1. The President

2. Who is qualified? 35 years old Native-born American citizen
U.S. resident for at least 14 years

3. What do they have in common?
So far, they have all been:
White Males (except for one)
Protestants (except for one)
Almost all have been:
College-educated
Lawyers

4. How do we elect the president?
Electoral College
Indirect method for electing the president
When we vote, we are voting for electors from our state who are pledged to vote for the candidate
*This was one of the compromises at the Constitutional Convention

5. How does the electoral college work?
Senators + Representatives = # of Electors
given to each state
States with larger
populations have
more electoral votes

6. How are electoral college votes counted?
To win, a candidate must win at least 270 of the 538 electoral college votes
In almost all states, the votes follow a winner-take-all system
We usually know the winner on election night
Official electoral college vote isn’t until December
270 to win

7. How long are presidents’ terms in office?
Constitution: 4 year terms
22nd Amendment: 2 terms or 10 years

8. What are the benefits to being president?
Salary: $400,000
$$ for expenses and travel
Live in the White House - private movie theater, gym, bowling alley, heated pool
Domestic staff of 80 to help take care of President’s family
Camp David – estate in Maryland
Cars, helicopters, planes – Air Force One

9. Vice President Elected with the president through
the Electoral College system
Same qualifications as president
Constitution doesn’t give much authority to the vice president
Preside over the Senate, vote in case of a tie
Becomes president if the president dies or is unable to serve

10. What is succession? Presidential Succession Act 1947
Line of succession after the vice president
25th Amendment: Vice President becomes president and then picks another VP

12. American foreign policy
Plan for dealing with other countries
Basic goal: National Security

13. International trade
Agreements / rules with other nations about what products may be traded

14. Promoting World Peace
Wars in other places can disrupt trade or draw us into a foreign conflict

15. Promote democracy around the world
Promoting democracy and human rights promotes peace and helps our national security goals

17. Treaty Formal agreement between the governments of 2 or more countries
Approved by the Senate
Defense, trade
NATO

18. Executive Agreement
Agreement between the president and the leader of another country
Does not need Senate approval

19. Ambassadors
Official representative of our country’s government in another country
Approved by the Senate
Embassy

20. Trade Sanctions
Efforts to punish another nation by imposing trade barriers

21. Embargo
Similar to trade sanctions, except it is an agreement between a group of nations that prohibits them all from trading with a target nation
Also an effort to
punish a nation

22. Foreign Aid
Money, food, assistance, supplies to help other countries

23. Military Force
Commander-in-chief can use the military to carry out foreign-policy decisions

25. Cabinet

26. Federal Bureaucracy