3. Established the Basic Principles of our Government.
Separation of powers
three separate branches of government:
Executive Branch (President)
Legislative Branch (Congress)
Judicial Branch (Supreme Court)

4. Executive Branch -The President
Barack Obama

5. Veto’s (does not approve) bills passed by congress
Executive Branch -The President
Signs (approves) or
Veto’s (does not approve)
bills passed by congress
- if signed the bill becomes a law
- if vetoed the bill returns to Congress
If two-thirds of all the members of Congress vote "yes," the bill can still become law.
The bill dies when there are not enough votes to override the President.

6. Executive Branch -The President
Carries out federal laws
Recommends new laws to Congress
As Commander-in-Chief he directs national defense & commands the military
Directs foreign policy, and deals with international powers
Performs ceremonial duties.

7. Executive Branch Also includes: Vice-President The President’s Cabinet
Federal Departments
Joe Biden
John Kerry,
Secretary of State and others
The State Department
The Department of Defense
The F.B.I.
And other Depts.

8. QUIZ

9. Who is the head of the Executive branch of government ?

10. 2. If there are 100 senators, how many of their votes are required to override a veto?

11. 3. Which would defiantly not be a part of the executive branch of the Federal Government?
The Environmental Protection Agency
The Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The State Department
The New York Department of Education

12. 4. What is the name of the Vice President of the USA?

13. 5. The President can do all of the things below except:
Command the Military to evacuate American citizens from a foreign country
Write a Law that prohibits the carrying of a loaded weapon.
Sign a bill into law.
Veto a bill and return it to Congress

14. Legislative Branch (Congress)
makes the laws.

15. Legislative Branch (Congress)
makes the laws.
Congress is a two-house legislature.
The House of Representatives
The Senate
100
Senators
435
Congressmen

16. Legislative Branch (Congress)
1. The Senate - all states are represented equally in the Senate (two Senators per state)
Senators serve for a 6-year term
Only the Senate can approve or reject treaties and presidential nominations for government offices.
NY Senators:
Charles Schumer and
Kirsten Gillibrand

17. Legislative Branch (Congress)
2. House of Representatives (number of a state’s representatives is based on state’s population).
NY – 28 Congressmen and Congresswomen
Congressmen only serve a 2-year term
Only the House can introduce spending bills

18. 9 judges (justices) serve on the Court; they are appointed for life.
Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) determines if laws made by Congress are constitutional.
9 judges (justices) serve on the Court; they are appointed for life.

19. Judicial Branch (Supreme Court)
All of the other courts in the United States must follow the ruling or the decision made by the justices of the Supreme Court.
the power to judge whether federal, state, and local governments are acting within the law.
The Supreme Court can also decide if a president's action is unconstitutional.

20. Judicial Branch (Supreme Court)
The wording of the Constitution is complex, so it must be studied and examined carefully. When questions concerning particular laws arise in lower courts, the justices who make up the Supreme Court are responsible for explaining and interpreting the Constitution.

21. QUIZ

22. What are the two houses of Congress called?

23. 2. How many senators does each state have?

24. 3. How many years does a senator serve?

25. 4. What determines how many congressmen a state may send to the House of Representatives?

26. 5. True or False: Only the Senate can approve or reject treaties made with foreign countries?

27. 6. Name one senator from the state of New York.

28. 7. Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) determines if laws made by Congress are ___________ .

29. 8. How long a term does a Congressmen serve?

30. 9. How long a term does a Justice of the Supreme Court serve?

31. 10. The _______________ Branch of our government makes the laws.

32. Aim: How does the U.S. Constitution's system of “Checks and Balances work?
Do Now: Why do you think a government might need a system where one branch of the government has some control over what another branch does?

33. The Constitution established a government based on a system of Checks and Balances
These checks keep any one branch from gaining too much power.
Each branch can check the power of the other.

34. Examples of Checks and Balances
If Congress passes a bill the President doesn't like…
Executive
Legislative

35. Examples of Checks and Balances
…he can veto the bill…
Executive
Legislative

36. Examples of Checks and Balances
But Congress can pass the bill into law over the veto by a vote of 2/3 of its members…
Executive
Legislative

37. Examples of Checks and Balances
Congress also has the ability to impeach the President (remove him from office) if he commits "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors".
Executive
Legislative

38. Examples of Checks and Balances
If Congress passes a law that The Supreme Court finds unconstitutional the law can no longer be used
Legislative
Judicial

39. Examples of Checks and Balances
But Congress has the power to change the Constitution by passing amendments (changes) to it, although…
Legislative
Judicial

40. It is not easy to change the Constitution
It is not easy to change the Constitution. Two-thirds of the House and Senate need to approve of the proposal and send it to the states for a vote. Then, three-fourths of the state legislatures must also affirm the proposed Amendment.
Since 1787, over 9,000 amendments have been proposed, but only 27 have been approved.

41. Examples of Checks and Balances
The Supreme Court can decide that a president's action is unconstitutional
Executive
Judicial

42. Examples of Checks and Balances
But it’s the President who selects candidates for the Supreme Court when one of the Justices retires or dies.
Judicial
Executive

43. Name one way in which:
The Executive branch of our government checks the power of the Legislative branch.
The Legislative checks the Executive
The Judicial checks the Legislative
The Legislative checks the Judicial
The Executive checks the Judicial
The Judicial checks the Executive