House of Representatives
- Based on population, voice of common man
- 25 years old and citizen for 7
- Term lasts for 2 years
Legislative Branch
- Makes laws
- Bicameral legislation
- Under Article I
Senate
- 30 years old, citizen for 9
- Term lasts for 7 (more elite)
Executive Branch
-Executed laws, sometimes ends up with decision-making power, makes laws/policies
President
- Serve unlimited 4 year terms
- Elected by Electoral College (Citizens vote for slate of electors, in turn cast vote for candidates 6 weeks after gen. elections)
Executive Branch:
Section I
- Four years term, manner of election
- Qualifications: President must be 35, resident for 14
- VP serves if Pres. can’t
Executive:
Section II
- Established powers, President is commander in chief of armed forces/state militia when serving nation
- Can grant pardons
- With 2/3 is Senate, can make treaties
- With majority vote, appoints ambassadors, ministers, consuls, Supreme Court justicesx other officials
Section III
- President tells Comgress how country is doing
- Proposes solution
- Calls Congress into session if needed
- Receives ambassadors, public officials, executive laws, commissions military
Section IV
President, Vice President, and other officers can be tried, impeached, and convicted
Judicial Branch
- Power to interpret laws, judge if they have been broken
- Review: Allows Supreme Court to rule that an act of Congress is unconstitutional, can nullify legislation
Checks and Balanced:
Legislative
Judicial: Eliminate or refuse to create federal courts, impeach/remove judges, refuse to confirm judicial appointments (Senate), set number of justices on Supreme Court
Executive: Fail to pass bills, override presidential veto, refuse to confirm administrative/judicial appt., impeach/try/remove prez, ratify treaties, not fund
Checks and Balances:
Executive
Legislative: Veto legislation, call special sessions of Congress, propose laws to Congress, issue executive agreement with foreign nations
Judicial: Grant pardons; appoint judges
Judicial
Executive: Declare executive orders unconstitutional, judges cannot be removed by president
Legislative: Declare laws unconstitutional
Amendability (types and process)
- Founders provides method of amendment
- 2/3 vote in Congress
- National convention called by Congress at request of 2/3 of state legislature
- Legislature in 3/4 states
- Ratifying conventions in 3/4 states
French and Indian War
- Forced French out of North America, Spanish to vacate Florida/retreat west of Miss.
- Fought by British to defend colonies
Confederation
- Power to establish/direct armed forces, coin money, enter treaties
- Established a system in which wah stage would retain most all of its power; run collectively
Shay’s Rebellion
- 1786, mobs of Mass. farmers (in debt) marched to interrupt trials to prevent land from being confiscated
- 1787: Attack on Springfield, tried to open armory
Federalism
Government is given own source of central power
Federalists
-Wealthy elite, sided with Federalism
Virginia Plan
- Created by James Madison: preference of large, most populous states
- Strong national government with two legislative houses (one direct, other indirect)
New Jersey Plan
- William Paterson
- Reinforcement of Articles; multi-person executive, congressional acts supreme law
- One vote per state, delegates chosen by legislatures
Great Compromise
-Proposed strong government, 2 house legislature (both needed for action)
Legislature
Body of government that makes laws
Executive Branch
Sees that laws are carried out
