Institutions of US Government

In order to be successful in this unit you should be able to:

• Distinguish the three branches of government (separation of powers):
            • Congress as the legislative branch
            • the Presidency and the executive agencies as the executive branch and
            • the Supreme Court and other federal inferior courts as the judicial branch 

•  Examine the interrelationship of the three branches (the checks and balance system).
            • Congress: enumerated powers, general powers, limits on power, checks on other two branches; roles of political parties in the organization of Congress; roles within the legislative branch, such as the Speaker of the House, the President of the Senate, minority party leaders; the system for accomplishing legislation, including committees, hearings and legislative procedures
            • Presidency: roles, powers and limits, checks on other two branches, role of the Cabinet, such as the Vice President, Attorney General and Secretaries of State, Defense, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security; executive departments and agencies (such as the Department of Education, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the Food and Drug Administration), and branches of the military         
            • the Supreme Court: role and powers, checks on other two branches, lower courts 

• Describe the respective roles of each of the branches of government. 

•  Explain the process of elections in the legislative and executive branches and the process of nomination/confirmation of individuals in the judicial and executive branches.
            • Elections: running for legislative office (U.S. Representative – unlimited two-year terms, U.S. Senator – unlimited six-year terms), or executive office (President – two four-year terms and Vice President –unlimited four-year terms) and the function of the Electoral College in Presidential elections
            • Nomination by the President and confirmation by Congress: Supreme Court Justices and Secretaries/agency heads in the executive branch) 

• Describe the role of political parties in elections at the state and national levels.