Unit 3 - The Legislative and Executive BRanch

The inner-workings of the government is complex and in order to monitor government activity requires knowing how the branches interact together. Unit 3 Introduces you to the legislative branch (Congress) and the Executive Branch (Presidency). We will look at these two branches work with each other and the process of checks and balances.

The Legislative Branch (Textbook Topic 4)

The Bicameral Structure of Congress (4.1 and 4.2)

The Powers of Congress (4.3 and 4.4)

Congress at Work (4.5 and 4.6)

The Executive Branch (Textbook Topic 5) 

The President, the Vice President, and the First Lady (5.1 and 5.2)

The President's Executive Powers (5.3 and 5.4)

Bureaucracies and Budgets(Textbook Topic 6, 12)

Bureaucracies and Budgets (6.1-6.3, 12.3-12.4)

Readings

Macgruder's American Government Textbook, Topic 4, 5, and 6

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The Constitution of the United States (Specifically Article I and II)

Emancipation Proclamation

Federalist 51

Federalist 70

Supreme Court Cases

Citizens United v. FEC (2010) 

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

Big Questions STUDY GUIDE

1. The Constitution of the United States creates a government of separate institutions that share power rather than a government that delegates power exclusively to a single branch. Frequently, this means that presidents and Congress struggle with each other.                       

• For each of the presidential powers below, explain one way that congressional decision making is affected by that power.                                          

  • • • • Veto power

        • Power to issue executive orders

        • Power as commander in chief                                                               

• For each of the congressional powers below, explain one way that presidential decision making is affected by that power.                                     

• Legislative oversight power                                                       

• Impeachment Power

• Money Powers (Budgetary Powers)

2. Members of Congress are charged with three primary duties—writing laws, overseeing the implementation of laws, and serving the needs of their constituents.

(a) Describe the role of each of the following in lawmaking.

• Senate filibuster                                               

• House Rules Committee      

• Conference committee
                                                                                 
  (b) Describe one method by which Congress exercises oversight of the federal bureaucracy. 

(c) Explain how casework affects members’ attention to legislation.
                                                                   

3. Congress and the president both have a role in making foreign policy. Despite recent expansions in presidential power, there are still limits on presidential decision making in foreign policy.

(a) Describe two enumerated powers Congress has in making foreign policy.

 (b) Describe two expressed powers the president has in making foreign policy.

 (c) Explain how executive agreements expand the president’s ability to implement foreign policy. (d) Explain how one of the following can limit the president’s ability to implement foreign policy.

The United States Constitution gave Congress and the president specific legislative powers. As a result, the interactions between the two are dynamic and complex                                                                                        

(a)  Describe the constitutional principle of checks and balances.

(b)  Describe EACH of the following presidential powers in the legislative process:                                               

• Veto

• State of the Union address

(c) Using the data in the chart, describe the relationship between the number of presidential vetoes and the number of congressional overrides.                     

(d) Explain how Congress can reduce the likelihood of a presidential veto.