The Presidency
How many total Presidents have been in office since the founding of the United States?
46
How many total electoral votes exist within the Electoral College?
How many are required to gain a majority, and therefore win the election?
538 total
270 to win
Which House of Congress must the President gain approval from when he nominates/appoints an official to any position?
Senate
Who is the only President to resign from office? (Hint: he resigned as a result of the Watergate Scandal)
Richard Nixon
What is the President's main military power / title?
Commander in Chief
What is gridlock?
The inability of government to act because rival parties control different parts of government
Why did the Founders create the Electoral College, instead of only using the popular vote?
They did not trust the public to make an educated decision ; maintain elite political control
What is the cabinet?
Head of the 15 executive branch departments of the federal government
Which President set the custom of serving two terms? Which President later broke this custom?
George Washington
Franklin D. Roosevelt
List both of the President's main executive powers
2. Executive orders
What are the three audiences that the President must worry about approval from?
1. Fellow politicians and leaders
2. Party activists and officeholders outside of Washington
3. The Public
Name each of the four stages of the Presidential Election process, in correct chronological order
Step 1: Primaries and Caucuses
Step 2: National Conventions
Step 3: General Election
Step 4: Electoral College
Which Cabinet Officer is responsible for running the Department of Justice?
the Attorney General
Who are the only 3 Presidents to leave office with higher approval ratings than when they first entered?
Eisenhower, Reagan, and Clinton
1. Expressed - specifically listed in the Constitution
2. Delegated - not specifically listed; delegated to the President by Congress
3. Inherent - not specifically listed; delegated to the President by themselves
What were main concerns of the Founders when creating the Office of the President?
- President would use state militias to overpower state governments
- Sharing treaty-making power with the Senate would make the President a "tool" of the Senate
- President would seek unlimited terms in office and assume monarchical power
What is the difference between a primary and a caucus?
Primaries: secret ballot-style election; party members vote for the best candidate that will represent them in the general electoin
Caucuses: town hall discussion; party members select the best candidate through a series of discussions and votes
How many times has a Vice President been elected President after serving as VP?
4 times
-Martin Van Buren (Jackson)
-Richard Nixon (Eisenhower)
-George H.W. Bush (Reagan)
-Joe Biden (Obama)
Which historical President was well-known for using his veto powers, and striking down legislation he disagreed with, rather than passing legislation he supported?
Andrew Jackson
Can the President deploy troops or conduct military actions on their own?
No
Yes
How many Presidents have been assassinated while in office?
How many Presidents have survived assassination attempts while in office?
4 Presidents have been assassinated (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, JFK)
6 Presidents have survived assassination attempts (Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, Truman, Ford, Reagan)
How do electors in the Electoral College decide who to vote for in the Presidential Election?
They usually follow the pattern of the electoral college.
List 5 different Cabinet Departments
(15 in total to choose from)
Which President is known for serving in the Spanish American War with the Rough Riders, busting corporate trusts and monopolies, and founding the National Parks system?
Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt
What is the main Judicial power of the President?
Who holds the record for most single-day uses of this power?
Obama