1. And Other Things You Need to Know About the Government
‘Merica
And Other Things You Need to Know About the Government

2. Bell Ringer
No Bell Ringer. Take the day off. Happy Thursday.

3. Bell Ringer
What is the purpose of the Supreme Court?

4. Who Exists in the American Government?
Judicial Branch – Supreme Court + Lower Courts
Legislative Branch – Congress
Senate and the House of Representatives
______________ Branch – President, his cabinet, and the Vice President, & Military

5. Judicial Branch
It is the job of the judicial branch to decide whether or not something is constitutional

7. The Supreme Court Brady Bunch
The Supreme Court – The highest court in the United States
___ Chief Justice + ___ Associate Justices = 9 Justices

8. Important Terms ________ __________ _________
Supreme Court of the United States
__________
Those who serve on the court
_________
The decision made by the courts

9. Can I Become A Member? Yes.. …sort of… Probably no
The Constitution Does not dictate any requirements such as age, nationality, etc

10. How Do I Become a Supreme Court Member?
1st the President has to nominate you to the ______________
2nd the senate has to approve you with a _________ ________
________ __________– over half the votes

11. So What is My Job? It is your job to make a ruling in cases:
Involving Foreign Diplomats
Cases that occur over state borders
Whether a law is or isn't constitutional

12. What Do I Get Out of It? Being on the supreme court means:
Serve for ________ *
Cannot get a pay cut
*Can be removed from office through impeachment

13. Impeached?
Impeachment - to accuse a government official with the intent of removing them from office
How does it happen in the supreme Court?

14. Supreme Court Impeachment
2 Step Process Controlled by Congress
House of Representatives must decide that the case has sufficient evidence to warrant a trial
The Senate then Holds a trial to decide whether the individual should be removed from office

15. But I Digress
Outside of being removed from office through impeachment, a Justice serves for life/retirement and gets a set salary that cannot be changed.
This is so the Justices are free from the influence of politics

16. How the Supreme Court Works
The Supreme Court receives around 10,000 petitions (cases) a year.
They usually end up hearing between cases
How do they decide? Any guesses?

17. Granting Cert.
If 4 of the 9 justices agree to hear your case they will issue a writ of certiorari
writ of certiorari - an order to a lower court to deliver its record in a case so that the higher court may review it.

18. What Cases are Usually Picked?
The cases that are picked are ones that would effect the whole country
Not simple dispute cases
A simple majority wins the case

19. ie. The Legislative Branch
Congress
ie. The Legislative Branch

20. Bell Ringer
What are your feelings towards the current US congress? Why?

21. Congress Membership Total: ________
435 members in the House of Representatives
______ - senators

22. The House of Representatives
Often abbreviated to, “the House”
Referred to as, “the _________ house”

23. How many?
The amount of representatives from each state depends on the ________’s ____________
Each state is divided into districts
Each district sends one representative

25. Why do they look weird? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mky11UJb9AY
____________________ – achieving a desired result by manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency

26. How do they decide?
The number of state representatives is determined by the state’s population
No state can have fewer than ___

27. Can I Become A Representative?No
Not even a little
Why would you ask?
*sigh*

28. Requirements and Term Must be ____ years old A US citizen for __ years
Must live in a state where a district is located
Can only serve for _ years

29. Powers of the House (there are more, but these are a pretty good summary)
_____ on charges of impeachment
vote for president if the electoral college is tied
Introduce _____ and _______________

30. Current Make-up (2016)

31. Senate

32. Senate
Referred to as the “________ ________”

33. Overview Each state sends _____ representatives
Each member of the senate is called a, “__________”
Can you be one?

34. Senate That’s a definite no Must be _____ years old
Have been a citizen of the US for __ years
Must have a in the state they represent
Serve for _____ years with a ______ being reelected every ____ years

35. Powers Try those going through the impeachment process Ratify Treaties
Work with the to ratify laws

36. Senate Breakdown

37. Congressional Powers (abridged)
and Pass Legislation.
Set the
Declare
Establish governmental buildings and organizations

38. The Executive Branch

39. Who?
The executive branch includes: .
_____ president.
Cabinet.

40. Presidential Powers (1/3)
Propose _______________
Sign/Veto ______________
Sign _________

41. Presidential Powers (2/3)
Head of the ____________ (commander and chief)
Who sends military off to war?
The president can send the military off somewhere except:
He must notify congress within _____ hours of deployment
Congress has to approve the deployment within _____ days or the troops are withdrawn

42. Presidential Powers (3/3)
Executive _______.
Definition: a rule or order issued by the president to _____________ or federal agencies.
Cannot be given directly to private citizens*
Ends when the president’s final term has come to an end

43. Requirements Must be years old.
Must have lived in the United States for
years.
Must be a citizen

44. Vice President Casts a vote in the __________ in case of a ____.
Becomes _________ if the president leaves office/dies.
_______________ to countries in the President’s place

45. Cabinet President’s _____________
Nominated by the _____________ and confirmed by the ______________.
Aside from the Attorney General and Vice President, they are given the title, “_____________.”