1. Three Branches: Legislative Executive Judicial
Federal Government
Three Branches:
Legislative
Executive
Judicial

3. Legislative Branch Created by the first article of the Constitution
Set requirements of those who serve in Congress
Constitution created a bicameral legislature

4. Bicameral Legislature
House of Representatives
Based on population
Larger states= more reps
2013- MS=4, California=53
Qualifications: 25 yrs old, citizen of U.S. for 7 yrs, and resident of state he/she represents.
Two year terms-elected in Nov. on even number years
Total Members=435
Reapportionment Act of 1929 set limit.
Senate
Two Representatives from each state
Qualifications: 35 yrs old, citizen of U.S. for 9 yrs, and resident of state he/she represents
Terms spread out so that only 1/3 of the whole Senate is elected in a single election
Total Members= 100
Mississippi’s Current Senators:
Thad Cochran & Roger Wicker
Mississippi’s Current Representatives:
Alan Nunnelee, Bennie Thompson, Gregg Harper, Steven Palazzo

6. Legislative Powers
Expressed Powers- those specifically given to Congress in Constitution
Implied Powers- given to Congress in Article I, of Constitution…AKA the Elastic Clause
Elastic Clause- gives Congress the authority to make all laws “necessary and proper” for carrying out the expressed powers granted in the Constitution

7. Legislative Powers Impeachment Powers Other Powers
House of Representatives has the power to impeach (bring charges against a public official while that person is still in office)
The Senate has the power to try that impeached official.
Bills to raise revenue must start in House
Senate- ratify treaties and confirm the presidents choice of individuals to serve as cabinet members

8. Executive Branch
1787- Constitutional Convention decided to have a single chief executive- PRESIDENT
Electoral College chooses president

9. Choosing a President
Electoral College members are chosen from each state
Number of electors from each state equals the number of representatives it has in Senate and House.
So altogether there are 538 electoral college votes from Senate, 435 from House, and District of Columbia gets 3 votes
A vote for a presidential candidate is basically a vote for the candidates electors.
Whoever wins the popular vote in each state wins that state’s electoral votes

10. Executive Branch: The Presidency, Vice President, 15 Cabinet members, and Various agencies
President & Vice President- at least 35 years old, natural born citizen, and resident of U.S. for at least 14 years.
Both elected for four years and can be re-elected once
Vice President- assumes the presidency if president dies, resigns, or is impeached.
If VP cannot assume the duties, government follows a line of succession

11. First 13 in the Presidential Line of Succession
Officer Current Official
First 13 in the Presidential Line of Succession

12. The Judicial Branch Supreme Court and all lower federal courts
Duties include: deciding on the meaning of the Constitution and laws. Also protects individual citizens from any ill treatment by other branches of government

13. Supreme Court Highest court in the land
Made up of Chief Justice and 8 associate judges, President appoints these positions
Serve for life or retire
Has both original and appellate jurisdiction
Greatest power- Judicial Review-ability to set aside the actions of the legislature or executive branches of any government agency.
Court can declare laws or presidential acts as unconstitutional.

14. Judiciary Act of 1789- established circuit courts of appeal and district courts
Congress divided nation into 11 judicial circuits
Each circuit- between 1 and 24 judges
MS is in 5th Federal Circuit Court District
District courts- use juries and witnesses in trial
Appellate courts- no juries or witnesses, just lawyers
Other Federal Courts