Presidential Roles
The President directs executive branch officials to enforce and carry out federal laws.
What is Chief Executive?
The President issues an executive order directing executive branch officials to take a particular action.
What is executive power?
This group of presidential advisors provides expertise and advice to the President.
What is the Cabinet?
This type of election helps political parties narrow their candidates before the general election.
What is a primary election?
A person must be at least this old to become President.
What is 35 years old?
The President meets with foreign leaders, negotiates with other countries, and represents the United States internationally.
What is Chief Diplomat?
The President negotiates a treaty with another country, but the agreement requires approval from the Senate.
What is diplomatic power?
Name the two main responsibilities of Cabinet members.
Lead an executive department or agency
Advise the President in their area of expertise
This election is held in November and determines which candidate wins the presidency.
What is the general election?
n addition to being a natural-born citizen and at least 35 years old, a presidential candidate must have been a resident of the United States for at least this long.
What is 14 years?
The President orders U.S. military forces to respond to an international crisis.
What is Commander in Chief?
The President grants a pardon to someone convicted of a federal crime.
What is judicial power?
The President appoints someone to lead the Department of State. Who must approve the appointment?
What is the Senate?
How many total electoral votes are there in the Electoral College?
What is 538?
This amendment limits the number of times a person can be elected President to two.
What is the 22nd Amendment?
The President gives the State of the Union address and asks Congress to support a new piece of legislation.
What is Chief Legislator?
Congress passes a bill and sends it to the President. The President refuses to approve it.
What is legislative power, specifically the power to veto legislation?
This term describes the departments, agencies, and individuals who help implement and enforce federal laws.
What is the bureaucracy?
How many electoral votes does a presidential candidate need to win the Electoral College?
What is 270?
The President is Commander in Chief, but Congress also has constitutional war powers. This principle demonstrates what important idea about the presidency?
What are checks and balances?
A President is dealing with a major national issue. They meet with experts, speak publicly about the issue, work with Congress on legislation, direct executive agencies, and communicate with the public.
Identify three presidential roles that could apply to this situation and explain what the President is doing in each role.
Chief Administrator — directs executive agencies
Chief Legislator — works with Congress on legislation
Chief Citizen — communicates with the public
Chief Diplomat — if foreign affairs are involved
Chief Executive — enforces laws
A President uses an executive order to direct federal agencies to enforce an existing federal law.
Identify the presidential power being used AND the presidential role most directly connected to it.
Executive power + Chief Executive
"The Cabinet and the bureaucracy are the same thing because both are part of the executive branch."
Explain why this statement is incomplete.
The Cabinet is a group of presidential advisors who also lead executive departments. The bureaucracy is the larger system of departments, agencies, and individuals that helps implement and enforce federal laws.
Put these Electoral College steps in the correct order:
A. Electoral votes are counted
B. Citizens cast their votes
C. Electors meet and cast their votes
D. Candidate who wins the state determines the state's electors
E. Electoral ballots are sent to Washington, D.C.
F. Candidate with at least 270 electoral votes wins
G. The new President is sworn into office
B — Citizens cast their votes
D — State determines its electors
C — Electors meet and cast their votes
E — Electoral ballots are sent to Washington, D.C.
A — Electoral votes are counted
F — Candidate with at least 270 wins
G — President is sworn into office
The President argues that being Commander in Chief gives them broad military authority. Congress argues that it has an important constitutional role in decisions involving war.
Why does this situation demonstrate checks and balances?
Because power over the military is divided between the President and Congress. The President serves as Commander in Chief, while Congress has constitutional war powers and can place limits on extended military action.