1. THE CONSTITUTION

3. Consists of 7 Articles: ARTICLE I: ARTICLE II: ARTICLE III
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Empowered to make the laws
ARTICLE II:
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Empowered to enforce (carry out) laws
ARTICLE III
JUDICIAL BRANCH
Empowered to interpret/explain the laws

4. ARTICLE IV
Governs relations among the states
ARTICLE V
Process for amending the Constitution
ARTICLE VI
SUPREMACY CLAUSE
ARTICLE VII
RATIFICATION required by only 9 of the 13 states
27 AMENDMENTS

5. ARTICLE I - LEGISLATIVE BRANCH Congress = House + Senate / 535 members
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
2 year terms
Must be 25 years old; citizen for 7 years
Speaker of the House is selected by
the members of the House… so will always be what party?
Currently – John Boehner of OH
Membership based on population
Reapportioned every 10 yrs. after census
435 members total ; FL – 27 members
Special Powers:
Revenue/tax laws may be introduced in House only
Only House can impeach (accuse) public officials

6. SENATE
6 year terms
Staggered - 1/3 of Senate up for reelection every 2 yrs
Keeps the Senate a more “continuous” body
Must be 30 years old; citizen for 9 years and in the state elected from
Leader of the Senate is known as the President of Senate
Vice President of U.S. serves as President of the Senate – currently Joe Biden
President Pro Tempore serves as P of the Senate in the VP’s absence –Patrick Leahy of VT
2 Senators from each state – 100 total
Florida’s U.S. Senators – Bill Nelson (D) and Marco Rubio (R)
Which one just got reelected in 2012?
Special powers of Senate:
Power to ratify treaties & confirm P’s appointments
Senate holds the trials for all impeachments (Chief Justice serves as Judge and the Senate as “jury”)

7. ART. II THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Qualifications for P & VP:
- 35 years old
- natural born citizen
- U.S. resident for 14 years
Term of Office: 4 years
- now limited by the 22nd
amendment to 2 terms
(before this amendment,
limited only by tradition)
Election: Tuesday after the first Monday in
November….why?
- Inauguration: January 20, per the 20th amendment

8. POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT
HEAD OF THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Tradition provides that he may ask advice of his Cabinet (includes heads of Executive Depts., etc.)
COMMANDER IN CHIEF
head of the armed forces – may send out troops

9. MAKE TREATIES with other countries must be approved by 2/3 of Senate
GRANTS REPRIEVES & PARDONS
Reprieves = delay of punishment
Pardon = forgiveness
MAKE APPOINTMENTS
to cabinet, Supreme Court, etc.
Must be approved by Senate
POWER TO VETO
LAWS PASSED BY CONGRESS
(2/3 of Congress can override veto)

10. DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT:
Must give the annual State of the Union address to Congress & the American people
Must serve as Official Host of the U.S. -- receives ambassadors & other public foreign officials
Chief Executive -- responsible for making sure all federal laws are carried out (enforced)

11. PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION:
If the President dies, resigns, is removed from office or is unable to carry out his duties, the order of succession is as follows:
Vice President
Speaker of the House
President Pro Tempore
Secretary of State……
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defense
Attorney General
Secretary of the Interior
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Labor
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary of Transportation
Secretary of Energy
Secretary of Education
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Secretary of Homeland Security

12. IMPEACHMENT “Impeach” means to “accuse”
President, Vice-President, Judges, etc. may be impeached for treason, bribery and other high crimes and misdemeanors
Who are the only 2 Presidents to have been impeached?
Andrew Johnson & Bill Clinton
No U.S. President has been convicted of the impeachment charges & removed from office.
Chief Justice presides over impeachment trials.

13. ARTICLE III the judicial branch
Only court established is the Supreme Court
Power given to Congress to establish remaining courts
Judges serve for “good behavior” – they serve for life (unless they resign, retire, get removed from office)
Qualifications: NONE
Number has fluctuated, but there are currently nine justice positions

15. The Roberts Court (The Court is referred to by the name of the Chief Justice)
John Roberts
Justice Scalia
Justice Kennedy
Justice Thomas
Justice Breyer
Kennedy – Reagan
Scalia – Reagan
Thomas – Bush I
Breyer – Clinton
Ginsbury - Clinton
Alito – Bush II
Roberts – Bush II
Sotomayor – Obama
Kagan - Obama
Justice Ginsburg
Justice Alito
Justice Sotomayor
Justice Kagan (newest)

17. ARTICLE III section 3
TREASON is the only crime defined by the Constitution
TREASON consists of making war against the U.S. or aiding the enemies of the U.S.
No person shall be convicted of treason unless:
two witnesses testify to some overt act of treason OR
there is a confession in open court.
Punishment for treason is death in times of war & up to lifetime imprisonment in time of peace.

18. ARTICLE IV RELATIONS AMONG STATES
“FULL FAITH & CREDIT” CLAUSE
What about gay marriage?
Citizens have same rights in all states
Provides for “extradition” of criminals
Provided for the return of escaped slaves
Only Congress can admit new states to the Union

19. PROCESS OF AMENDMENT
INFORMAL – through judicial interpretation, political practice, etc.
FORMAL AMENDMENT – ARTICLE V
2 step process – proposal & ratification
PROPOSAL:
2/3 of Congress
2/3 of states request Congress to call National convention
RATIFICATION:
¾ of state legislatures approve
¾ of state special conventions approve
According to Art. V, what cannot be amended?
What is the President’s role in the amendment process? The Supreme Court’s?
Only amendment to be done differently: 21st – it was proposed by 2/3 of Congress BUT is only amendment to be ratified by special state conventions

20. ARTICLE VI SUPREMACY CLAUSE
Supreme law of the United States consists of THREE things:
The Constitution
All federal laws
All federal treaties
ARTICLE VII RATIFICATION
9 states required
Constitution signed 1787

21. AMENDMENTS 27 Total amendments The first Ten are Bill of Rights
Freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly & petition
Right to bear arms
Prohibits quartering of troops in homes
Prohibits unreasonable search & seizure
Protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, power of eminent domain (with just compensation)
Right to a fair and speedy trial
Right to a jury in civil trials
Prohibits excessive bail and fines and cruel and unusual punishment
Reserves rights to the people
Reserves powers to the states
Amendments granting/increasing suffrage:
15th – black males
19th – women
23rd – electoral votes to Washington, D.C.
26th – lowered voting age from 21 to 18
Presidential Amendments: 20 (inauguration) and 22 (two terms)

22. AMENDMENTS
Only amendment ever repealed was the 18th Amendment prohibiting the manufacture, sale and distribution of alcohol. The 21st amendment repealed the 18th.
CIVIL WAR AMENDMENTS:
13 – Abolished slavery
14- Provided citizenship to former slaves
15 – Gave black men the right to vote
Which amendment took the longest to pass?

23. Add power to national government: 16 (tax) & 18 (prohibition)
Deny power to the national government:
3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 21
Limit the power of state governments
13, 14
Reduce the power of the electorate
22 (2 terms in office for the P)
Make changes in the machinery of government
12 (electoral college), 20 (inauguration date), 25 (presidential disability)
Protect the rights of individuals
1, 2, 6, 7 and 9