1. Conducting Foreign Relations
7th Grade Civics
Miss Smith
*pgs (22.1)

2. Goals of the U.S. Foreign Policy
Foreign policy is the plan a country follows for interacting with other countries
The goals of U.S. foreign policy include:
Maintaining national security
Supporting democracy
Promoting world peace
Providing aid to people in need
Why is it important for countries to cooperate in seeking peace, freedom, and prosperity? The world’s countries are interdependent
What do you think is the most important goal of U.S. foreign policy?

3. Military Powers
The president makes recommendations to Congress about how the military should operate
The president can order the military into action, but only Congress can declare war
What military powers does the president have? Making recommendations to congress about the operation of the military and ordering the military into action

4. Treaty-Making Powers Peace treaties end wars
Alliance treaties are agreements between countries to help each other for defense, economic, scientific, and other reasons
Alliance- agreement in which two or more parties commit to help each other
Commercial treaties are economic agreements between two or more countries to trade with each other
Senate must approve all treaties
How are treaties and executive agreements similar and different? Both are agreements between countries, but treaties must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate

5. Mutual understanding between the leaders of two countries
Executive Agreements
Mutual understanding between the leaders of two countries

6. Diplomatic Powers
Establishing official relations with a foreign government by sending and receiving each other’s ambassadors

7. Department of State
Carries out U.S. foreign policy as set by the president
The secretary of state advises the president and supervises the activities of U.S. ambassadors, ministers, and consuls
Diplomatic corps- the secretary of state, ambassadors, ministers, consuls, and their assistants
What are the secretary of state’s main jobs? Advising the president and supervising the activities of the U.S. diplomatic corps

8. Department of Defense Source of military information for the president
Joint Chiefs of Staff are the highest ranking military officers of the branches of the military

9. The Peace Corp
The main goals are to provide technical assistance and to promote cultural understanding between the U.S. and other nations

10. Other Agencies
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) gathers info about world political trends and helps combat terrorism around the world
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provides resources to people in need around the world
Why did Congress create specialized agencies to help establish and carry out U.S. foreign policy? So U.S. foreign policy could include more specialized activities that were not appropriate for the diplomatic corps or the military

11. Approval Powers
*Do NOT write
What happens if the Senate refuses to approve a treaty?
Why did Congress reject the Treaty of Versailles?
It does not go into effect
Because many senators did not want the U.S. to join the League of Nations

12. Both houses of Congress must approve all expenditures of public funds
Financial Powers
Both houses of Congress must approve all expenditures of public funds
How can the financial powers of Congress affect foreign relations? Congress must approve all funding, including for national defense and all other foreign policy programs