Role of the President -Name: __________________

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1. The United States Constitution was written in 1789. This was when America was a new country. The Constitution is a plan for the U.S. government. It created three branches of government. The Constitution also created the role of the president. The president is part of the executive branch of government.
   

2. Creation Of A Presidency
   The Constitution was unique. Most countries in Europe still had kings and queens. They were rulers with total power. The founders of America were afraid of one person having too much power. They created a system that limited a leader's power. This was a very new idea.
   

3. The President
   Congress proposes laws. Then the president reviews them. The president can either approve or reject them. Rejecting is called vetoing.
   

4. The president makes sure laws are carried out. Fifteen departments help do this. The leaders of each department are part of the president's Cabinet.
   
   

5. The president can issue executive orders. These direct people who work under the president. They can also update laws.
   

6. The executive branch maintains relationships with other countries. The president can also forgive people for federal crimes. This is called a pardon.
   

7. With these powers come responsibilities. One is a requirement to give Congress updates. Presidents do this in a speech. It is called the State of the Union address. It happens each January.
   

8. Presidential Requirements
   There are three requirements to be president. First, the president must be 35 years old. Second, the president must have been born in the United States. Finally, he or she must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years.
   

9. Choosing A President
   The president is elected through the Electoral College. Citizens vote in elections. Each state decides who has the most votes. The person with the most votes is awarded electors. Each state has a certain number of electors to give away. States with more people get more electors. There are a total of 538 electors if electors from every state are added together. The parties choose who will be electors. These people then vote for president. A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to become president.
   

10. Today, the president is limited to two terms. Each is four years long. This was established in 1951. Before then, a president could serve an unlimited number of terms.
    

11. The White House
    The president lives in Washington, D.C. His home and office is in the White House. The president earns $400,000 a year. Some presidents choose not to take this money.