The 3 branches of Government in the US: the Federal Government Flashcards
What are the 3 branches of the constitution?
-legislative
-executive
-judicial
What is the Legislative in the Constitution?
-Congress
What is the Congress?
-House of Representatives
-Senate
What is the Executive in the Constitution?
-President
What is the Judicial in the Constitution?
-Supreme Court
What does the Congress do?
-approve or disapprove a law
As well as the Federal Government who else are US citizens governed by?
-state powers
What is Congress and the Supreme Court not an even split of?
-Democrats and Republicans
As well as the Federal Government, What else governed US citizens?
State powers
What did National Powers have control over?
-maintain military
-declare war
-establish postal system
-set standards for weights and measures
-protect copyrights and patents
What did state powers have control over?
-establish local governments
-set up schools
-regulate state commerce
-make regulations for marriage
-establish and regulate corporations
What shared powers were there between the national powers and the state powers?
-collect taxes
-establish courts
-regulate interstate commerce
-regulate banks
-borrow money
-provide for the general welfare
-punish criminals
What was the issue with Americans living under both national and state governments to do with the President?
-the president could pass a law and it could be interpreted differently in different states eg abortion laws
What are the Republicans?
-Now associated with conservative policies, a belief in big business and reduced government. At the beginning of our time period they were more sympathetic to civil rights
What are the Democrats?
-They are associated with reform in the north for most of our period but segregation and restriction in the south
Who are typical voters of Republicans?
-wealthier backgrounds
-rural
-believe in individualism
-lower tax rates
Who are typical voters of Democrats?
-more average background
-urban->more modest income
-believe in greater support
-if higher taxes, more for wealthy
How are presidents affected by congress?
-Presidents are affected by Congress who can make it difficult to pass laws if they hold an opposition party majority
Who in the Executive Branch carries out laws?
the President
Who in the Legislative Branch makes laws?
Congress
Who in the Judicial Branch interprets laws?
Supreme Court
What does the Judicial Branch do with the Executive Branch?
-can declare executive actions unconstitutional
What can the Judicial Branch do with the Legislative Branch?
-can declare acts of Congress unconstitutional
What can the Legislative Branch do with the Executive Branch?
-can override President’s veto
-confirms executive appointments
-ratifies treaties
-can declare war
-appropriates money
-can impeach and remove President
What can the Legislative Branch to with the Judicial Branch?
-creates lower federal courts
-can impeach and remove judges
-can propose amendments to overrule judicial decisions
-approves appointments of federal judges
What can the Executive Branch do with the Legislative Branch?
-can propose laws
-can veto laws
-can call special sessions of Congress
-makes appointments
-negotiates foreign treaties
What can the Executive Branch do with the Judicial Branch?
-appoints federal judges
-can grant pardons to federal offenders
