Government Basics
What is the Executive Branch?
This branch of government is responsible for enforcing the nation's laws.
What are Formal Qualifications?
These are the constitutional requirements a person must meet to serve as President.
What is Presidential Succession?
This is the legal process that determines who assumes presidential duties when the President cannot serve.
What is the 12th Amendment?
This amendment requires electors to cast separate votes for President and Vice President.
What is the Electoral College?
This is the constitutional system through which electors formally elect the President and Vice President.
Who is the President?
This person is the head of the executive branch and leader of the U.S. government.
What is a Natural-Born Citizen?
This describes someone who was a United States citizen at birth.
What is the Line of Succession?
This is the official order of individuals who may assume the presidency when both the President and Vice President cannot serve.
What is the 20th Amendment?
This amendment established January 20 at noon as the beginning and end of presidential and vice-presidential terms.
What is an Elector?
This person is selected to cast an official Electoral College vote for President and Vice President.
Who is the Vice President?
This official becomes President if the President dies, resigns, is removed, or is permanently unable to serve.
What are Informal Qualifications?
These are personal qualities or experiences voters commonly look for in a presidential candidate but that are not required by the Constitution.
What is Incapacitated?
This word describes someone who is unable to perform official duties because of serious illness, injury, or another condition.
What is the 22nd Amendment?
This amendment limits a person to being elected President twice.
What is an Electoral Vote?
This is an official vote cast by an elector for President or Vice President.
What is a Vacancy?
This position is temporarily unoccupied when there is no person currently serving in it.
What is a Term of Office?
This is the amount of time an elected official is authorized to serve. A presidential term lasts four years.
What is Resignation?
This is the formal act of voluntarily leaving an office or position.
What is the 25th Amendment?
This amendment explains presidential succession, presidential disability, and how a vacancy in the vice presidency is filled.
What is the Popular Vote?
These are votes cast directly by the people during an election.
What are Checks and Balances?
This system allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches.
What is Ratified?
This word means formally approved, such as when three-fourths of the states approve a constitutional amendment.
What is Impeachment?
This is the House of Representatives' formal accusation that a federal official committed serious misconduct.
What is Ratified?
This constitutional change must be formally approved by the required number of states.
What is a Majority?
This means more than half of the total votes. A presidential candidate currently needs at least 270 of 538 electoral votes to win.